Love & Deception (Agents in Love - Book 1) (34 page)

“You don’t understand. I can’t stay, Carlie.
I have to leave. Don’t you love me enough to come with me?”

She tried to think rationally and not be
overwhelmed by her need for Nick. This was a big decision. “I do
love you, but I don’t understand why you have to leave. Certainly
that FBI guy won’t arrest you once he realizes I’m innocent and you
can’t help him.”

He puffed out a breath and the hot air
bathed her forehead. “It’s more complicated than that. I made some
bad choices in the past. I’m afraid it’s about to catch up with
me.”

She cocked her head sideways, considering
that statement. “What did you do?”

“I only tried to protect someone I care
about, but that doesn’t matter now. I have no choice. I have to
leave.”

“There’s no other way?”

“No.” He tilted her head back and kissed her
once again. “Please, my lady. You are what makes my life complete.
Let’s leave for Canada tomorrow. I have a house there no one in our
government knows about. I have money saved up—
a lot
of
money. We can start a new sandwich shop there and still live your
dream.” His lips pressed into hers again. “Please. All I need is
you. Tell me I’m all you need.”

***

Nick held his breath, waiting for Carlie to
respond. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the instantaneous reassurance
he’d hoped for. Her eyes narrowed and she pouted her lips together,
obviously deep in thought.

Maybe he should have told her the entire
truth. Then again, the FBI story sounded a lot more plausible than
telling her he worked for a secret agency she’d never heard of.
Especially since he’d already put such a distance between them. If
she thought he was in danger, instead of herself, hopefully that
would be enough to get her to come along. Carlie was very motivated
to help others. It was one of the things he loved about her.

“Tomorrow’s too fast. I need more time to
arrange things,” she finally answered.

“You can’t arrange anything. They’re
watching us.” Of that, he was certain. Paul’s other agents would be
looking for any mistake on Nick’s part—that was how S.A.T.O. worked
now.

Donovan agreed to go to the bank in the
morning on Nick’s behalf and exchange enough cash to Canadian money
for them to get to Nick’s house, which was about an hour north of
Vancouver. It wouldn’t take a lot to get there, but they needed to
leave as soon as Carlie closed the shop. “Donovan didn’t just come
here for Thanksgiving. He brought fake IDs and documentation to get
us out of the country.”

Carlie’s eyes widened. “So, you’ve known
about this for a while?”

“I didn’t know for sure we’d have to leave
until a few days ago, and then I tried to talk to you about
Muhammad.” He sighed, wishing he knew what she was thinking. “I’ve
known for a while there was a chance I’d have to run, so Donovan
put things in motion, just in case. I had him get documents for
you, too, because I already knew I was falling for you and I hoped
you’d come with me.”

Her eyelids fluttered closed and she chewed
on her bottom lip, shaking her head slightly. “What about my friend
Bradley? I can’t just leave the shop and stick him with everything.
I owe him the profits I promised.”

“I’m well off from my business investments.
Money is
not
a problem. Once it’s safe, I’ll send him
whatever you think is fair.”

She looked up, her eyes dark with emotion.
“I don’t want you paying my way.”

“It wouldn’t be like that.” He smoothed her
blond hair down her back, aching with his need for her. How he
could have doubted her honesty or thought those pictures were real,
he didn’t know. As soon as Donovan showed him the doctored photos
his friend produced, everything made sense. Carlie was exactly what
she appeared to be, and he needed her in his life. “I’d be paying
our
way...so we can be together. I’m looking for forever,
and I want it with you.”

Moisture gleamed in her eyes, but she kept
her gaze steady on him. “I want that too.”

“Then come with me. Take a chance on
happiness.” He kissed her again, hoping the no touching rule had
expired. “Take a chance on love.”

It was crazy. Carlie couldn’t understand why
Nick didn’t tell her all this from the beginning. She spent the
last few days in a haze of hurt and pain, thinking he didn’t want
her. Now he wanted her, but to keep him she had to leave everything
else behind.

