by Rhonda Lott
As far as options go, the underground city utility shed wasn't the best, but his only other option would be to kill a man in the middle of the day in a busy park. That would mean getting the police involved and Eli knew that would land him in jail, easy access for Pope's dirty cops. The shed was bigger than Eli thought it would be. The air was stale and the temperature was at least ten degrees cooler than outside, but he was lucky to have spotted the stairs leading down. Now, he hoped that their pursuer didn't notice it. Deep darkness surrounded them. Eli pulled Erin in close, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her head into his shirt. She was wound up tight and breathing hard. Her chest moving against him, breathe warm against his collar. Elijah pushed down the urge to let his hands wander. The aroma of lemongrass and sweet pea drifted to him and he placed his face in her thick soft mass of ebony hair. Eli felt her heart beating double time against him and wondered if it was from fear or was she feeling the same pulsing wave of desire that was spiraling through him.
Heavy footfalls sounded right outside, snapping Eli back to himself. Now was not the time to get lost in the beautiful woman in his arms. Eli moved them back a step and drew his weapon while doing his best to positon Erin behind him and not make a misstep in the darkness. The sound of the door handle being rattled echoed through the space. Erin gasped and jerked behind him. The door handle continued to rattle for a minute more. Unless he saw them enter, the man couldn't have known they were there. The handle stopped rattling. Eli listened intently for the sound of the man retreating, but there was only silence. Their pursuer had two options. Shoot the lock or pick it, as he had done. Either way he was a dead man the second that door opened.
Eli let out a sigh of relief when he heard the gunman swear in frustration and run back up the steps. He holstered his weapon and relaxed his shoulders, but kept his free arm securely around Erin.
"Let's wait a while before we head out. Give that guy time to give up on looking for us."
"Damn, Huge Pain that was too close. How did they know we would be at the church?" she whispered.
Eli had been asking himself that same question. Pope seemed to know their every move. The Freedom Guardians were funded out the wazoo and could well afford to have each of them followed all over the country, but he didn't think that was the case. They had an informant in his ranks. The very thought soured his stomach. He knew these men, cared for each one of them and didn't want to believe that one of them would betray them like that. There had to be another explanation.
Eli tugged her braid, lifting her face to his. Her brown eyes were wide with emotion. "I don't have an answer for that. We have to be careful from here on out. We might not be able to trust anyone other than ourselves."
"I barely trust you." She gave him a saucy grin.
"Oh, is that so. You my love, are standing underground in the dark clinging to me like a spider monkey. You trust me and you know it." Eli quipped, giving her braid another tug.
She pushed his hand away from her hair and tried to step away. Eli relaxed his hold, but didn't let her go completely.
"How did you know this place was here?"
Eli settled back against the cold wall. "Growing up, my dad worked for the city. He took me to work with him sometimes. They used similar sheds, but in California they tended to be above ground."
"That sounds like fun. My dad took us on one of his long haul trips once. It was a colossal mistake. My sister and I fought the whole time."
Eli rested his head on top of hers. "My family is large. There was seven of us kids. So dad took one of us with him often, to get us out of our mom's hair for a day. I am the oldest and had to look after the younger ones. So believe me, I was just as glad as my mom was to have at least one of them out the house for the day."
"Responsibility was bred in you I see." Erin placed her hand lightly on his chest. "I like that."
"It's all fine to be responsible until you make mistakes that cost people their livelihood or their life." Eli pointed out, surprised that he spoke about his guilt out loud.
Soft fingers took hold of his chin. Erin turned his face back to her. "You didn't do that Eli, you didn't cost your team their positions, Pope did. You and your team shouldn't have been punished for telling the truth."
"If I had dug deeper, I might have done things differently. I could have taken more time to flush him out. Instead, I was greedy. Thinking about promotions for my guys and myself for outed the fucking Deputy Director of the Fucking FBI as part of a far, far right criminal organization." He dropped his hands from around her and dug them through his hair. "Why didn't I cover our asses? I could have waited Erin and Liston and Brady would be alive and the others would still be agents. I fucked us royally and no matter how you look at it. I was in charge, I made the decisions, and ultimately I'm solely responsible."
