Risky Christmas (11 page)

His quick rundown brushed over the top of two serious relationships, but they had to be the reason he hadn't asked Three to marry him. The one who'd mattered.

“Stop distracting me.” He took a drink from his glass.

“I'm distracting you?” She sipped her champagne.

“Yes.” The heat began returning to his eyes.

“From what?”

He put his drink on a cocktail table covered in white linen.

“From this.” Pulling her close again, he inched his head down to hers. The warmth of his breath smelled sweet and alluring, and she almost dropped her glass.

“Mason?” Was he doing this on purpose or did he feel the trigger-fast eruption of desire like she did?

“Go with it.”

When he pressed a kiss to her mouth, she wanted to put both hands on him but still held her glass. She had to settle for parting her lips to invite him in for more. He took it and kissed her harder for a second, but then backed off. Looking down at her, she thought she saw
confusion before he looked over her head, up at the top of the stairs.

Go with it.

Chloe tensed.

She looked over her shoulder toward the second level. The man who'd stood there was descending the stairs. She watched with Mason as he approached them.

“Michael.” He was a fortyish man whose aging face didn't match his fit shape. He shook Mason's hand.

“Donovan.” Mason let the man's hand go and turned to Chloe. “This is Chloe. She and I met a month ago at the grocery store where she works.”

“Ah, yes. Axel told me about her.” He assessed her like a horse at an auction and then faced Mason. “I'm beginning to see why your trip to Florida was delayed.”

Mason turned his grin to Chloe, who wanted to slap him at this point. He'd faked that kiss and she'd melted all over him!

“I only wonder why you'd take a woman you only just met home to meet your family.”

“Chloe doesn't have any family here.”

Donovan considered that for a few seconds and then nodded. “You know about Frankie?”

Mason's grin vanished. “Axel told me. I can't believe it.”

“Everyone knows you and Frankie were friends. You must be upset.”

“I never suspected he was anything other than what he seemed.”

“Yes. It appears he had us all fooled.” Donovan turned to Chloe. “Would you excuse us for a few moments?”

Her heart rushed into a frantic rhythm. Why? She looked at Mason.

“I'll be right back,” he said to her, slipping his arm from around her.

Without waiting for her approval, Donovan led Mason up the stairs. She watched until they disappeared down a hallway.

A tall, thin man in a suit and holding a tray of champagne paused in front of her. She drank the rest of her glass, put it on the tray and took another.

“Thank you.”

He gave her a slight bow and then went on his way.

She searched the crowd for the man Mason had encountered in the parking lot at Lawrence Tucker's. Axel. He wasn't there so she wondered if he was with Mason and Donovan. What were they going to do? Did they know Mason was an agent?

She glanced back at the front door. She'd stay close just in case.

Scanning the crowd again, she noticed several women wandering the room in short dresses. One of them talked to a man near a fireplace. He looked at her in a way that made Chloe's skin crawl. Another woman led a man up the stairs. Were these women here professionally? There weren't many couples in attendance. A few older women with men the same age.

She checked her watch. Any time now the raid would begin. Mason's boss had called him back and they'd discussed the logistics.

“Are you working tonight?”

Chloe turned her head to see a bald man with pitted skin standing beside her. She rolled her eyes at him and walked away, which was less than she wanted to do. Slugging him would have been more satisfying. Didn't these men know that most of the women didn't want to be here? She couldn't wait for the FBI to arrive.

Looking up toward the stairs, she spotted Mason descending them. Relieved, she reached the base of them just as he stepped off the last one. He guided her deeper into the crowd.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“They're a little nervous, that's all.”

She let the vague reply go. “I was propositioned while you were gone.”

“I'd proposition you, too.” He looked down at her dress.

She sent him a warning glance and he chuckled. Was he acting again or was his attraction real?

“I never wear dresses.” The only reason she had this one was because of her ex-boyfriend. She'd worn it for him.

“You should wear them more often.”

Maybe if she had a real reason to wear them.

The front doors banged open. “FBI! FBI! FBI! Don't move!”

Men in black Kevlar vests swarmed the room like invading bugs. Armed with pistols and automatic rifles, they came from everywhere. A few must have entered through the back of the house.

“Arms in the air!”

Chloe put her glass down and then lifted her arms with Mason. She glanced up the stairs as more agents ran up them. Donovan stood at the top, looking down at her and Mason as he was forced against the banister and handcuffed.

She looked for Axel but didn't see him. Agents checked identification and allowed some of the guests to leave through the front door.

One of the agents approached her and Mason.

