Jordan Summers (12 page)

He’d always kept his relationships open-ended so that either party could walk at anytime. Jack told himself it was just that he hadn’t sated his lust for her yet. He took a calming breath. “We don’t know if he’s going to be interested yet. And we don’t want to be too obvious or he’ll get suspicious. It’s not like I’m still in the game.”

She scowled. “These sound like stall tactics, Jack. I told you that I’ll try to get you everything you’ve asked for. There’s no need to delay this meet. I would think you’d be happy that I’ve agreed to negotiate.”

Happy?
Was she insane? What was there to be happy about? In all likelihood David Rico would kill them both, then dump their bodies out at sea. Jack grit his teeth. “Rico doesn’t do business with women. He believes they’re only good for one thing.”

“One thing?” Delaney’s look of recognition stopped him cold. “Is that what you believe?”

Jack didn’t answer. Not because he agreed with Rico—he didn’t. But there was a primitive part of him that wanted, or worse yet, needed to protect a woman. He may not be exactly Stone Age in his thinking, but he hadn’t quite moved into the twenty-first century, either.

He worshipped the feminine form with its soft curves and delicate valleys. He relished Delaney’s quick mind and acerbic wit. He knew women were perfectly capable of doing any job there was. That said, he wasn’t about to let Delaney get anywhere near Rico without him.

“Men,” she muttered under her breath. “What do you expect me to do while you’re playing with the big boys?”

Jack arched a brow and grinned. “You are going to play the part of my girlfriend. I hope you own a bikini.”

“A bikini? Have you lost your mind?” She looked mutinous.

Jack straightened. “We may have to work on the girlfriend aspect.” He stroked his chin and eyed her, imagining stilettos strapped to Delaney’s feet, a short leather skirt hugging her hips and a corset cinching in her trim waist. Not exactly boat gear, but definitely one of his fantasies.

His gaze started at her feet, then slowly worked its way up, pausing at her nipples, which hardened beneath her shirt, before he continued to her rosey face.

Jack’s heartbeat jackknifed and his breathing grew shallow as he imagined her in an extra tiny black bikini. All that pale bare skin exposed and waiting to be stroked. From what he’d seen last night, Delaney’s legs weren’t extraordinarily long, but they were toned like the rest of her body.

He’d loved every inch of her and wouldn’t mind a repeat performance. His shaft rose to full mast. He turned away to adjust his sweats before facing her once more.

Jack cleared his throat and forced his mind to focus. “You have to understand something about David Rico. He doesn’t play by your rules. Rumor has it the guy’s a psycho. An extremely paranoid psycho. I heard that he shot one of his own people once because he was bored. Pretending to be an unassuming female is the only way Rico will allow you to hang around him.”

She glanced down and shook her head.

“Look at me.” He waited for her until their gazes met. “I’m telling you this for your own good.”

Something akin to pain flared in her eyes.

“There’s no way we can convince David Rico that I’m your girlfriend. We aren’t exactly…”

“I think we can be quite convincing.” He brushed her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “I’m willing to start over, if you are.”

Delaney stared at him as if to gauge his sincerity.

For a moment, Jack thought she wasn’t going to respond. He wasn’t sure what he’d do, if she didn’t.

Finally she nodded. “I can do that.”

“Fair enough.” It wasn’t quite the answer Jack had been hoping for, but it was a start. “I don’t think you have to worry about convincing Rico.”

“Why?”

“You had me convinced you were a flight attendant.”

She huffed. “That’s different. I trained for that position. Technically, I’m qualified to work for the airline as a flight attendant.”

Jack threw his head back and laughed. “You actually went through training?”

“Yes, why?”

“Because, honey, you are the worst flight attendant I’ve ever seen.”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Delaney retorted.

“Like hell you weren’t. Every time the plane hit an air pocket your cheeks drained of color and you clung to the seat belt. You’re so scared of flying. Aren’t you?”

Delaney swallowed hard and she glanced at her feet. She looked everywhere but at him.

“It’s okay. Everyone is scared of something.” Jack brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

“What are you frightened of?” she asked.

Loss of his freedom, he thought, before answering, “Nothing.”

