“Just following your lead.” The blush on her cheeks belied the bravado of her words, but she settled back and opened her book.
He gave a silent groan. She was playing with fire and didn’t seem to know it.
The attendants completed the pre-flight preparations and the plane lifted off. In no time, they were headed west across the Sunbelt. In spite of some uncomfortable turbulence, snacks were distributed not long after they reached cruising altitude. Riley held off discussing the case until the attendants concluded their rounds, hoping the engine noise would mask their voices.
A series of jolts rattled the jet cabin, followed by an announcement of poor weather and a possible delay into Albuquerque International Airport. A sudden vertical drop confirmed the pilot’s statement. They were definitely in for a rough ride. He noticed Chip had lost hold of her book and grabbed the arms of her seat.
“Are you okay?” Riley was surprised to see a chink in her armor.
“I’m fine.” She checked the latch on her lap belt. “The turbulence took me by surprise, is all. What about you? Do you get airsick?”
“Haven’t in the past.” The plane shuddered again. “I don’t expect to start now.”
The captain announced that he was attempting to find a route to avoid the unstable weather. Unfortunately, it appeared to be a very large storm cell and he warned of continued turbulence. He assured the passengers that the flight crew would do everything possible for their safety and comfort.
The aircraft continued to shudder and jerk as it flew through the storm. Streams of rain whipped past the windows while the skies grew dark and unforgiving. The constant lift and drop of the plane was so severe that many of the passengers became ill. Cries of fear mixed with retching noises resonated throughout the cabin in spite of the noisy jet engines. The unrelenting, erratic motion inhibited the flight attendants’ attempts to help passengers, and the smell added to everyone’s discomfort. The plane’s movements became so extreme that a couple of the attendants got airsick themselves. Although Chip never retrieved her book from the floor, she didn’t show any ill effects because of the unpredictable movement.
Another sudden drop triggered the release of the overhead oxygen masks and more frightened screams from passengers.
****
Chip had never been fond of flying, and oxygen masks dropping into her face didn’t improve her opinion, but she accepted the need to get across the country, or even the planet, quickly. At least this plane was more comfortable than the C-130 she’d flown out of Afghanistan on her last deployment. Even so, the bumpy ride was not fun. A cry from the seats ahead caught her attention.
“Mommy, are you gonna die?” a small voice squeaked.
Chip listened for an answer to the child’s cry, but didn’t hear one.
“Mommy? Mommy?”
Chip unhooked her belt and, holding tightly to the seatback, stood to look into the row ahead of her.
“What are you doing?” Riley jerked his head toward her seat. “Sit down.”
Chip waved at Riley to be quiet. She peeked over the seats and saw a little boy about four or five years old sitting next to his mother. The woman’s head was bent forward and her body arched as she held a bag under her mouth. Finally she sat up, pale and drenched in sweat, too weak to answer her son’s urgent pleas.
“I’ll be right back.” Chip retrieved a bottle of water and a napkin she’d saved, and squeezed past Riley into the aisle. Crouching beside the little boy’s mother, she opened the bottle, poured a little water onto the napkin and placed it over the woman’s forehead.
“Is Mommy gonna die?” The boy gazed at Chip with wide blue eyes.
“No, your mommy’s going to be fine,” she answered. “The plane ride is making her tummy sick. How does your tummy feel?”
“My tummy doesn’t hurt, but I gotta go pee.”
Chip smiled. The blue-eyed towhead would be a heartbreaker someday. Turning back to his mother, she saw the woman’s breathing, while fast, wasn’t as shallow as it had been. She should be okay once the plane stopped bouncing.
“What’s your name?” Chip asked the little boy, hoping to distract him.
“I’m not s’posed to talk to strangers.” He looked down and fidgeted.
“It’s okay, Sam,” his mother whispered as she patted his arm.
“My name’s Sam,” the boy said with enthusiasm now that he had permission. “What’s yours?”