Erin grabbed his hands in hers lifted up on her toes and kissed him quickly, hard. "Ok. You did fuck up and then you ran away to lick your wounds behind that laptop. You have a shot to make things right for them now. Right?"
Erin gasped as he turned their positions, pressing her up against the stone wall. "You trust me and believe in me. Damn, I'm winning already." He leaned in taking a deep inhale of her sweet scent. He pressed his body into her softness.
"Winning what?" Erin said on a soft breath.
"Winning you, love."
Eli swooped in and took possession of her full lips. A soft kiss to show her he cared for her was what he was going for, but the moment his lips touched hers a barrage of desire hit him right in the middle of his chest. Her lips parted with a moan and Eli slipped inside. Her taste was uniquely Erin, warm, fresh, delicious. Eli pulled her hips in and ground his hardness against the v of her thighs and there it was that little breathless moan that sent fire racing down his body right to his cock.
In the darkness, in the closed in space, Eli wanted with every fiber of his being to strip her bare, behold her naked body that teased him in his waking hours and his sleep. He wanted to slide inside her and fuck her until his body gave out. Erin set something free in his spirit that was somewhere between pleasure and pain, between longing and downright ravenous cravings.
Her hand pulled at the hair as she squirmed sinfully against him, hips riding him. Her head went back on her neck and Eli couldn't resist trailing kisses down her neck. She gasped with each press of his lips. Eli cupped her breast in one hand and tweaked her hard nipple though her shirt and bra.
"Eli." She groaned, then stiff armed him back away from her. "Sweet baby Jesus man. Uh, can we at least get a room?" She panted.
The haze of passion slipped away as Eli dropped his forehead against hers. He could only nod, give her one last swift kiss, and then lead them out the door into a brilliant New York afternoon. He wanted nothing more than to get her in a room and spend all night making love, but unfortunately he had to go steal a car.
***
She was now a felon and she was smiling as she sang an old R&B song on the radio, hitting the high notes in an off key screech. Her singing could be mistaken for a small animal in dire pain. Eli used maximum effort to hold in his laughter, crazy wonderful woman. Erin was scared when he first mentioned stealing a car. Well, hell, he couldn't rent one with the way things were going with Pope they would be on them in a heartbeat. He did try and pick the most inconspicuous ride he could. Sure, it was illegal as hell, but the risk of someone reporting this pick up stolen before he could get to their destination and dump it was highly unlikely. The club where they stole the truck stayed open until the wee hours of the morning. By the time its owner came looking, they would be miles away.
Eli had a hard time focusing on the endless highway before him. His gaze kept drifting to Erin. With the setting sun casting an amber blow over her brown skin, she was the most alluring sight he'd ever seen. Her bangs were swept to one side revealing her wide brown eyes that when she canted her head in just the right way, turned to a shimmering amber. His heart stuttered for a second when, with a side
ways glace his way she smiled. Yep, he'd defiantly fallen head over ass for this one. Erin Talley was the one. She made him feel things that confused and confounded him. He wanted to be around her, explore all that she was.
He moved his hand across the seat and took her small delicate one. She had fine slender fingers and soft as satin skin. Eli caressed her palm with his thumb and felt her tremble slightly. Yes, she felt it too. Erin turned to him and squeezed his hand back. Just a simple gesture, but it soothed him. Evened out the rough patches that surrounded his heart. Made him think of a forever that he never even wanted before.
"We have a safe house in Rochester, we'll regroup there." He told her.
"And we're down to two days." She groaned and twisted in the seat to face him. "I don't see us any closer to ending this and truthfully I'm missing home."
Elijah's throat constricted and his mouth went bone dry. Homesick all ready and why wouldn't she be. This wasn't a tropical vacation. He did a quick debate in his mind. Would she be safe in Wayland? He didn't have an answer for that, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to accomplish this mission if they were apart. The worry over Erin would be too great and if anything should happen to her while he wasn't there to protect her it would destroy him. He had to keep her close.