“Yeah, right.” She glared at him, but he could tell she was trying not to smile. “You just told me that everyone is afraid of something. Don’t make me punch you and ruin that handsome face.”

His grin kicked up a notch. “You think I’m handsome?”

“Oh, please, a corpse would find you good-looking.”

“Thanks, I think,” he said, sobering at the mention of a corpse. “We’ll have to do a helluva job making sure Rico believes we’re a couple. He’s been known to stake out potential business associates. Not that I anticipate him going that far, but you never know. If he has the slightest doubts that we’re not who we say we are, he’ll make us wish we were never born.”

Delaney blew out a heavy breath. “What exactly does that mean? Keep in mind, we only have a few days to make contact and get the information. And that’s if we’re lucky. If he doesn’t know anything, this case is going to fall apart and a lot of innocent people are going to die.”

“I mean if you want to pull this off we’re going to have to stay in character at all times. Last night was a good place to start, but from here on out we’ll have to eat together, live together, bathe together and sleep together. You must be willing to do whatever I ask. Rico can’t suspect that you don’t do everything I tell you to do.” His lips canted in amusement.

J
ACK HAD LOST
his ever-loving mind if he thought that she would do everything a man told her to. Her mother had spent her whole life fulfilling the role of the perfect wife, never raising her voice, always being an exemplary hostess. Delaney still didn’t understand how her mother had given up her dreams of becoming a nurse so easily in order to appease a man. She was nothing like her mother.

Delaney recalled the evening prior. She may have bowed down before the “altar of Jack” a couple of times last night. It hadn’t been too difficult and it certainly wasn’t unpleasant. If she were honest with herself, Delaney could admit she actually enjoyed it, but that wasn’t the same as what her mother had done. Or so she preferred to believe.

Could she pretend to be Jack’s? Sleep in his bed, stay in his home, and spend all her time with him? Those questions did strange fluttery things to her insides. She’d only been prepared for one night of hot sex, not multiple evenings. Continuous close contact would create emotional complications she didn’t need or want, but what choice did she have?

Delaney wanted to stop this shipment and close this case. It wasn’t as if there was anything else going on between her and Jack…beyond sex. This was an assignment. He was an assignment. Despite falling into bed with him, Delaney wasn’t altogether sure she could trust him.

What if he sold her out to David Rico? Would he do that after warning her? She shuddered at the thought. The truth was she didn’t know Jack Gordon other than biblically.

“I think you’re enjoying this turn of events a little too much, but I’ll see what my group supervisor has to say,” Delaney offered.

“You do that.” His amused tone grated on her nerves.

“He may scrap this whole plan. You understand that, right?” she challenged, thinking McMillan would probably give her the go-ahead after he ripped her a new one for blowing cover. She underestimated Jack once, while searching his office, but she’d never do it again.

The statement brought a smile to his face. He didn’t have to look so damn happy about it. If she didn’t know any better, Delaney would swear Jack knew that wasn’t going to happen.

He gripped her hip as he brushed past. The warmth from his touch seared her flesh, sending heat branching out in all directions. He walked over to the bed and grabbed her purse.
What was he up to?
she wondered.

He reached into it without permission and took out her USB drive.
How did he know?
He tossed the drive into the air and caught it, before pitching the purse to Delaney. She caught it without thinking, her fist closing around the strap.

“I think I’ll keep this if you don’t mind, since what’s on it is my property. That is unless you have a search warrant tucked somewhere else.” Jack had the audacity to lean forward to look down her blouse. There was a flash of dimple in his cheek and his blue eyes sparkled with mirth as he held back a laugh. “I’ll see you back here this evening.” He glanced at the clock next to his bed. “Say six? I expect an answer then.”

Delaney tossed the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “You’re pretty sure of yourself.”

“Always,” he said, guiding her out of the bedroom. With his hand resting on the small of her back he walked her to her car.

She glanced at his hands, which rested on her door. Those fingers had played her body like a harp, soft when she needed soft and firm when she needed to be pushed over the edge.

“It’s not too late to call this off.”