Chip smiled again. He certainly wasn’t shy. “My name is Chip.”
“Chip! That’s a funny name for a girl.”
“I think so, too.” Riley’s deep voice sounded above her. “I prefer the name Mary. What do you think, Sam?”
A tingle raced down Chip’s spine. Why was he bringing that up now? Her pseudo-husband braced a hand against the mother’s seat and spread his feet in concession to the plane’s erratic motion. His position effectively boxed her in. Unless he moved, Chip couldn’t stand without touching him. She shouldn’t be ogling him, but he was a hard man to ignore. With his towering height and rugged good looks, he was like candy for her eyes. And the memory of his whiskers against her lips settled low in her belly. If she wasn’t careful, she would start liking her bride role more than duty required.
“Who’s that?” Sam pointed a finger at Riley.
“My name’s Riley.” His green-eyed gaze locked on Chip.
“Are you her dad?” Sam’s question dragged Riley’s attention back to the youngster.
“I’m her husband. We just got married.” Riley traced his finger along her braid as though he was marking his territory.
Chip tried not to react to the possessive fondle. But just like every time before, his touch did things to her she couldn’t control. Ignoring the other two passengers, she stood. The top of her head didn’t quite reach his shoulder, but she refused to let his height intimidate her. She laid both palms lightly on his chest and he stiffened. His steady heartbeat drummed under her fingers, the sensation strangely comforting.
She offered a wifely smile and resisted the impulse to lean into his body. “Riley dear, Sam needs to use the lavatory. Would you be a sweetheart and help him?” His eyes darkened as she spoke the endearment.
She waited for him to move away so she could let Sam out. Yet he stood firm, as though daring her to push through him. Then his hands slid up her arms, pulling her closer, and there was no way to resist his grip.
“I don’t gotta use a labatory, I gotta go pee.” Sam’s voice broke into their standoff.
Riley turned and smiled at the little boy. “How about if I take you?”
“If it’s okay with Mommy.”
“You can go,” Sam’s mother told him, seemingly oblivious to the tension between Chip and Riley.
“Okay.” Sam worked the latch on his seatbelt, and hopped off his seat. He scooted toward the aisle behind Chip. At that moment, the plane shuddered, knocking the child into Chip. She couldn’t keep her balance and fell against Riley.
Riley caught her and the boy before they tumbled onto the floor. He gathered them into his arms and lowered into a crouched position, taking the impact against the armrest of the seat across the aisle.
From down the aisle, an attendant motioned for them to return to their seats while she assisted another passenger who’d taken ill. Both Riley and Chip acknowledged the request, which in Chip’s case, was easier said than done. If she’d felt Riley’s touch was possessive earlier, it was nothing compared to the sensations assaulting her now. Her hands were still on his chest with most of her weight on top of him. She not only felt his heartbeat, she could hear it, in spite of the jet’s engines.
Riley wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, while moving Sam carefully to his other side. Chip was flustered by his protective strength, but she couldn’t do anything about it for several moments because the plane’s unsteady movement made it impossible for any of them to stand.
“I think you’re enjoying this role-playing more than you let on.” Ril
ey’s breath whispered against her cheek and fluttered through the loose tendrils of her hair. The scent of his aftershave, combined with masculine pheromones, stole her breath. She couldn’t look him in the eyes. Instead, she stared at the top button of his shirt and wondered absently when he had removed his tie.
Get control of yourself. Stop acting like a teenage groupie. “I’m keeping my promise,” she whispered back. His arm tightened even more around her. What had made her think this man was too gentle? She realized he was holding his emotions in check, not for her benefit, but the child’s.
“Mister Riley, I gotta go.”
Saved by a little boy.
Riley relaxed his hold and Chip pushed against him. He shifted his grip to her arm and helped her stand.
“Okay, kiddo. Come with me.” Riley climbed to his feet and pulled Sam up. With a heated glance at Chip, he ignored the attendant’s instructions and walked the small boy down the aisle.
