A man’s profession.
Then came the revelation of her ineligibility and her successive move into the CIA, a place of inherit evil according to the good folks of her hometown in Greenville, South Carolina.
For a moment, a brief nanosecond, Kate considered moving home, but just as quickly the thought evaporated. She wasn’t cut out for that kind of life, no matter how much it disappointed her mom.
How long was this road? If she didn’t find her way out of the woods in the next ten minutes, she’d have to break down and call Holden for directions, even if it made her appear totally incompetent for her new job. If she couldn’t follow the simple map he’d laid out for her to Team Omega’s training grounds, how would he ever have confidence in her abilities to run or participate in an operation?
Short answer: he wouldn’t and Kate would find herself back in her apartment hugging a gallon of Ben & Jerry’s snuggled up in a faded pink robe watching Bridget Jones.
Finally, the road widened, and she drove out of the boxed-in path of dense forest and into a clearing filled with large pine trees. Further up the road, she spied a two-story white house with a huge wraparound porch. The kind of setup where people married and raised families.
The kind Kate would never have.
And didn’t want. At least that’s what she told herself.
The last thing she wanted was to be tied down to some man and a brood of children. Her career would be over and so would her whole purpose. She’d be single the rest of her life, and she was okay with that, as long as she got to work a job that didn’t put her to sleep. She’d be willing to bet Team Omega was her answer.
As she neared the house, she saw two sedans, a jacked up truck, and a motorcycle parked in front. A wide staircase led up to the front porch, flanked by rows and rows of hydrangeas. The porch itself hosted potted ferns and hanging baskets overflowing with bright yellow and purple flowers. Kate rolled down her window, inhaling the sweet scent only gardens in the south could create.
Somehow this wasn’t quite how she’d pictured Omega headquarters.
Senses on high alert, Kate stuffed her Baretta into her compact purse and got out, slamming the door with enough force to warn any unsuspecting citizen of incoming traffic. The last thing she wanted was to stumble into some backwoods supremacist following armed to the teeth with illegal AR’s. As a CIA analyst, she researched enough of them to know they didn’t hide in shacks surrounded by metal-paneled fences lined with barbed wire. Dissidents usually did their best to blend in.
The front door opened and Ethan stepped out, shoving a hand through his hair. Her mouth went dry and white-hot bolts of awareness shot through her followed immediately by rolling waves of chill bumps.
He wasn’t perfect; he didn’t have a classically handsome face; his features were too harsh for that. His rough life was obvious in his sharp gaze and drawn lips, but that life had produced an intensity barely suppressed beneath a rough surface.
Why her long dormant libido had decided to go all loosey-goosey in his presence was beyond her comprehension. Ethan Slade was the exact opposite of what she wanted in a man. That too long jet black hair and beard made her fingers itch for a pair of scissors and a comb. And his glaring lack of respect that he’d so obviously shown at their initial introduction made her want to throw him into a choke hold.
ETHAN found it hard to breathe, to think, to do anything but stare at the creature glaring up at him. If it weren’t for the severe bun and boxy pants suit, she’d be drop dead gorgeous. As it was, she looked like a school marm trying to hide her exotic features beneath a femi-dom shield of armor.
And the expression in her slightly tilted green eyes practically screamed control freak. He’d bet money she’d never done anything slightly out of order in her entire life.
What would it be like to unpin that bun and watch her hair fall around her shoulders?
Shit, it had to be the house and Noni making him straight up crazy. She wasn’t for him and he wasn’t here for a hook up – especially one with thorns. “Figured you’d get lost out here.”
Kate stiffened even more, if that were possible, and he was tempted to tell her to relax before she cracked her spine.
“Of course I found it. My job is to find things.” Her voice went shrill, the last word almost piercing.
“No offense, but you seem like a city girl. You know, Starbucks and Whole Foods.” She’d probably never even seen a gravel road.
“My life is none of your concern, just like my ability to read a map.”
“Your life is my concern, princess.”