However, the assassins knew where she was
now. Even if she insisted on staying and Nick left by himself, how
much longer until she had to run again? If the people of Maharla
saw her as a threat and wanted her dead, she knew they’d stop at
nothing to get her. After all, they blew up Ryan’s car. Even though
she didn’t want to be a princess, that didn’t change the facts.
They would kill her as soon as they got a chance. Only her
willingness to drop everything important and leave each time they
found her had kept her alive.

At least this time she wouldn’t have to run
alone. Even with their problems, she loved Nick. If she was going
to have to run eventually anyway, she really risked nothing by
going with him.

She wrapped her arm across his waist.
“Okay.”

“Okay? Really?” Suddenly his mouth was
everywhere—on top of her hair, on her cheek, down her neck, and
finally against her lips. “I was so worried I screwed things up. I
haven’t allowed myself to count on anyone or feel anything deep
since my mom was killed.” He held her close, his stubble-covered
cheek pressed against her face. “I need you, but that’s hard for
me.”

“I come with a lot of problems,” Carlie said
softly, hating to point it out, but knowing they had to consider
everything rationally and not just with their emotions. “Are you
sure you want to deal with all that? The assassins, my being a
princess on the run?” She sucked in a deep breath upon thinking of
her last issue, a fist of tight pain clenching her heart. “I can
never have children. If we stay together long term, that’s
something you have to consider. Can you give up fatherhood?”

“Being with you is worth anything.” Nick’s
lips found her ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth and sending
shivers racing down her spine. “We’ll outrun the assassins and any
other enemy we have.” He kissed the sensitive skin just below her
ear. “And if we want children, Donovan and Madeline have shown how
rewarding it can be to adopt. Once we’re ready.”

Carlie found it hard to think as Nick’s
tongue traveled downward and he sucked on her shoulder. She dug her
fingers into his back, wanting him, though she tried to focus. “Are
you sure that’s enough? That you’ll be happy living like that?”

“Do you love me?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He tucked his hand up her shirt, stroking
her belly and sending goose bumps racing across her skin. “Then
it’s more than enough.”

His fingers once again reached her breasts,
kneading the flesh and teasing her nipples erect. She sighed and
tipped back her head while Nick’s lips and teeth went to work on
her neck once again. Her panties were already soaked and they’d
barely done anything. Just knowing Nick wanted forever with her,
the feel of him against her, it was nearly enough to send her into
shudders of ecstasy right there.

She ran her fingers through his hair,
catching hold of it and pulling lightly, tugging his mouth to hers.
Plunging her tongue inside, she lapped at him hungrily, needing him
more than she’d ever needed another person.

“I want to make love to you,” she said,
nipping at his lips and stroking his shoulders. “I want to have
complete control over you, and I want you to have complete control
over me.”

“Complete control?” He nuzzled into her neck
again, and Carlie wondered if she’d orgasm before he ever undid her
jeans.

“Tell me what you want me to do,” she
whispered. “Complete control.”

“Fine.” Nick pulled away and looked at her.
“We’re both control freaks, it seems. What’s something you’ve never
been able to give up enough control for and do in the bedroom?
Something you really want to do?”

She licked her lips and looked away. Now
would probably not be a good time to talk about her former lovers’
lack of imagination. “We already fulfilled my desk fantasy.” Heat
burned her cheeks, but she went on. “What about a strip tease?”

“Am I stripping or you?”

She laughed at the seriousness of his
question. “Me, but we’ll get your clothes off eventually.”

“Sounds like a great plan.” He settled back
into the couch cushions, clasping his hands together across his
stomach and favoring her with an attentive look.

“There are some rules.” She hopped up and
went to the entertainment center, turning the television on to one
of the cable radio stations that wouldn’t have interruptions in the
music. Lively hip hop filled the small space of the living room.
Carlie twitched her hips experimentally, excitement running through
her at the knowledge Nick stared at her ass and desired it.

“What are the rules?” he asked, once Carlie
stopped twitching.

“I can do whatever I want to you, but you
aren’t allowed to touch me. Not unless I tell you to.”

He lifted one dark eyebrow. “Sounds like I’m
the one giving up all control, not you.”

