Dangerous Lies

by Claudia Shelton

  Even the fact that Reese had seen them together back on the boat meant there was always the chance Drake would keep an extra sharp eye on the way Liz’s protection was being handled. If Reese saw something that seemed off on the security, he might talk to Josh. Mitch wouldn’t fault him for that—he’d do the same thing if positions were switched.

  That’s why he needed to keep his wits about him. Keep his distance from her, for sure. Keep focused on anything but the way her every move worked his core.

  He jumped to his feet, toweled off, and headed to the poolside fridge. Was she watching? He couldn’t tell, because she’d put on her sunglasses, but the slight movement of her lips, along with the tilt of her head, gave him reason to guess the answer was yes.

  “You want something to drink?” he asked.

  “Thank you. That would be nice. Bring me whatever you’re having.” She picked up the book she’d brought down with her from her room.

  After setting their two glasses of lemonade on the small table separating her chaise from the one he planned to use, he pointed to her book. “Isn’t it kind of hard to read when the print’s upside down?”

  She gave a quick little turn-away smile, not looking at him in the slightest. “I wasn’t actually reading yet. I was thinking.”

  “Thinking again, huh?” He sat down, positioning the back of the chase to a backward lean, making sure to stay even with her. “What were you thinking about this time?”

  As she took off her sunglasses, her smug expression wavered, and she fought to hold her lips in a straight line. She dipped her fingers in the lemonade and flicked him with the droplets then plopped the sunglasses back on. “Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”

  “Sometimes.”

  So, she had been watching. Something about that made him feel good.

  He leaned back, placing his hands behind his head, relaxing in the sun beaming through the open roof panels. Felt peaceful. Trying to remember the last time he’d taken time to just be, he realized how fast-paced his life had become. Maybe his brother was right. Maybe he needed a life.

  The last few days, all he’d allowed himself were a few solid hours of sleep at night, and only light on-guard naps during the day. Feeling content just to lie there, he knew better than to stay still very long or he might doze off.

  She also seemed content to sit there crunching on ice from the lemonade, letting the book lay where she’d left it on her belly. Suddenly, she sat up on the chaise cushion and folded into a cross-legged sitting position. “True, I wasn’t thinking a while ago, but there’s been something nagging at me all morning.”

  “If it’s about last night, forget it.”

  “It’s not about last night. I let that go before I went to sleep.” She lifted the corners of her mouth a bit before the serious expression returned. “No, it’s about my dad.”

  “Go on.”

  “You asked me to make a list of things about his life for the past four or five years. Where he’d been, what he’d been doing, medical problems, and anything else I could think of.”

  Mitch nodded. “Did you come up with something out of the ordinary?”

  “No….yes…I don’t know.” She leaned back on the chaise once again. “I haven’t been around during the past four to five years. Because of my job, most of our communication was by Skype or text. Research for magazine articles has kept me on the move. There were times I asked him to meet someplace for a mini vacation, but he’d say he was busy…or it wasn’t a good time…or he really wanted to stay close to home.”

  Mitch closed his eyes. How many years had it been since he left home? Not the house, rather the rest of his family. They’d all be grown by now. Even the youngest of his five brothers and sisters would be out on their own by now. “What would happen when you got time off to go home?

  “He was always glad to see me. Of course, I stayed away during the tax season,” she said. “He worked full time at a local library, but he made extra money doing bookkeeping. Every January, he hired on part time at the local tax place.”

  “Any visitors during that time?”

  She shrugged. “A few. But I met only one man. He was new in the neighborhood. Seemed like he and my dad were buddies.”

  “What about the others who came by?”

  “They came late at night or early, early morning when I was asleep.”

  Mitch hated to ask, but without questions he might miss out on the answers to save their lives. “Any sign of the safe room?”

  “No.” Only a tiny tremble gave any clue he’d hit a chord. That and the way she suddenly looked at the floor then gulped down a couple swallows of lemonade. “In fact, he’d turned it into a wine room.”

  “Wine?”

  “Yeah. He had a lot of bottles with fancy foreign labels. Said he’d gotten a deal on TV. In fact, I got the impression he’d been watching a lot of television. Plus, spent a lot of time online.”

  Mitch thought about a few of the things she’d said. How they might tie together. By themselves, there was nothing overly odd. People changed as they aged. Did different things. For now, he’d store the highlights in his brain and work a connection template later. The most unusual item was the fact he’d turned the safe room into a wine room. Of course, he might figure anyone he needed to protect from CT was gone.

  “What was he doing online?” Mitch asked.

  She laughed. “He’d been shopping.”

  “For what?”

  “Like a fake gold and diamond bracelet I saw when he asked me to grab him a clean shirt from his room. A gigantic television. Knockoff sculptures and paintings.”

  “How’d you know the stuff was fake?”

  She laughed again. “Had to be. There’s no way my dad could afford something like that. I’d say he bought it to impress the ladies on the singles trips he said he’d been taking.” She raised her eyebrows. “He’d even gone to Europe. And China.”

  “Without you knowing?”

  She nodded, a little sad. “Guess he didn’t want to travel with me to any of those places.”

