Jordan Summers (20 page)

Delaney’s hand trembled as she brushed her hair away from her face. “It’s not like Jack and I have a snowball’s chance in hell of making it. We’re from two different worlds. Besides, Anderson would probably fire me.”

“No, I don’t think so. He couldn’t legally do that. I reviewed the files on Jack. I even went back fifteen years. Like everyone else, I can’t find an occasion where he actually broke the law. He certainly skirted it a time or two, but he didn’t cross the line. And he wasn’t behind the sale of the weapons that injured your sister. He was in another part of the world at the time, brokering a deal.”

“I know. He told me,” Delaney said.

He shoved a hand into his pocket. “So then what’s been holding you back?”

Nothing.
Delaney’s heart leapt in her chest and began to pound hard. “What are you saying, sir?”

“Life’s too short to live in the past, Delaney. Take it from a wise man who knows,” he said reassuringly. “Don’t use your sister’s tragedy as an excuse for not living your life. I don’t think your father ever intended for you to be unhappy. He wouldn’t have asked me to look out for you, if he had. Your father is proud of you, even if he never tells you or shows it.” McMillan pulled at his tie, loosening the knot as if this whole conversation was making him uncomfortable.

“Sir?”

“I’m saying that I don’t see a reason for you and Jack to be apart. If that’s what you want.”

Delaney turned toward the sedan holding Jack. He was no longer looking out the window; he now sat staring straight ahead, a look of resolution on his face. She turned back to McMillan. “I’m not sure it’ll matter what I want.”

McMillan watched her, his brown eyes not missing a thing as emotions crested within her. “I can’t believe a soon-to-be promoted GS8 agent would give up that easy. From what I can see, your mission is incomplete.”

“Incomplete?”

McMillan handed Delaney keys to Jack’s handcuffs. “You may need these later.” He dropped them into her open palm. “I know you’ll make the right decision,” he said, before walking away without a backward glance.

It was the closest thing to receiving his blessing that Delaney could hope to get. She didn’t really need McMillan’s blessing in the matter, but it still made her feel better as she turned to stride across the tarmac to the awaiting brown sedan.

She climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. Jack didn’t say a thing. He averted his eyes when she looked in the rearview mirror. Delaney pushed the hurt down as they sped off.

F
OUR HOURS
and several interviews later, Jack still couldn’t believe that Delaney had arrested him. His shoulder hurt from being cuffed so long, but not nearly as much as his pride. He’d thought for sure that they had something good going, something more than just a case to put in a file to eventually be forgotten.

He’d been wrong.

Looking at her now only made things worse. She’d loaded him into another car to be taken to a different location. Jack hadn’t bothered to ask her where. It no longer mattered.

This was the first time in his life that he’d misjudged someone. And it was the only time in his life that Jack had actually cared. That was the rub more than anything. Somewhere between Phoenix and Los Angeles, he’d fallen for Agent Delaney. Damn, he still didn’t know her real name. How pathetic was that? Without volition, his eyes moved to the back of her head to stare at the soft glint of her hair.

She really was the perfect woman for a loner like him. Too bad she didn’t know it—or care. He shifted, the cuffs biting into his wrists, sending pain through his nearly numb arms.

Jack replayed the moment in his mind. Rico had raised his pistol ready to fire right before Delaney hit the cart. He could still see her firing stance and the look of…terror in her eyes. He paused. It had been terror he’d seen, Jack was sure of it.

So maybe she cared a little.

Jack begrudgingly admitted that had she not shoved the cart, he might be dead. Rico wouldn’t have missed at that close of range and he’d sure wouldn’t have hesitated. Jack sat back, trying to get his legs to unfold in the close confines of the car. It was impossible to get comfortable.

He caught Delaney glimpsing in the mirror time and again, but she didn’t say anything. What could really be said now that she was taking him to…He glanced out the window, trying to figure out where they were headed. One thing was for sure, it was away from downtown.