“For starters,” she agreed. “But we’ll trade
off on who gives the orders.”

“Really?” His eyes traveled up and down her
body. “Deal.”

She had a momentary qualm, wondering what he
might have her do. Then again, she wanted to be with Nick
completely. Whatever he ordered, she’d do it. Anything to please
him and prove they could trust each other.

Before she could question it further, she
pushed the coffee table out of the way and stood in front of his
seated position. To the beat of the music, Carlie wiggled her body,
hoping she didn’t look ridiculous. Unfastening her pants, she
flexed and shook until they slipped to the ground.

“Nice,” Nick rumbled, appreciation clear in
his voice.

Her confidence bolstered, Carlie backed up
to him, shaking her booty in his face before straddling his knees
and backing into him. He reached around her, grabbing her breasts
and forcing her onto his lap.

Carlie ground into him, delighted at the
change in his breathing, but she grabbed his hands and pulled them
away. “No touching.”

He groaned and planted them on either side
of the couch, flexing his fingers into the fabric. “Cruel.”

Laughing, she stood and turned to face him,
slowing her hips to a gentle sway as she slowly unbuttoned her
blouse. When all the buttons were undone, she let it float around
her body, but left it on her shoulders, climbing onto Nick’s lap
and planting her knees on the outside of his thighs. She ground her
pelvis against his crotch, pleased at the stiff bulge beneath his
jeans.

“I want to touch you, Carlie.” His voice was
husky, snarly and so masculine, it sent a shiver of anticipation
through her.

“Not yet. Keep your hands to yourself.” She
rubbed against his crotch harder. The rigid edge covering his
zipper stroked her clit through her panties and she moaned. “I’m so
hot for you, Nick.” She rubbed herself up and down until the need
to be closer to him was too much to handle. She fell against his
chest and breathed heavily into his ear, sticking her tongue
briefly inside it. His groan of pleasure made her even wetter.

Nick’s hands found the globes of her ass,
pressing her harder into him. “You are so damn hot.”

“Bad boy.” She laughed. “No touching.”

He once again obeyed, though grumbled about
the unfairness of it.

She went to work on his shirt, stripping it
over his head and then taking his flat nipple into her mouth. At
the same time, she unbuttoned his jeans. “I think it’s time for you
to be naked.”

After she climbed off his lap, Nick quickly
shed his clothing, kicking it into a pile out of the way before
resuming his seat on the couch and patting his thighs. “Come back
here.”

Carlie couldn’t help but admire him. Karate
definitely toned Nick into a magnificent specimen. She could never
get enough of looking at his chiseled abs or his defined chest and
arms. Even his legs were muscular and a total turn on. She thought
about how he effortlessly held her against the wall when they made
love standing up. The power in him was so alluring.

His hard cock strained for her, its swollen
girth begging Carlie to hop on, but she wasn’t quite done with her
strip tease.

She licked her lips and attempted a sultry
pout. “You’re definitely the hottest man walking this planet,
Nick.”

“And you are the most beautiful woman.” The
gentleness in his voice took her by surprise. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She twirled to the music
and slowly let her shirt slide off her shoulders while she danced.
Once free of it, she unfastened her bra and stopped dancing so Nick
could watch clearly while it came off.

When her small bust was totally free, he
gripped the couch more tightly. “Any chance those are coming closer
to my mouth?”

Laughing, she turned around and backed up to
him, shaking her ass once again to tempt him while she peeled her
soaking panties from her body. Behind her, Nick’s hand slipped into
the crevice of her legs, stroking her ass all the way forward to
lightly flick her clit. He moved back a little bit, dipping a
finger inside her. His teeth grazed across the skin of her buttocks
while he fingered her with one hand and gripped her thigh with the
other.

Although what she really wanted was more of
him inside her, Carlie jerked away, breaking the contact and
glancing over her shoulder at him. “You’re not good at following
rules, are you?”

He shook his head. “I told you I like to be
in control.”

“I know that. So what, exactly, do you want
me to do?” She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back.
“Should I get on your lap again?”