Moving Target

by Kimberly Van Meter

  “And why is that?” she asked, following him with a frown back into the bedroom where he began stripping. “You shouldn’t care. You expressed your desire for me to stop pestering you about you and me.”

  “Yeah, but that didn’t mean I’m throwing the door wide-open for other people to come on in,” he countered, plainly irritated, which confused her. “Come on, Kat...this is just... Why don’t you put a pin in it for now, okay? We’ve got bigger problems.”

  “Fine,” she conceded unhappily, and sat on the edge of the bed. “But I think that’s unfair of you to introduce me to the carnal delights only to snatch them away again.”

  He actually groaned as he disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door, effectively ending his portion of the conversation.

  “Well, isn’t that rude,” she muttered to herself, falling back onto the bed. She supposed Jake was right. There were bigger problems but that didn’t change the fact that she wanted to pack every last minute she had with good memories. Most people, when asked what they would do with the last few days, hours, minutes, et cetera, of their life, answered they would spend it with their loved ones. But Kat’s loved ones were lost to her. She had no one in this world who cared if she lived or died. Except Jake.

  So, if she were asked that same question, she would answer that she’d want to spend it with Jake.

  Naked.

  Frankly, she didn’t understand why Jake couldn’t just go along with it. He seemed to enjoy himself. Men didn’t fake orgasms, did they? Ugh. Too bad her cell phone didn’t have any service because she needed to look up a few things on Google. How could Jake expect her to stuff the genie back into the bottle once it’d tasted freedom? Talk about mission impossible. Kat worried her bottom lip in thought. Well, she’d seduced him once. She could do it again.

  Somehow.

  * * *

  Ridiculous conversation, Jake thought as he scrubbed away the sweat from his workout and from the previous night’s activities. How could she blithely talk about sex like that? He didn’t consider himself a prude or shy but somehow it made him feel intensely uncomfortable to hear Kat talk about new potential sex partners. As if he would hook her up!

  Why not? A voice challenged. Because he wasn’t a matchmaker and besides, she had bigger things to worry about than who she was going to date, he countered.

  And the very idea of knowing someone else would be satisfying her insatiable hunger really didn’t sit well at all with him. Oh, buddy, you’re in trouble. Yeah, thanks, Captain Obvious. He wanted Kat so bad. It’d taken Herculean strength to climb from that bed and walk away from Kat when all he’d wanted to do was introduce her to even sweeter pleasures. There was an entire world of carnal adventures he could show her and she was an eager student. She didn’t shy away from anything like many inexperienced lovers. She ran headlong into a new experience as if she were going to die tomorrow.

  Well, genius, she thinks she just might die tomorrow, the voice said dryly, and he wanted to grind out the reason ringing in that damn voice. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” he said to the steam curling in the shower. He would step in front of a bullet before he let anything happen to her. Such dedication, the voice mocked. And why is that? “Ah, hell. I’m talking to myself,” Jake muttered with disgust. “Bring on the padded cell.”

  Jake focused his attention on the more pressing details of their situation and forced all thoughts of Kat and her body from his mind. First, he needed to let Nathan know he was here. Second, he needed to find out who either managed to tap into his cell phone coordinates or traced his credit card to find them at that mangy motel. He didn’t like the possibilities staring him in the face, and until he had proof, he wouldn’t allow himself to jump to conclusions.

  He finished scrubbing and exited the shower, satisfied his mind and body were back on track. He needed to stay rigid in his resolve if he wanted them both to come out of this alive, which meant no more giving in to that twisting, aching hunger that seemed to trail his every movement when he so much as glanced at Kat. It was as if a switch had been flipped in his brain and every hormone aimed at making him soft and weak in the head had been released. Nothing a few hundred crunches and push-ups couldn’t take care of. Each time he thought of Kat in a way that wasn’t appropriate to the situation, he’d just drop and start doing push-ups.

  So basically, everytime he looked at her.