Was there a jail around here?

Jack didn’t recognize any of the buildings as they wove their way through neighborhoods. He tried to spot the skyline, but it was impossible on the valley floor. He could make out a few mountains, but it was too dark to tell which ones.

They drove for what seemed like an hour, when it was probably closer to thirty minutes. Eventually, curiosity got the best of Jack and he had to ask. “Where are you taking me?”

She flicked her gaze to the mirror and seemed to debate whether to answer.

“Delaney, I know you can hear me. There are holes in this Plexiglas.”

She pursed her lips, then took a deep breath. “I need to ask you a couple of questions before I answer you.”

“Like what?”

“On my flights you were carrying luggage that you wouldn’t allow me to stow. I want to know what was inside the bags.”

“Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

Jack dropped his head forward in frustration. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“The truth would be nice,” she said, turning a corner.

He looked at her. “I’m not sure which flight you’re referring to, but the only thing in my carry-on luggage were clothes and a few pieces of art.”

“Is that why you wouldn’t let me stow it?”

Jack blew out a heavy breath. “I couldn’t afford to let you stow the items. They were priceless.”

Delaney nodded in understanding. “Now for the second question.”

He shrugged. “Fire away, I’m not going anywhere.”

“How mad are you?”

“What?” He had no idea what she was thinking with this line of questioning, but it was beginning to irritate him.

“You heard me,” she said, glancing into her side mirror before changing lanes. “On a scale of one to ten, how mad are you?”

Jack looked out the window again, searching for a landmark he might recognize. “Eleven,” he finally said. “Wouldn’t you be, if our roles were reversed?”

She shook her head and disappointment flashed in her eyes. “You do know that I saved your life back on the plane. Right?”

Jack’s jaw locked. As much as he hated to admit it, there was no sense in denying the truth. She had saved his life, even though her methods left much to be desired. “Yes, it crossed my mind,” he said, reluctantly. “I also know that I saved yours. I’d say that makes us even.”

She sighed.

“You want to tell me what’s going on here, Delaney?” He inched forward as much as the seat belt would allow. “Where are you taking me? Why have you arrested me? I’ve gone along with everything that you’ve wanted. I answered everyone’s questions. Signed all the reports. All without requesting counsel. What more do you want from me?”

Something flared in her eyes that he couldn’t read, then she tilted her chin. “I arrested you for your own good.”

“My own good. What kind of convoluted crap is that?” His voice rose along with his emotions. Jack didn’t like being toyed with and she’d been doing nothing but toy with him since they’d met. “If this is some kind of game, you and the ATF will be in big trouble. My lawyers will have a field day suing you.”

She looked away, but not before Jack caught the worry on her face.

“This is no game,” she said, before adding in a whisper, “at least not to me.”

That admission gave Jack a moment’s pause. If this wasn’t a game to Delaney, then what was she doing and where was she taking him? He looked into the darkened streets of Phoenix, attempting to catch the name on a street sign. Jack didn’t know why he bothered since he wasn’t very familiar with the city yet.

Delaney pulled in front of a small cinder-block house with desert landscaping. “This is it,” she said, cutting the engine.

“This is what?” Jack asked, staring out the window.

“My home.”

Realization dawned and the tense muscles in Jack’s shoulders eased a fraction. He glanced at Delaney, then back at her house. “What do we do now?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I’m in uncharted territory here.”

“Are you going to invite me in?”

She turned to face him through the clear barrier. “I’m still thinking about it.”

“What is there to think about?” he balked.

A small smile ghosted her lips. “Actually, we need to talk more first.”

“I thought we’d covered everything, except the you kidnapping me part.”

Delaney smirked. “I didn’t take you for the dramatic type.”

Jack snorted. “It’s the truth and you know it.”

She shrugged. “You’re right. I did, but I had my reasons.”