“IDs,” he said.

Mason pulled out his wallet and showed the man his badge. Chloe reached into her purse and opened her wallet. But the man waved it away.

“Agent Jaffee,” he said, patting Mason on his shoulder. “Nice work, man.”

“Not for Tanner.”

“Yeah, I heard. But we got 'em.” The agent looked around. “We got 'em.”

Another man approached, this one dressed in slacks and a shirt under his bulletproof vest. He had short-cropped graying hair and hazel eyes.

“Reid,” Mason said and the two shook hands.

“Good work, Jaffee. You've earned yourself a long vacation. Take as much time as you need.”

“Thanks.”

Reid looked at Chloe. “Is this the woman you told me about?”

“Yes. Chloe Bradford, Reid Richardson, the SAC.”

“Special Agent in Charge,” Reid said, taking her hand. “A pleasure, miss.”

“Likewise.”

“Thank you for cooperating with us. You've helped to free a lot of women tonight.”

“No need to thank me.” She was going to Montana to start a new life. Never mind an ache was beginning to expand because of Mason.

Two agents jerked Donovan toward the stairs, forcing him to step down them. All the while, he watched Mason talking to Reid.

“When are you going to Montana?” Reid asked.

“Tomorrow morning,” Mason answered. “We have an early flight.”

“We?” He looked from him to Chloe.

Mason seemed to realize his slip and glanced awkwardly at her. “I'm taking Chloe with me.”

A flutter tumbled inside her when he said it. Was she really doing this? Going with Mason to his hometown in Montana?

“Really.” Reid smiled at the two of them. “That's wonderful.”

“It's not what you think,” Mason quickly amended.

“He's taking me to Montana in exchange for helping him,” Chloe wished she didn't feel so disappointed. “We had a deal.”

Reid took a few seconds to process that. “I see.” He didn't. Chloe could tell he was perplexed. “Well, it might be good for both of you to keep a low profile anyway, until we locate Axel.”

“I agree,” Mason said.

She wondered where the gravity of his tone came from. Was it an all-business wall of defense or was he more concerned about Axel on the loose than she thought?

M
ason kept looking at the rearview mirror as he drove them to the hotel where they'd check in for the night. Chloe's apartment was empty and she'd turned in a notice to her landlord. That had made leaving more real. This was it. She was leaving Chicago. Moving to Montana. It was exhilarating! And it helped take her mind off Mason.

His muttered curse broke her from thought. She looked over at him. His eyes kept going back and forth between the road and the rearview mirror. He turned a corner and checked the mirror again.

Chloe looked behind them. There were several cars on the road so she couldn't tell which one followed. When he turned another corner and a white SUV did the same, then she knew. What now?

Mason took another street. The SUV followed. When
he made yet another change in direction, the SUV kept going. The driver must know he'd been made.

“Do you think they know where we're staying?”

“No. We weren't followed to the hotel.”

His certainty impressed her. He must have known to check for a tail. He probably did it out of habit or training.

Once they arrived at the hotel, Mason parked. Chloe climbed out of the rental and walked with him inside, not missing how he scanned the street first. After a short ride in the elevator, they reached their room. Mason took the card key from her and drew his gun before entering.

“Wait here,” he said.

She held the door open until he finished doing a quick search.

“All clear, Agent Jaffee?” she teased, even though she actually appreciated his precaution. She was just at odds with his distant attitude.

He dropped his jacket onto one of the beds without acknowledging her. Maybe he was at odds with her, too, with being alone with her now that his job was finished.

“Let's order room service.” They hadn't eaten dinner and her stomach was growling like mad. She didn't want to think about being alone with him.

“Good idea.” Mason went to pick up the menu and she moved beside him to view it, too.

“The maple-glazed salmon with asparagus looks good. Two of those?” he asked.

“One. I'll have the macaroni and cheese.”

“That's only on the kid's menu.”

“Then get me two orders.”

He lowered the menu. “I can afford something better. The Bureau will reimburse me.”

“What's better than mac 'n' cheese?”

An incredulous lift to his brow followed. “Anything else on the menu.”

Were they really arguing about food? “I want macaroni and cheese.”

“Don't you eat vegetables?”

“If they're fried in something.”

He just stared at her.

“Mac 'n' cheese, nothing else.”

Shaking his head, he picked up the phone.

Maybe she'd only imagined her attraction to him. Did they have anything in common? He'd gone to college, had a flashy job and parents who lived on a ranch in Montana. And he liked fancy food. Dinner at home would be a mess.