  Not a very good solution. Just stop thinking of her that way! But it was near impossible. She was under his skin in the worst way—like an infection. Wait, no, that wasn’t right. Kat was...he didn’t even know the right words. She was unlike anyone he’d ever met, so drawing a comparison was useless.

  Giving up, Jake exited the bathroom and quickly dressed, surprised to see Kat no longer waiting for him. “Kat?” he called out to her, but hearing no answer he went to the living room. “Kat?” he called again, this time with more urgency but again, no answer. “Damn it, girl, where have you gone?”

  He didn’t like this. Not one bit. Did he have to tie her to a damn chair to get her to stay put? Hell, maybe he ought to have kept her busy in the bedroom—at least then he’d know where she was!

  On that thought, he bolted from the house, grabbing his gun on his way out. If anyone hurt Kat, he’d put a bullet between their eyes.

  Chapter 13

  “What the hell are you doing out here?” Kat turned at the angry voice at her back and found Jake barreling toward her with a definite scowl that was even deeper than the one he’d been wearing previously. “You shouldn’t be out here in the open. Come back inside.”

  “We’re in the middle of nowhere. Who could possibly find us here? It took forever to find it. I doubt anyone would just stumble upon us.”

  “That goes to show how naive you are. Satellite imagery is everywhere. Haven’t you ever heard of Google Earth? Now get inside. That’s not a suggestion.”

  She hated being bossed around but it seemed throughout her life, one person or another was always trying to manipulate her into doing things their way, no matter her objections. First, it was high school bullies, then it was college jerks, then it was overbearing coworkers who seemed to take her aversion to conflict as a green light to push her around. And now it was Jake. However, as much as she wanted to plant her feet and stubbornly refuse to budge, Jake had made a solid point. “It’s not easy to be cooped up in a house that’s not your own. And I needed a quick breather.” She shot him a wounded look—the only indication she would allow that he’d hurt her feelings inside—and then began to trudge back to the house. “What are we supposed to do? Stare at each other? I’m bored. There aren’t even any crosswords around. What does your brother do when he comes here? I would go insane.”

  “I told you, it’s his hunting cabin. He comes up here to shoot things.”

  She grimaced. “I don’t approve of sport hunting. I find it unnecessary in this day and age. Humans had to hunt for sustenance but that’s not the case any longer. Sport hunting seems cruel.”

  He shrugged. “I’ll let my brother know how you feel. I should warn you—he won’t care. Now, please...inside before a sniper manages to get you in his sights and puts a bullet between your eyes.”

  At that, Kat gasped and hustled back into the house only to flop on the sofa with a groan. “Can’t go outside, can’t leave, and you aren’t interested in passing the time together. I will definitely die of boredom.”

  “Kat, it’s not as if we’ve been here for weeks,” he pointed out. “Besides, I’m hoping we can pull out of here within a day or two. I have to make contact with my superior and he’ll give me direction as to what our next move is. We certainly can’t keep hiding from house to house, dodging unknown assailants the entire trip.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t sound very good to me, either.”

  “I was about to make that call when I dis
covered you’d gone. Please do us both a favor and stay put.”

  She grumbled but agreed. “Fine. Maybe I’ll find something to read while you’re chatting with your boss.”

  Jake nodded as if he didn’t care what she did as long as she stayed indoors, and then he disappeared into another room, where the phone was presumably, leaving Kat to twiddle her thumbs and slowly descend into madness at this rate. And to think just a few days ago her biggest concern had been catching whoever was stealing her yogurt from the break-room refrigerator. In a place as technologically savvy as Tessara Pharm, how was it that they couldn’t get a handle on who was stealing everyone’s lunches and snacks? Kat had considered sweet-talking one of the IT guys to rig up a camera system to catch the person in the act but then she remembered that she wasn’t very good at sweet-talking or flirting of any kind and resigned herself to the fact that she’d likely never know who was being so damn inconsiderate. However, if she were to wager a guess...it had to be that guy in Research and Development, Archie Kibald. He was always eyeing her Greek yogurt with what appeared like envy. Damn that Archie.