Her cheeks flushed at his words and Ethan felt a perverse need to push her further, see if he could break that calm façade. “I’m your trainer. For the next two weeks, you will do what I say, when I say it. Otherwise, I’ll tell Holden you’re not up for the job and you can say bye-bye to your little paycheck.”
“I’ll do what you say when Hell freezes over,” Kate spit the words out through gritted teeth.
Did she like to bite during sex? Fuck, where had that thought come from? Kate Richards was everything he didn’t want or need. Uptight. Closed off. Pushy.
No, he liked his women soft and willing and quiet…
She licked her plump lips and he flushed hot, his whole body tense with a stomach tight desire to taste her.
Maybe – No, not going there. He could just imagine the set of scissors she carried around to cut a man’s balls straight off his body. Ethan pasted on a cold smile and shoved the lust back under the rock it slithered out of. “Then I guess you won’t be learning what you need for the mission. We should call Holden now, let him know he needs to find someone else.”
“What’s your problem with me? From the moment we met, you’ve been baiting me.” Most girls he knew would have tossed in a whine, but Kate’s tone turned serious. Analytical. Shit.
“Princess, I don’t have a problem. I’m here to do a job and I don’t do missions half-assed. So if you’re gonna complain about my tone of voice this isn’t going to work. I’ll save us both the waste of time right now.”
Kate paused, her gaze holding his in a way most men couldn’t and Ethan felt the first niggle of respect form. But he sure as hell didn’t like the way she studied him, like he was some kind of code needing to be cracked.
“You’re right. We got off to the wrong start. I want this job and I want to be the best I can. If you’re the ticket – I can deal.”
“Deal? Women don’t deal with me.” They fall at his feet and beg for dates and long nights of sex. And he couldn’t wait to get away from them. But Kate called to him, made him want to spend time with her. Not run for his bike and the next hop overseas.
She smirked, as if realizing she’d pricked a nerve. “Fine. I can work with you. I’ll be civil if you can do the same. It’s only two weeks.”
Her calm response threw him completely off guard and Ethan dug fast for a retort to toss her back off track, just like him. “Fine, but leave the man act at the door.”
“Man act?”
“Yeah, the pants suit, the cocky walk. You’re supposed to be here as Caroline’s stylist.” That bright red stain rushed back to her cheeks and Ethan found himself smiling in response.
Better, much better.
Kate sputtered but didn’t get a word out before the door opened behind him and Gray Holden strode out onto the front porch.
“Ethan, sorry I was in the shower when you got here, so glad you could make it,” Holden said and then turned to Kate. “Did you just get here? Need me to carry something inside for you?”
“Did you just indicate that I’m trying to be a man?
Holden paused and Ethan couldn’t stop a small chuckle from escaping his lips. He’d struck a nerve, just as he’d meant to. “I don’t discriminate. Your orientation is none of my concern.”
“I am not a lesbian!”
Holden cleared his throat and cast a questioning glance Ethan’s way. “Kate, no one here implied that.”<
br />
The angry flush spread over her entire face, turning her smooth perfect skin a deep shade of red and damn if Ethan wasn’t enjoying himself more than he had since he could remember. This might be a lot more fun than he thought.
“Yeah, I didn’t say that at all,” Ethan chimed in.
“Why don’t we go inside and talk about what you two need to do to get ready?” Holden edged toward the door.
“You didn’t have to say it exactly. I’ve had plenty of boyfriends, none of whom had any issue with the way I dressed or talked or walked.”
Damn she was cute all riled up. “Did you always meet in the dark, then?”
Kate opened her lips and then slammed them shut. Holden shot him another questioning look, but Ethan had no answer, he couldn’t really figure out why he’d poked at her so much himself. Maybe it was her strung tight as a whip nature. Or the cocky tilt to her chin. Or maybe he wanted her and didn’t know how to deal with the bone jarring emotional punch she dealt.
The front door squeaked open and Aaron and Noni stepped out. The old lady’s gaze shifted from Ethan to Kate, a knowing gleam in her eyes, and Ethan felt the noose tighten around his neck.