Chip’s body was ablaze from the physical encounter. But her awareness was overshadowed by a stark reminder: Andrew and her father were counting on her to find Fiona and Lorraine. Her friend’s life depended on her and Riley staying focused on the job. She had to maintain discipline and stop giving in to this cat-and-mouse game with Riley.
After Riley and Sam returned, the young boy settled into his seat. About the same time, the turbulence subsided enough that his mother also got respite from her airsickness. With both mother and son resting comfortably, Chip relaxed in her seat. Riley settled in beside her and promptly closed his eyes. Apparently he’d opted to hold off discussing the assignment during the rest of the flight. Maybe he was feeling the unsettled energy between them, too.
Chip hated unresolved problems hanging over her head. This partnership seemed to have shifted from a professional undercover assignment to something much more personal. Somewhere between slipping the ring on her finger, and watching him care for frightened passengers, she’d lost her objectivity where Riley was concerned. Yet, she couldn’t take off and search for Fiona on her own. This investigation required teamwork.
Teamwork was something she’d had to learn, because most of her life she had relied on herself. As an only child in a family that never stayed long in one place, she’d learned self-sufficiency. Of course, her parents had met all her physical comforts, and she’d never doubted their love. But the demands of her father’s career meant there were times her youthful desires went unindulged. As a result, she’d adapted to the instability of life where pulling up roots at a moment’s notice was the norm. But until Riley had entered her life, Chip had never met anyone who, by his presence alone, made her feel as though she balanced on the edge of a rocky precipice—or that at any moment a stiff wind would topple her over the side. As much as she hated to admit it, he had that effect on her, and the raw vulnerability scared her.
When the jet landed and taxied to the gate, the entire cabin seemed to sigh with relief. Chip was eager to leave the restricted space. The turbulent flight had worn her down. Yet, she couldn’t relax her vigilance. It didn’t take a sixth sense to recognize most of her discomfort wasn’t a result of the bad flight, but from her close encounters with Riley.
She waved goodbye to Sam as he trailed his mother off the plane, then she followed Riley into the concourse. Back to playing newlyweds, he took her hand and led the way to baggage claim, where they retrieved her duffel and the lockbox with his gun.
Outside the terminal, New Mexico’s warm fall temperatures made her blouse cling to her shoulders and sweat trickled down her back. While Riley watched for a shuttle to take them to the rental-car agency, Chip re-braided her hair, hoping to regain a measure of control. It would still take a couple of hours to get to the secluded resort. The drive time before they started the investigation would help her put things back in perspective. She couldn’t totally dismiss the feelings this man triggered, but she could maintain a level of professionalism—and do so without revealing her growing attraction to her fake husband.
Chapter Five
Riley studied the landscape around the rental parking lot near Albuquerque’s airport. The final rays of the sunset were a welcome change from the horrific storm that disrupted the flight. With every passing second, changing hues of blue, purple, and pink made the sky seem in constant motion. He took a moment to absorb the magical view, which helped him de-stress a little.
Their destination was Juniper Creek Resort near the Jemez Mountain Range where the mid-October temperatures weren’t supposed to rise above sixty-five degrees. He looked forward to cool mountain air after the uncomfortable flight. His homework on the resort—an exclusive retreat catering to the rich and spoiled—indicated the usual activities like swimming, tennis, golf, and of course, a full-service spa. It seemed an ideal location for Fiona Burnsworth and Lorraine Voras to relax and get away from their busy schedules.
The resort also offered horseback riding, rock climbing, and mountain trails. He would love to explore some of the hiking trails, but this wasn’t a pleasure trip. He and Chip had fewer than seventy-two hours to find the senator’s wife and her assistant, and it was unlikely the resort’s hiking trails held clues to the kidnapping.