  Suddenly tears sprung to her eyes. She missed Archie. She missed her lab. She missed her monkeys. Her life had taken a decided turn for the bizarre and frightening with lightning speed. How was she supposed to navigate such a change? When her parents died, she had her uncle to help smooth out the rough spots, which he did so wonderfully. Now she had no one. She could only depend on herself. And she found that realization too scary for words.

  In overly stressful situations, Kat’s M.O. was to duck and hide, not turn and face down her attackers. Ugh. Comparatively, she was the exact opposite of Jake. Jake was strong and fearless; she couldn’t even imagine a time when he wasn’t. What was it like to be fearless? Deep inside, Kat was a quivering ball of goo and she really hated that part about herself. She sighed unhappily and grabbed the first magazine within reaching distance. Stag and Turkey: The Ultimate Hunter’s Companion.

  It wasn’t her first choice but it was either that or slip into a boredom-induced coma.

  So, Kat prepared to educate herself on the perils of hunting deer and turkey, depending on region.

  * * *

  In the event that their phones were compromised, defense intelligence agents were instructed to memorize a ten-digit global access code, which enabled them to make a call to headquarters no matter where they were in the world. Jake had always found the code tedious—because the number changed quarterly as to avoid fraud or theft—but he was grateful for it now. He quickly dialed the ten-digit access code and was immediately routed to headquarters and then to his superior’s office.

  “Jake Isaacs,” he said as soon as Miles picked up the phone.

  “Jake, thank God. You fell off the radar and we were afraid you’d been compromised. Is our scientist still with you?”

  “Affirmative,” Jake answered, but Miles’s possessive tone rubbed Jake the wrong way. The fact that Jake even noticed the subtle inflection gave him pause. This was the cost of blurring the lines between him and a target, and he wanted to swear with irritation at his lack of control. “Yes, Kat is with me and she is unharmed.”

  “Kat? Becoming a little informal with a target? Do you feel that’s wise?”

  “She prefers that I call her Kat, and it puts her at ease in a stressful situation. I figured it was best.”

  “Ah. Excellent thinking. Best to keep her amiable.”

  Jake didn’t respond because he was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the slant of the conversation. He didn’t know Miles Jogan very well, but he knew he was a highly decorated officer before he’d come to the defense intelligence team and he’d been personally hand-selected by the highest ranking officer in their division. He had no reason to question him, which made Jake think that he was putting too many personal feelings into the mission because of what he and Kat had done. Shame colored his cheeks and he was glad Miles couldn’t read his expression over the phone. “Since the incident at the motel, we’ve been forced to hole up out of sight for safety reasons. We’re going to need an extraction seeing as Kat is afraid to fly and she’s allergic to sedatives.”

  “Well, as much as I’d like to accommodate Dr. Odgers’s desire to drive to D.C., what’s more important than her comfort is her safety.”

  “I understand but I know Kat isn’t going to board a plane willingly.”

  “I hear you, but you’re not hearing me. Her compliance is not dependent on her willingness. I’m sure we have a drug that will take into consideration her allergies and that will help ease her anxiety. I was willing to allow this plan to drive as long as her safety was not at risk. She is simply too valuable to take chances at this point. Can you get to the Reno airport?”

  Jake’s gut tightened with discomfort. “Yes.”

  “Good. I will have transport awaiting Dr. Odgers. Your job is to bring her there. After that, she’ll be transferred into the custody of Agent Camille Stephens. From there, you will be reassigned.”

  “I respectfully request to remain with Dr. Odgers until she arrives in D.C.,” Jake said. “I feel she will be more willing to comply with me around.”

  “Not necessary. After she’s given the sedative, she won’t even realize who’s around her. I expect to see you on the tarmac at 6 a.m. tomorrow. Can you handle that?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good man. See you tomorrow.”