Noni’s words from earlier haunted him and he knew then that he’d have to keep his distance from Kate. Ethan had no intention of giving up his freedom and settling down, and he had a feeling Kate could be that woman Noni had been talking about. He took a physical step away from everyone, putting himself on the outside of the circle.
Two weeks. He had to keep his shit locked down for two weeks when he’d be five thousand dollars richer and he could get back to what he was meant for: The Special Forces.
Not a suit-wearing agent with exotic green eyes.
“I’ve got cookies in the oven right now.” Noni pulled the door open.
Kate ducked inside first, avoiding his gaze and Ethan was glad for that. He needed a second to get his head on straight. Aaron followed her in, leaving Holden and Ethan alone on the porch.
“Am I going to have a problem here?”
Ethan straightened and kept his face blank of the heat rushing through his body. “No, sir.”
ETHAN followed Holden into the kitchen. Aaron and Kate were already seated at the small table; Holden took one of the two remaining chairs. Noni opened the oven door and the scent of sugar cookies filled the air.
“Noni, that smells like heaven on earth,” Aaron said.
“Don’t you dare touch these cookies. They still need to cool.” Noni sat the tray on top of the stove, put in another batch and set the timer. “I’ll leave you to your business.”
Noni walked right past Ethan and gave him a big wink. Great. The only chair at the table was right next to Kate. If he didn’t sit he’d probably offend her, but if he did, he’d have to feel her next to him. Ethan chose to lean against the wall.
Kate stiffened in her seat, but he couldn’t help that. He knew if he got close to her again this soon he wouldn’t hear a word Holden said and he needed to keep his head on straight.
“All right, I’ve got the rest of the team arriving in a few days, we can finalize the logistics then. I asked you to come in early because you each have an important role to play,” Holden began.
“Before we go any further, Aaron, where is Ms. Latimer?”
“I spoke with her a little while ago. She got lost, but she’s on her way. She should be here any minute,” Aaron flushed and Ethan felt a small surge of satisfaction. He wouldn’t be the only man walking around in need all week.
At least Ethan could keep himself busy with work. Aaron would be stuck babysitting the stylist, although he doubted Aaron viewed it as stuck. He was as hot for Celine as she was for him.
Holden continued, “Aaron you already know your job will be to train Ms. Latimer on basic self-defense strategies, even though if we do our jobs right she won’t need to use those lessons.”
Aaron gave a tight nod, his ever-present grin absent for once.
Kate interrupted. “Excuse me, sir, but why are you bringing in a civilian?”
It was a good question. Untrained people were more often a liability to a mission than an aid. They were panicky, unreliable at best.
“Caroline demanded Ms. Latimer be her clothing coordinator. Apparently she’s very in style. Plus, Aaron vouched for her and we vetted her.”
“So we are putting our HVT at risk because she’s demanding a certain person?” Ethan said. Caroline was their high value target, and the more Holden spoke, the more she sounded like a spoiled princess who didn’t care about her own safety.
“We are ultimately under Senator Cotter’s command and this was something he wasn’t willing to negotiate, no matter how much I protested. Since Aaron already has an established relationship with Ms. Latimer, I picked him to train her.”
“We’re just friends,” Aaron stiffened.
“Okay, friends. Anyway she’s completely ignorant of combat or defense and will be more comfortable and probably listen better to someone she knows. Is everyone here okay with that?” Holden kept his tone straight, even though Ethan detected an undercurrent of irritation.
“Aye, aye, Capitan.” Aaron leaned back and gave a fake salute.
“Drop the smartass,” Holden said and then he turned his attention to Kate. “I need another female to act as a stylist to Caroline, but you will also be acting as her personal bodyguard. You will have a perfect excuse to stay by her side the entire time.”
Kate nodded. “I can do that, but I didn’t bring any attire appropriate for a wedding event.”
“I expected as much. Ms. Latimer has been provided your sizes and is bringing your attire.”