It wasn’t Chip’s fault they hadn’t planned out their investigation strategy while on the plane, but he couldn’t help wishing they were on better footing before setting out on the long drive ahead. After stowing the luggage inside their rented SUV, Riley slammed the hatch door a little harder than necessary, venting some of the frustration that had built during the long flight. He supposed now was as good a time as any to address the nagging issue that had bothered him since he’d first seen Chip in Northstar’s conference room.
He looked through the growing darkness at his partner, struck by the realization he’d finally found his missing runaway. Feelings of elation, confusion, and attraction vied for his attention. The face that stared up at him wasn’t that of an U.S. Army Lieutenant, but that of Mary-the-runaway, whom he’d searched nearly a year for. Even though the grubby cheeks and stringy brown hair were nothing but a distant memory, those amazing gray eyes were the same.
Why hadn’t she revealed her identity when he’d blown his cover? Why did she let him believe she was a teenage runaway? And where had she disappeared to after the raid was over?
“I think it’s time we had a talk, Mary.”
She blanched. Her skin took on a translucence he remembered and those expressive gray eyes widened. “Only my mother calls me by my given name.”
“You gave it to Lisa,” he said.
“That’s different. I use it when I’m looking for the runaways. It helps me stay in character when I’m on the streets.”
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were when I revealed my cover?”
“I didn’t think it mattered. I never expected to see you again.” She lowered her gaze. “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”
Riley recalled the confrontation at the gang house. He’d forced her to the floor. Sat on her! For months afterward, he’d been disgusted with himself for his inadvertent physical reaction, never knowing that Mary was a grown woman, not a child.
He examined his partner, from her dainty feet—capable of a lethal kick—to the rich brown hair pulled neatly into a braided bun. Her skirt molded to her hips. Without a doubt, she was a woman, with womanly charms that could crumble the resolve of an entire monastery. Finally, his gaze rested on her face. Under the lights of the parking lot, her freckles stood in stark contrast to the rosy blush rushing to the roots of her hair. Suddenly, she pivoted on her heel and marched to the passenger side of the vehicle.
“Where are you going?” Even through his frustration, he couldn’t ignore her shapely backside as she faced stiffly away from him.
“I’m getting in the car.” She didn’t turn around. “We need to get to the resort. We don’t have time to stand here all night and let you undress me with your eyes.”
“I wasn’t…I didn’t…We have more to discuss.” He stepped closer be
hind her.
She spun around and he got the full impact of her intense gaze. “I apologized for that night. What more do you want?”
He grabbed the soft flesh above her elbows. A zing raced up his arms as if a lightning bolt from the storm had followed them to this quiet corner of New Mexico.
The shock on Chip’s face mirrored his, as though she felt it too. Then her mask slid into place. He wanted to shake her until she acknowledged his confusion. How could she ignore what was happening between them?
His grip remained firm, but she didn’t back down. Had he been less frustrated, he might have admired her stubbornness. She wasn’t giving an inch. Neither was he. “I see it like this: You deceived me last year. Even after you could have revealed yourself, you didn’t. That makes me wonder if I can trust you.”
She glanced at where he held her arms and Riley dropped his hands.
Lifting her chin, she glared at him. “I’m not hung up on the past. I’m pretty sure I can put it behind me and do the job.”
“This is more than the job. I’m talking about—”
“Trust. I know. Your father and the senator believe I’m up to this assignment, or they wouldn’t have brought me in.”
“It’s my trust you need, and at the moment, we’re a long way from being there.”
“We’ve been over this. And I’ve explained my actions. You can choose to accept that or not.”
“You haven’t explained where you were. Did you know I spent the last eleven months looking for you?” The words spilled out of him. He groaned inwardly. What made him say that?
“What?” Chip’s head shot up. “Why?”
Riley looked away. If he confessed his interest, she would think him some sort of pervert for fantasizing about a teenage girl. How could he admit that visions of her injured or dead had plagued him? He’d wanted to pull her off the streets, help her get back to school, find a job. With her guts and savvy, she could’ve worked for the firm someday. How ironic was that? For this assignment, she was working for the firm.
Beyond Duty Page 6