  Jake hung up and stared at the floor, perplexed. Reassigned? Why? His job was to bring Kat to D.C., but now she was being transferred to Camille Stephens? He knew Camille, she was the same rank as him, with an impeccable service record. He knew her to be an excellent markswoman and she could break a kneecap without breaking a sweat. In short, she was smart, capable and deadly—which should be enough to keep Kat safe but it wasn’t good enough for him.

  Too bad. Nobody was asking his opinion and Miles had already pushed him on to the next assignment for reasons Jake couldn’t fathom. Something felt off, his intuition warned, but the logical side of his thought process berated him for even daring to question a superior officer. For whatever reasons Miles had reassigned him, they were probably good ones.

  Bullshit, that stubborn voice said. Listen to your gut.

  No. Jake put his trust in his superior and that’s where it would stay. He’d just have to get right with the decision.

  If that was the case, he needed to tell Kat. He could already picture her face blanching at the news and the fear widening her pupils. She’d probably bolt. He’d have to find a way to get her to the Reno airport without alarming her. She’d have to trust him completely. His stomach churned as he realized what he’d have to do. Kat wanted him—and he wanted Kat. The solution to his dilemma was underhanded and borderline unethical but he had a reputation for getting the job done and he wasn’t about to fail.

  If bending Kat to his will meant succumbing to his baser desires...he’d do it.

  The trick would be to keep his emotions out of it, because even though he put on a good show, Kat was getting under his skin in the worst way—and he was starting to like it.

  Chapter 14

  Kat was flipping through another one of those horrid hunting magazines when Jake returned from making his telephone call. It was hard enough to keep her mind focused on a normal day but on a day when she was so bored she wanted to scream—impossible. She tried not to stare with longing at Jake’s near-perfect form but the man was something of a god. How was it that he was still single? Logically, she knew that if a man with Jake’s good looks and superior physique was still single there was probably something terribly wrong with him. For the life of her, she couldn’t even imagine what those flaws might be.

  “Why are you single?” she asked, going straight for the jugular. If she had to spend time in an enclosed space with a person she was wildly attracted to but couldn’t touch, s
he could at least make the time interesting. “You have to know that it is a bit odd that a person such as yourself would remain single. Men like you are a rarity, from what I can tell.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Exactly what I said. You’re good-looking, you have a good job, you’re smart... What’s wrong with you? There has to be something that keeps women away otherwise you would’ve been snapped up with a ring on your finger faster than you can blink. All the good guys are always taken—it’s a cliché for a reason.”

  He smirked. “So I’m defective because I’m single?” At that she shrugged, because sometimes the truth was unattractive but valid just the same. Jake sighed as if amused that he was explaining his lack of attachments. “If you recall, I wasn’t always single. Remember I told you I had a long-term girlfriend and things didn’t work out?”

  “Yes, I do remember that but I don’t buy it. I can’t imagine anyone walking away from you. So that means you walked away from her. I could believe that. Maybe that’s your issue. Commitment.”

  “What makes you think I have an issue? Maybe it just didn’t work out because we weren’t right together. Sometimes that happens. Haven’t you ever had a relationship that didn’t gel for whatever reason? Doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with either one of you. It just means you weren’t right for one another.”

  “My dating knowledge up to this point has been empirical. I haven’t had much opportunity to date, hence the reason I was still a virgin. It wasn’t that I was protecting my feminine treasure, it was that I didn’t have anyone in my life who was interested in going to that next level of intimacy. And if I’m being honest, I wasn’t all that interested in dating, because I was so focused on finding a cure and perfecting MCX-209. Now that I realize it was such a failure I wish had spent more time dating.”

  “Dating isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Believe it or not, I’ve been on a few dates since my breakup. I tried to get out there, mix it up. But I don’t have the patience for the dating scene. I find idle conversation unnecessary, time-consuming and boring. Kind of makes it hard to meet people when you find the first-date ritual tedious.”