“And what were they exactly? I’m fuzzy about the details. Must be from the loss of circulation,” he said, unable to keep a straight face.

“I almost shot you because I knew if I didn’t, Rico would. He had the Glock leveled on your head.”

Jack sobered. “I know. I was the one staring down the barrel. But that doesn’t explain all this.” He raised his cuffed hands for emphasis.

“That was for your benefit.”

Jack blinked. He couldn’t have heard her correctly. “Excuse me? Could you please repeat that last part?”

Delaney let out an exasperated huff. “It was for your benefit. I swear I’ve never met anyone as dense as you are, Jack.”

“Well, then please explain for those of us too daft to understand.”

She shook her head. “Do you want to hear this or not? I can drive you to your house and we can say our goodbyes there, if you’d prefer.”

Jack’s muscles tensed. As insane as this situation appeared, he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Delaney. Not yet. The thought had him straining against his constraints. “Continue,” he said.

“I knew that if I allowed you to walk off that airplane that David Rico would have his men come after you. He’d know that you had sold him out. I couldn’t chance him seeking retribution.” She unbuckled her seat belt and began to pick at the frayed upholstery on the seat. “The easiest way to avoid that situation was to arrest you. Or at least appear to arrest you. That way Rico would think you were scammed, too. Why do you think my supervisor had Rico and his men led past this car?”

Jack took in every word. It hadn’t occurred to him that they were putting on a show for Rico’s benefit. Delaney had been looking out for him the whole time, which meant one thing—she cared. She might even
love
him. Jack grinned.

“If what you say is true, then why am I still cuffed?” he asked, dropping his voice to a husky tone.

Her pulse jumped in her neck. Jack followed the movement with his eyes, when what he really wanted to do was trace it with his tongue. He swallowed hard.

Delaney’s gaze widened. “I needed to talk to you first and I didn’t think that you’d listen if I let you go.”

“Have some faith, Delaney.”

“Like you had in me.” The hurt poured out of her voice.

Jack took a deep breath. “I suppose we’ve both been quick to think the worst of each other.”

She nodded. “Yes, we have.”

“Do you want to tell me your last name now?” he asked.

“It’s Carter.”

“Well, Agent Carter, why don’t you come back here and remove the cuffs? We can go inside and finish this conversation,” he suggested, feeling his cock harden.

Delaney shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Jack frowned. “Why the hell not?”

She smiled. “Because I haven’t convinced you yet.”

“Convinced me of what?”

“That I love you,” she said in a hushed tone.

Jack stilled at her confession, his mind stirring with possibilities at all the ways she could go about convincing him. “You’re right,” he agreed. “I’m not convinced that you love me. You’ll have to prove it.” The statement threw down the gauntlet.

Delaney’s mouth twisted in mock consideration. She tilted her head, sending brown hair cascading over her shoulder. “Convincing you might take me all night.”

His gaze caressed her, taking in the curve of her neck and the gentle slope of her shoulders. Jack infused all the emotion he felt for her into that one look. Happiness filled him when he saw her breathing deepen in response.

He couldn’t wait to strip the clothes off her body, feel her soft skin beneath his fingertips and hear her throaty cries of ecstasy ringing in his ears.

Jack licked his lips, looking forward to the night ahead and what lay beyond. One more night with Delaney would never do. Even one lifetime wouldn’t be enough. All that mattered now was that she loved him. And he loved her.

Why else had he been willing to risk his life to save a stranger? He might not have recognized the emotion after their first night together, but his heart certainly had. And tonight he’d show her in a million different ways. He could hardly wait to get started.

Jack met Delaney’s steady gaze. Her eyes twinkled in the low light. “All night, you say?” he asked, his body tensed in anticipation.

“All night,” she repeated, a sexy lilt adding credence to her claim.

Jack nodded. “Promises, promises.”

ISBN: 978-1-4268-1361-0

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Copyright © 2008 by Jordan Summers.

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