“We don’t have much time; I suggest you start training immediately.” Holden pushed back from the table and stood. “Aaron, let me know when Celine arrives. I’ll want to talk to her, too.”
“Yes, sir,” Aaron said.
“I’ll let you get to it then.” Holden headed out of the kitchen, pausing directly in front of Ethan. “Good luck.”
Ethan didn’t need luck. He’d been in worse situations. Much worse. He was a highly trained SF operative; he could control his hormones for two weeks. Couldn’t he?
CHAPTER FIVE
Kate stepped into the guest shower, her travel bottles of shampoo and conditioner and body wash already lined up perfectly along the small ledge, labels out. She reached out to adjust the body wash a little further to the left and her hand trembled. Dammit. She hadn’t been this hyper sensitive at her own prom.
Kate washed her hair, scrubbing a little harder than normal and then let the conditioner soak in for the precise amount of time it took for her to wash her body. She was back out of the shower exactly seven and half minutes after she started. The familiar part of her routine bringing her comfort and control after that eruption of insanity on the front porch.
She quickly dried her hair and changed into her work out clothes, a pair of black leggings and matching tank top and did a quick self-check in the antique dresser mirror. Her eyes appeared a little too bright for her liking, but the rest of her seemed normal enough. Except for the anticipation racing through her veins.
Kate took a deep breath and focused on the concrete. She was a CIA agent. She was trained and fit for duty. She could control herself for the duration of this mission and then hopefully, she’d never have to lay eyes on Ethan again.
He wasn’t made for her-not without a heavy overhaul anyway. Kate liked everything around her orderly. Solid colors, clean lines. She’d nearly fainted when Aaron showed her into this bedroom earlier. It fit the house, with cheerful painted walls and mismatched antique furniture lending to the shabby-chic charm. The bright patterned quilt matched perfectly, but the chaotic unrestrained bevy of flowers and completely mismatched patterns would simply not do. Kate had flipped the cover over, leaving only the pale yellow lining visible.
She smoothed down a small wrinkle in the coverlet and sighed. If only she could control Ethan as easily, but she had a feelin
g he’d be the one flipping her upside down.
ETHAN ducked down and to the right, driving forward in a surge of power to ram Aaron in the gut and throw his teammate to the ground in the backyard. Aaron had set up a large blue training mat to cushion their fall, so he hadn’t really hurt Aaron with the aggressive move. Aaron grunted, tucked his knees to his chest and shoved Ethan off. Both men got to their feet and crouched in a fighting stance, Ethan facing the back and Aaron facing the house.
“Nice try.” Aaron’s grin looked more like a grimace.
“That was more than trying. Why don’t you go ahead and give in now? We both know who’s gonna win this round.” Ethan lunged in a fake right and Aaron countered.
“I’m so going to enjoy watching you lose it around her.” Aaron gave a quick jab with his right, barely missing Ethan’s jaw.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m her trainer. That’s it.” Ethan surged forward, wrapped his hands around Aaron’s shoulders and yanked him down as Ethan raised a knee.
Aaron twisted out of his grip a second before Ethan’s knee connected with his face. “That’s why you were practically drooling on the front porch. Admit it, you really like her.”
“You’re nuts. She’s practically a man. I have absolutely no interest in her.” Ethan circled right and left, always moving, even as Aaron’s words brought on the memory of Kate’s lips. Fuck, forget her lips and focus.
“Oh, you got it bad.” Aaron dove forward and Ethan used his own momentum against him, swinging him around and throwing him to the ground.
“I don’t think so.” Ethan stood over his friend and grinned. “Besides, we’ll see how you handle it when Celine gets here.”
Aaron jumped to his feet and barreled forward, slamming his shoulder into Ethan’s stomach. He let out a whoosh of air and then immediately started raining blows down on Aaron’s back. They broke apart, Aaron’s grin just as vicious as Ethan’s. “I’m just glad to know I’m not the only one panting after a hot piece of tail.”
The Omega Team: Ethan's Promise (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Men of Mercy Book 7) Page 4