"Give me the remaining two days babe, that's all I ask."
Erin looked down at their joined hands, still for the tick of a few seconds before gazing into his face with narrowed eyes. "This is where you tell me your brilliant foolproof plan. How in forty eight little hours you'll manage to find Pope and his endless stream of brainwashed followers and put them all safely behind bars."
"And," he supplied.
"And what?"
Eli winked over at her. "And win the girl." He kissed her hand.
Erin slid her hand from his and placed it in her lap. "Let's be honest with each other. You don't want this girl, Eli. I thought in the beginning, maybe, but we don't have anything in common. My life is like a dim night light and yours is like Time Square. Mr. Former FBI agent, bestselling author on your way to being number one in the country for the umpteenth month in a row. I'm this country girl from nowhere Georgia. Where can this possibly lead?"
Eli shook his head in disbelief, then chuckled. "I want nothing more than to be a country boy in nowhere Georgia, as long as I get to be with the woman who fascinates me and makes me believe in life again. I've been all over the world and nowhere have I found a woman that seemed to get me, who's honest and calls me on my bullshit, and who gives me joy just by being close to her. You do all that and more for me Erin. I knew months ago when I saw you in your diner that there was something special about you. Something that drew me back there week after week, even though I knew it might bring attention to me."
"I don't know if I believe that. You didn't even remember my name."
"Oh, I remembered every single thing about you babe. So much so it kept me up at night." He assured her. Eli could make out the lights of the city in the distance. He pulled her hand back in his and hauled her up next to him across the old, worn bucket seat.
"Well, that doesn't change the fact that I love my home and my life just as it is. I'm not built for city life. This venture away was exciting and it taught me to be bold and stepping out of my comfort zone won't kill me. For that I thank you. But, us together, I have my doubts."
"Erin you are perfect. You know who you are and what you want out of life, your kind of heart, and not to mention, beautiful and sexy. I want you and in time you will be mine.
"Oh yeah, do I have a say in that?" She asked with a punch to his shoulder.
Eli laughed and squeezed her tight. "The choice is yours, always yours. I'm patient and persistent if it's something I want bad enough. I want you and I'm willing to do what it takes to have you."
She rested her head on his shoulder and fell silent. It wasn't a strained silence, more like a comfortable stillness where words weren't necessary.
Rain started to fall lightly on the windshield as the entered the city. Eli parked in a chain pharmacy parking lot and ushered her along the sidewalk towards the safe house. Erin appeared deep in thought and he smiled to himself. He had a short time and no room for error. Pope had to be handled, he had to find who was leaking information, as well as get one sexy, mouthy woman to fall in love with him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
He slunk back into the shadows watching them from across the street. The run plain little consignment shop with an apartment on top was where Eli and the woman was headed. A smile spread across his face as he pulled the ball cap down lower. They had no idea he was there, but he knew that Eli would make it to this spot. The man was nothing if not predictable. Bad ass lead investigator for the FBI. Eli hunted down any and all threats to his beloved country. All the while forgetting those around him. He made one fatal mistake, taking him for granted. Pope was right there when he needed him with a plan to eliminate the whole fucking team of losers. His life was ruined because of them. His wife left him after ten years of marriage. Who knew they had nothing in common. His whole career, he'd traveled and the moment he didn't anymore, she couldn't take him being around. She sure could take his money though. Bleeding him dry of every penny he had, which wasn't much, not now. His entire life was pulled out from under him until Pope showed him the light.
Eli Sessions was as clueless about The Freedom Guardians as he was about who was hunting him. All he needed to do was stick to the plan and watch as Pope dropped Alpha team off like flies. A thrill of excitement raced down his spine. The hunt was the only thing to bring him excitement anymore. Soon, oh so soon all will be made right.
They were lucky to escape the church in New York. The Guardians, bumbling misfits. They weren’t worth the air they breathed, Supreme race his ass. He didn't buy into all that racist bullshit, but he and Pope did agree on one thing. Revenge against Eli. It was too bad that the pretty little diner owner had to get caught up in this. She should have died in the explosion. She was after all collateral damage.