The concern in Jack’s voice was unmistakable. The protectiveness he displayed wreaked havoc with Delaney’s emotions. What was the matter with him? He should hate her for what she’d done to him. If their roles were reversed, goodness knows she would.

His caring only added to her confusion. No one outside of her family had ever shown this much concern for her well-being. Against her wishes, Delaney’s heart swelled. Unfortunately, that burst of emotion didn’t change what she had to do. “You know I can’t call off this mission.”

“Yes, but I need to know something before you leave,” he said.

“What?”

Jack shaded his eyes from the sun. His expression changed as he peered down at her. “Do you think I’m one of the bad guys?”

She didn’t know how to answer. She’d certainly considered him bad, even if he hadn’t been caught breaking the law. And what if he turned out to be responsible for what happened to Elaine? No one should be shot while they’re trying to help others. What would she do then? Delaney wasn’t sure what to think now. Sleeping with Jack had been a huge mistake. The newly developed intimacy was clouding her judgment. In the end, she decided to be diplomatic—at least until she found out the truth.

“The jury is still undecided.”

He released a frustrated breath as his blue gaze probed her face. Eventually he spoke. “Okay…for now.” He paused. “If we’re to convince Rico we’re a couple, then we’ll need all the practice we can get. See you tonight.”

How had things gotten so screwed up? She’d been on a few undercover operations. Granted, none were particularly important or nearly as dangerous as this mission, but she wasn’t a rookie. Yet, somehow Jack had managed to lift the case out of her hands and take over. McMillan would surely lose it completely, that is if he didn’t fire her first.

Jack shut the door as she started her engine. She needed to go home, get away from this man and clear her head. She also needed a shower before she drove in to the office. She smelled like Jack and sex, not exactly ATF presentable.

Delaney groaned, staring at Jack in her rearview mirror as she wound her way down his drive. He raised a hand and waved before turning back to his front door. Delaney didn’t stop watching until he’d disappeared inside. She was in over her head with this one and the fallout wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Y
OU DID WHAT
?”
McMillan bellowed, walking around his desk and slamming the door on the shocked faces of the office staff.

“I agreed to let Jack take the lead with Rico. He says he doesn’t know who’s behind the deal, but he thinks Rico could be connected. Like everything else in this case, it’s a long shot. Jack said he’ll use his boat to lure Rico into a meet.”

McMillan sat back down. “That’s what I thought you said. Anderson is going to pop a gasket when I tell him. You realize that he’ll insist on overseeing the case from here on out, don’t you?” McMillan reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. He thumbed the lid off and popped two tablets into his mouth, then chewed, not bothering with water.

Delaney’s mouth went bone-dry as she watched. She rubbed her tongue over the roof of her mouth and swallowed hard. “I didn’t have much choice. It was either that or he was going to walk.”

McMillan’s brows drew down. “Do you think he’s telling the truth?”

Delaney froze. Did she think Jack was telling the truth? Yes, oddly enough. With his dislike of David Rico, she couldn’t think of a reason for him to lie. “I believe Jack’s being straight with me. I mean us,” she said, displaying a level of trust she didn’t know she was capable of.

“You don’t have the authority to make those kinds of calls, period. I ought to bust you back down to GS-5 and that’s just for starters.”

She flinched. “Yes, sir, but this was a special circumstance.”

His eyes narrowed. “Does that special circumstance have anything to do with this?” McMillan spun his laptop around until she could see the screen. A blurry image of she and Jack kissing—naked—stared back at her.

Delaney felt her face pale and her stomach drop. “You filmed us.” Her voice cracked. She’d be a laughingstock if that recording was leaked to the rest of the Bureau. If? She silently groaned. More like when. She wondered how many copies were already in circulation.

McMillan looked disappointed. “I couldn’t exactly send you in there without backup. Besides, I didn’t give the order. Anderson did.”

“You could’ve told me. Warned me that they’d be out there.”

“I would’ve, if I’d had any idea this would happen.” He pressed a button and the image disappeared.

It took Delaney a moment to pull herself together. “We needed Jack’s cooperation. That’s why I went through flight attendant training, why the Bureau placed me on his flights, and why I’m here before you now. You said to get Jack’s cooperation any way I could. Well, I did.”