  And there it was. If you listened long enough, there was usually something that could be of benefit in tracking down a person’s profile. If her dad had gone on singles trips, then there had to be a trail of his passport and credit cards. Seemed a little strange to risk being seen by CT, but maybe he changed his appearance when he traveled. Could be he got some tips from Drake.

  Mitch planned to speak with Josh tonight, and he’d have him do a check on her father’s travels and online shopping. Like the cost of the so-called fake gold and diamond bracelet.

  He could tell Liz loved her dad, and he’d do whatever he could to find him for her. Losing your parents could leave a scar, a huge honking scar that didn’t heal.

  Maybe he should share his past with her. She’d understand…maybe. Then again, that wasn’t something he needed to burden her with—she had enough to worry about already.

  The longer they sat there, the hotter it got. Even with the cooling misting fans positioned around the atrium, the glare of the sun, along with the heat, became more than uncomfortable. Felt like his past assignment in the jungles of South America. He walked over to the control panel and closed the overhead louvers. The moment they blocked the sun, the temperature felt more bearable.

  “I think I’ll see about making us something for dinner.” She removed her sunglasses and sat back up into her cross-legged position. “Would you like to help me?”

  “Later.”

  An overpowering urge dug into his chest as he went back to the chaise and sat down. He couldn’t let this afternoon end this way. Dinner wasn’t what he wanted. Dinner wasn’t what he needed.

  “I own this place free and clear,” he blurted out. “There’s no way to track me, except through my corporation. Which, from what I’ve heard, would be a damn hard thing to find.” Mitch hated talking about his personal business. Especially when he didn’t quite understand how this house fit into his good luck qu
otient in life. “It’s important to me that you understand I didn’t do anything illegal.”

  “I believe you,” she said. “There’s no need to explain.”

  Now or never. Yes or no. His whole future depended on the next words that came out of his mouth. This decision was huge, but now or never came around very few times in a man’s life.

  “A few years back, I had an unusual OPAQUE assignment.” Mitch pulled up his knees and braced his forearms on top, his fingers clasped together, all the time keeping eye contact with her. He wanted her to know this was the truth. “One I can’t talk about. One I can’t even explain to myself. But I got the job done. A few days after I got back, Drake called me into his office. Gave me an envelope that contained a short note and a key to this house. Said it was a bonus.”

  “A bonus?” She smiled as she shook her head. “I never got a bonus like this.”

  “Well, if it makes you feel any better, he gave me only the GPS coordinates. Made me find the place by myself.”

  “Sounds like something he’d do.” She sipped the lemonade. “What did the note say?”

  “Thank you.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Yeah…’thank you’.” Mitch figured he’d said more than enough. At least more than he’d ever told anyone before. Hopefully, the explanation had satisfied her doubt.

  The two of them leaned back against their chaise lounges and sat in silence. She seemed okay with what he’d said. That was good. He wished he could say the same for himself, because that assignment, that day, that note, dug a hole in his gut.

  Liz moved to the side of her seat then stood. Before she could walk away, he grabbed her hand as he sat up, placing his legs on opposite sides of the chaise. Maybe she was right after all—what if tomorrow never came?

  He lifted his eyes to hers and slowly tugged her hand toward his chest. Her gaze brightened, and she eased in his direction.

  Would she stay? Did she understand his move? Being with a woman wasn’t new to him. But being with Liz was like a new chapter. He’d come this far, and now, all he wanted was for her to understand. To know he wanted her to stay.

  Releasing his hand, she slowly lowered herself to his chaise, turning her back toward him then leaning against his chest. Her hair smelled like apricots, soft against his skin. She felt warm and luxurious. He brushed his hands down her arms as he kissed the silky curve between her shoulder and neck. She made a tiny sound of approval as she arched her neck, giving him a better angle, then rested her palms on his thighs, her fingers stroking his skin.

  There was no way they could have a forever future, but he’d never felt so close to anyone in his life as he did to her.

  “The note was printed in crayon,” he said, his voice husky with remembrance.

  She stilled but didn’t tense.

  “Some of the letters were backward. All different sizes.” He sucked in a breath, trying to shove his emotions back in their safe. “And there were two stick figures drawn on the page. One tall. One short. Holding hands. Each with a little heart drawn inside their body.”

  His chest felt like it was on fire, like it might explode, but he’d gotten the story out. That alone had been the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life.

  She turned and knelt on the cushion, her knees brushing against his inner thighs as she slid forward. Then, as she leaned toward his mouth, she slipped her legs over his until she rested against his body the same as when they’d been on the Q40 out in the Gulf. Her tongue slipped around his lips, moist and gentle. He might not deserve her, but then again, maybe he did. At least for a little while.

  “You know I can’t stay when this is over.” He tugged her against his groin. “There’s no forever here for either one of us.”

  “You think too much.” She stroked his jawline with the edge of her fingernails.

  “Listen to me, Liz.” He grabbed her hand, letting it rest against his cheek. “There’s no forever here for either of us. Tell me you understand what I’m saying.”