He bit out a coughing laugh at that. His life was collateral damage. Rain started to fall across his face as he contemplated his next move. Pretty book boy seemed into the woman. He would make sure Eli watched her die before receiving a most painful and lingering death.
****.
The tiny four room apartment above a consignment shop wasn't some dark, back alley hideaway that she thought it would be. It was late in the evening and most of the shops were closed. The wet street was all but empty. Erin pulled off her jacket and shook off the rain as she stepped into the apartment.
Erin was brought up short by the emptiness that greeted her. Was this what designers meant when they talked about minimalism? In the living room there was a vacant space connected to a tiny kitchen, Except for the appliances, the kitchen was also bare. Erin guessed that they didn't use the place much. There was a fine layer of dust over the hardwood floor.
Eli went through the place, turning on the lights. "Sorry, the place has never been used. Liston was in charge of setting it up and I guess he didn't get around to it."
Erin couldn't help but feel a stab of sadness for the agent gunned down in front of her diner. She ran her hands up and down her arms at the chill that suddenly hit her. Their to-go bag of burgers and fries pressed against her middle, Erin shot Eli a questioning glance.
He held up a finger for her to give him a sec, then went down the dark hallway, returning with a blanket. He flipped it on the out and spread his arms wide.
"Here we go. A picnic for two."
Erin bit back a smile. He seemed so proud of himself. "Dare I hope there a bed with this blanket?"
He gave her a sheepish grin as he helped pull out the burgers and fries. "One bed, I'm afraid."
One bed. Every place they stayed, one damn bed. She was starting to get suspicious. "So who gets the bed then?" She asked.
"Erin, it's not like we haven't slept together already." Eli wiggled his brows suggestively.
Why was he
so damn cute? Erin shook her head at him and leaned back on her arms. The light warmed his tan skin, making her fingers itch to touch him. He wanted her. The words almost made her fall out the old stolen truck. Eli was larger than life. Not the type of guy she ever imagined being in a relationship with. Sure the men around her town hit on her all the time. The same boys she went to school with she didn't want then and especially not now.
She took her time running her gaze along his powerful frame. Eli was funny and kind. He brought out a daring part of her, she didn't even know existed. He was a born protector. She felt safe with him by her side. If that wasn't enough, he made her hormones go fucking wild. Sexy as sin with his thick muscles and classically handsome features. Eli was any woman's fantasy come true and he made it plain that he wanted her.
"Hey, your face turned all serious all of a sudden. Don't worry about the sleeping arrangements. I can sleep on the floor." He told her.
Erin studied the hard wood. There was at least a years' worth of dust all over the floor.'
"I can't let you sleep on the floor. Like you said, we've slept together already, it's no problem. "
"No problem, for whom. Though I love you sleeping next to me, it's pure torture for me to keep my hands to myself."
Erin sought his eyes. There in his dark blue gaze, the pull towards him was unstoppable. Her heart beat sounded loud in the quiet of the empty house.
Eli was the first to move, slipping one arm around her waist, leaned in and kissed her. His mouth took hers, slow and gentle, sweet. Need shot through Erin with the intensity of a tropical storm. Sweet and gentle was not going to cut it. She all but threw herself on top of Eli. He said he always got what he wanted and he wanted her. Well, she wanted him right the fuck back. She was a small town girl with limited experience, but as Eli deepened the kiss, pulling her into his lap, Erin's wicked mind was coming up with an array of dirty things she wanted to do. Like right now.
****
She rushed him, all slender arms, soft breast and hot lips. Eli was knocked back when she threw herself into his arms, smelling of sweet honeysuckle and tasting of cool mint. His Erin, she wrapped around him and it was heaven unlike anything he could have imagined. Erin's kiss was hungry on his. Her sweet tongue intertwining with his and sending waves of pleasure straight to his loins. Every soft, hot spot on her body pressed into him and his dick picked up on the rhythm of her gyrating hips, throbbing with a life of its own.