Going into the bathroom, she washed her face and changed into pajamas. When she emerged, she sat cross-legged on one of the queen beds and began flipping through channels on the television.

Mason went into the bathroom and emerged bare-chested and in jeans. Chloe couldn't stop herself from ogling. He didn't seem to notice her reaction. Of course not. He thought she'd played along with him when he'd kissed her.

A knock on the door took him there and he let the attendant in. After the room door swung closed behind the man, Mason handed her the plate of mac 'n' cheese with a cynical frown. She took it and put it on her lap. He sat at the table and began to eat, glancing back at her.

“How's your macaroni and cheese?”

“Good.” Cheesy.

“Do you eat meat?”

“Chicken fingers and cheeseburgers.”

“No fish?”

“I like fish and chips.”

He shook his head. “Steak?”

She smiled. “With sauce and fries.”

He chuckled. “You should weigh a lot more than you do.”

“It's all about portion control.” And she couldn't afford big ones.

Finishing his meal, he took her plate and put the dishes on a tray outside the room. Then he went to the other bed and stretched out on it, leaning against pillows propped against the headboard, his stomach muscles bunching and keeping her gaze there.

“I think you should stay with me when we get to Montana.”

She lifted her eyes to his profile. He hadn't turned to look at her when he spoke. And then it dawned on her that he wanted her to stay with him because of Axel. For a second she thought he meant because he liked her. “All I require is getting to Montana.”

Mason rolled his head on his pillow. “Axel hasn't been located yet.”

“I'm not afraid of him.” How many men like that had she dealt with living in Chicago? Except, none of them had guns…

“Then humor me. I need you to stay with me until he's captured. Of all the men in that organization, Axel has the most reason to come after me.”

“I don't want to stay with you any longer than I have to.” More bite came out in her tone than she would have liked. She didn't understand her affront. Whatever happened to her heartache over her ex-boyfriend? Had one kiss obliterated him?

Now Mason swung his feet over the side of the bed and sat up. “Chloe…”

She picked up the remote again and flipped more channels, mad that he'd affected her that way.

“Chloe?”

Relenting, she dropped the remote and turned to look at him.

“Stay with me,” he said.

Again, she was struck with the tantalization that he meant something other than he actually did. And then she recognized his worry. Did he think Axel would come after them? He'd said Axel had the most reason to do so.

“All right. I'll stay with you. But only until I get settled. Find a place to live. Start looking for a job.”

“That's fine, as long as Axel is apprehended.”

He was doing his job. Just like kissing her had been part of his job. “I understand. I can take care of myself, but I'll stay with you if it makes you feel better.” She'd never admit to him that she agreed it was wise to be careful.

“I'm sure you can.” He reclined on the bed again, sounding exhausted.

She tried to pay attention to another rendition of
A Christmas Carol.
But her awareness of him stopped her.

“What if Axel isn't caught by Christmas Day?” That was the day after tomorrow. “I don't want to intrude on your family.”

“You won't intrude. My mother will hardly let you spend Christmas alone.”

She glanced over at him. He'd closed his eyes with his hands behind his head. She let her gaze go over his bare chest.

“You'll like her,” he said. “My dad, too.”

She saw that his eyes were still closed.

“They know you worked with me on the investigation and why you're coming with me. You won't have to pretend you're my girlfriend.”

“Good. Then you won't have to kiss me again.”

His eyes opened and he rolled his head on the pillow again to see her.

She turned back to the TV. Why should it matter that he wasn't thinking of her with that kind of interest? He was just going to make sure she was all right and then she'd be on her own again. That would be the end of them. Whatever that was.

 

After suffering hours of traveling with Mason, landing in Great Falls and then renting a black GMC Yukon, Chloe's apprehension grew. Mason hadn't said much the entire trip. He seemed as unhappy as she was over having to stay close. The why of it had her in turmoil. What if he hadn't faked that kiss? Sure, it helped his cover, but had he felt the same as her? At the time it sure seemed that way. But he worked undercover. He role-played all the time.

They'd been following a snow-covered dirt road for several miles now. The endless beauty that passed her window captivated her every once in a while, offering a welcome reprieve from her thoughts. When Mason turned onto another road, she looked for a house but didn't see one. It was a few more miles before they rounded a curve and an old colonial-style house came into view.

Pure enchantment. It was big and white with black shutters and a wraparound porch with pillars in the
front. There was a swing and a stone fountain that she was sure was absolutely beautiful in the summer.

“Oh,” she breathed. “Is that…?”

“No. The log house up ahead is.”