  Slipping her fingers to the edge of his mouth, her pinkie caressed the corner of his lips. He sucked her finger in, his tongue moistening the tip before pushing it out. She tasted so good. So damn good.

  “Tell me you’re okay with this. That you know what you’re doing. Otherwise, get up and go in the other room…now.” His heart was racing, his breathing coming in gasps, and his core had long passed control.

  “Do you want me to go?” The movement of her throat as she swallowed belied her calm.

  “No. I want you to stay.” He’d never wanted anything so much in all his life. “But if you do…I can’t guarantee I’ll stop.”

  “I know the rules. When this assignment’s done, you’ll go your way. I’ll go mine.” Leaning forward, her breasts brushed his chest as she nipped his ear with her teeth. “No promises. No commitment. No obligations.”

  Damn, when had her voice become so sultry? And when she moved back, her eyes had taken on a half-sleepy look, her lips open and pouty. He had his answer.

  As he stood, he slipped his hands beneath her bottom and lifted her then headed for the pool. “Maybe it’s time for a follow-up swim lesson.”

  She tensed, jerking her head to the side as she glanced at the water with apprehension. There was no sign of half-sleepy eyes anymore. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.”

  “Really? And here I thought you’d mastered all the strokes.”

  She blinked rapidly, and a flash of nerves skittered across her expression. She glanced at his lips then back into his eyes, her expression softening. “I may not be all that good with the strokes.”

  He reached with his lips, and she found them in return, and when he pushed for entry with his tongue, she opened. Not soft, not fierce, not playful, their kiss just happened. He pulled back, yet something inside him tried to hold on to the peacefulness he’d felt. Another part threw up a shield. If he wasn’t careful, she could be the toughest enemy he’d ever faced.

  “Relax, honey. You’ll be fine.” He carried her past the pool and headed to a stone partition at the side. “How about we get the rest of that camo out of your hair?”

  “How?”

  “There’s a shower right around the corner.”

  She smiled. “With a rainfall showerhead?”

  “Yeah. And, a lot of other body sprays, too.” He jostled her in his arms. “There’s also some fancy lighting.” He jostled her again, and she held on tighter. “And a nice, oversized bench.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Liz could barely breathe by the time Mitch slid her to her feet in the large, futuristic shower. The enclosure tucked adjacent yet outside the atrium had a retractable roof that seemed to bring the sky inside. The arrangement and sensation felt like what she imagined floating in a rain shower would feel like. He promised they’d come back at night so she could listen to her favorite song and watch the lights dance to the music in the dark. She’d rather watch the moon and stars and dance with him in the shower.

  For now, though, she was happy with the soft pink and purple glows around some of the spray heads. And, she was very, very happy with the man standing in front of her. When she’d showered last night, she’d made sure to get every last bit of camo out of her hair, but she wasn’t about to let him know. As long as he wanted to ply her with shampoo and shower gel, she’d bask in his touch.

  The feel of his soapy palms against her skin had her core begging for more. His fingers slipped inside the rim of her bikini bottom, nearly pushing her to escape the material. But she didn’t. She still wasn’t that brave. Not yet.

  “Did I tell you how good you make me feel?” he whispered in her ear. “I’d do anything for you, Elizabeth. Anything. Tell me what you want.”

  For her, talking was not an option. Only movement. Movement and Mitch.

  She undid her bikini top, letting it slide away as he found the perfect spots to tease, the perfect way to bring her to the edge, then let her go. She raked her fingers down
his chest, and he sucked in a breath on a deep rumble of a groan, then tugged her toward the bench at one end of the shower. He pushed his swim trunks to the floor a second before he pulled her onto his lap as he sat down.

  How had she gotten so enthralled with this man? So needy for him?

  He pulled her tight against him while she stole one kiss after another. She was his. She wanted more. A lot more.

  His hands stopped moving. He tensed. “Shhhhh.”

  She felt as if she might explode if…if…

  “Damn.” He leaned his forehead against hers then moved her over on the bench next to him, as a steady beep sounded from back in the pool area. “I have to answer that.”

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “That’s the security signal from headquarters. Means Josh is on the line.”

  “Can they see us in the atrium?”

  “No. Nobody can see anything through the computers unless I respond with an answering click.” Mitch headed out of the shower. “But Josh wouldn’t call in the afternoon unless it was important.”

  He grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist as he walked to the secure computer at the bar. She grabbed a towel then scurried over to grab her cover-up from the chaise. From the serious expression on Mitch’s face and the determined way he’d walked, whatever news was being called in wouldn’t be good.

  All things considered…her need might not get met this afternoon.

  …

  Mitch clicked receive on the computer hooked into the house’s secure system. Evidently, he’d moved a little slow, because Josh and Reese were both waiting for him on the screen.

  “About time you picked up,” Josh said.

  “You interrupted my swim.” Mitch raked his hand through his hair. “Problem?”

  “Yeah.” Josh held up a paper in his hands.

  “Give it to me.”

  “Is Liz there?”

  She’d stayed off to the side, out of reach of the computer camera, but at the mention of her name she walked into view. “I’m here.”

  Josh squinted. “Let me guess. I interrupted your swim, too.”