Looking forward she saw a sprawling log home with green metal roofing that screamed money.

“
That's
where your parents live?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.” That's all she could say. When he'd said his mother inherited a ranch she pictured a small farmhouse. Smaller than this, anyway.

“My mom inherited the ranch. My great grandfather started up a bakery chain that took off…Schrader's?” He glanced at her and she nodded. She recognized the name. “It wasn't as big when he ran it. The corporation that bought it expanded quite a bit.”

But he'd obviously done well in the sale.

“He bought this land and built the house when he sold the company and retired. My grandfather made a working ranch out of it. People rent the cabins he built.”

“And your parents run the ranch now?”

“Yeah. That other one is the original house. I'll have to show you it some time. It's basically a guesthouse now. They built this log home three years ago.”

“It's beautiful.” Being around this kind of money was as foreign to her as a trip to Mongolia.

He stopped the Yukon in front of the log home. Warm light illuminated most of the windows in the front, the biggest beneath a huge triangular gable, where a giant Christmas tree twinkled cheerfully through the glass. Getting out of the SUV with him, she saw how he looked around before going to the front door to open the heavy wood door with a pretty wreath hanging on it. She wondered if the security measure was out of habit
or if he was looking for Axel. That idea disconcerted her a little. It was so isolated here.

A horse whinnied. There must be a stable behind the house. Other than that, it was silent. No sounds of the city. Only absolute stillness beneath a partially cloudy sky.

Stepping inside behind Mason, her immediate impression was color and grandeur. A hall led off the living room beside a built-in entertainment center and an enormous television. The Christmas tree she saw from outside flirted with the beams overhead and inspired a new idea for a card. Opposite the entry, huge granite rocks rose from the fireplace to the exposed ceiling, nestled in the log wall.

“Mason? Is that you?” a female voice called.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Karl! Mason's home!”

As Chloe moved farther into the room, she could see the kitchen around the gigantic tree and a stairway leading to a landing with two doors and a hallway. A woman with short, dark hair that was still shiny with health appeared from the kitchen, trotting toward them with a big smile. She was as tall as Chloe and a little thick around the middle, but not in a way that hindered her movement. She threw her arms around Mason and he hugged her back with a deep chuckle.

Then an older version of Mason emerged from a hallway to the left. His hair was still thick for his age and his green eyes smiled behind black-rimmed glasses. He was tall and lean, and Chloe thought in his younger years that he might have been a lot more muscular.

Mason's mom released him and his dad embraced him briefly. “It's been so long.”

“Over a year,” Mason said.

“How long before you're sent for another case?” his mother asked, her joy in seeing him deflating a bit. Each time he went undercover, the times he could see or talk to his family had to be limited. If Chloe had a family, she'd spend as much time as she could with them.

“I don't know. I'm taking a few weeks off.”

Mason's vibrant mother turned her attention to Chloe, looking her up and down with a smile. “You didn't say she was pretty.”

Taken off-guard, Chloe glanced uncertainly at Mason.

“Mom,” he protested. “This is Chloe Bradford. My mother, Beverly.” He turned to Karl. “My dad, Karl.”

“Everyone calls me Bevy.” She shook Chloe's hand firmly, letting go to let Karl shake it next, his much less vigorous.

“It's nice to meet you both.” Bevy was the antithesis of her husband. Social energy beamed from her and Karl seemed like the quiet type. Chloe held back a grin.

“Thank you for helping my son,” Bevy said. “Mason told me about how you had to pose as his girlfriend.”

Chloe didn't miss Mason's fidgeting. He wanted to get these introductions over with. “We helped each other.”

“Well, no matter what brought you together, we're so glad to have you for Christmas.”

“I'm happy to be here.” More than she should be, spending Christmas with a family…Mason's family.

“Where is everybody?” Mason asked.

“Your brother will be back in a while. He took the kids shopping in Great Falls,” Karl said. Other than the subtle joy over seeing Mason when he first walked into the room, his expression remained stoic and unreadable.

“What about CC?”

His mother scoffed with a wave of her hand. “She said she'd be here last night but she had more drama to deal with before leaving L.A.”

“What now?”

“Her husband is having an affair. He's spending Christmas with his lover. CC's a wreck.”

It must be contagious. Everyone Chloe ran into lately had been with someone who left them for someone else.

“We'll fix her up when she gets here,” Mason said.

Bevy kissed her son's cheek and patted the other one. “That's my son.” Then she moved back. “You two can take two of the rooms upstairs. Go get your luggage, Mason. I'll take Chloe into the kitchen so we can get acquainted.”