Seek and Destroy (10 page)

    They'd start first with a powerful, incinerating kiss. He'd then cup one of her breasts and play with her nipple until it hardened and swelled. He'd then take it into his mouth.

    Goosebumps peppered her body. For crying out loud, Charis. Get a grip. You're acting like a two-bit floozy. She laughed at herself. Floozy? She sounded just like her mother.

    Good God, she was a mess.

    She sipped at her second glass of wine and set it back on the table. Good luck getting him to come back with her now. Her plane left in the morning and she'd return empty handed. She'd lollygagged an entire week to drum up enough courage just to approach him. Who knew he'd recognize her so soon?

    What would she to say to JT Weber? She seemed so hopeful Charis would be able to bring David back to the states, and back to NASSD.

    So much for that plan.

    She glanced down at her sapphire blue, spaghetti-strap dress. She'd never spent four hundred dollars on a dress. She'd never even spent
one
hundred. She bought it as a way to boost her spirits, give her that second wind of bravado she so desperately needed. She'd spent the better part of the late afternoon shopping at
the
hot spot in Lahaina until she found the perfect dress.

    Now, knowing David Snyder was probably long gone, she couldn't bring herself to return it. It would be the only thing she had from this trip she'd be able to bring back to the states with her-aside from the obscene bathing suit-since he made it clear he wouldn't be joining her on the flight home.

    The tiny table built for two sat in a row of like tables, hers the only one with a single occupant. Small candles flickered in the center of each table, the only source of light in the resort restaurant. The sun had set and darkness settled in. Couples, all touchy and lovey, surrounded her, cooing at their partner. With a petulant sigh, she took another sip of wine.

    She hated eating alone. She hated doing anything alone, actually. This week hadn't nearly been as exciting as she thought it would be. She'd had this preconceived notion NASSD agents were always in the throws of action. Brilliant, non-stop action.

    Another myth busted.

    She didn't think a
real
NASSD agent would have anything to do with parading around like a beach bunny in an attempt to catch his attention. No, they would have rejected the mission and been assigned something more exciting.

    Like watching paint dry.

    No wonder they dragged her in on this. This op had simply been beneath that of a NASSD agent. Great. Not only did ICE get NASSD's discards, now they were the proud recipients of the less than stellar ops?

    She couldn't be any more bored if she tried. Aside from saying hello to the maid who cleaned her room, she hadn't had much for companionship this week. Charis actually looked forward to the maid showing up, just so she had someone to talk to.

    How pathetic.

    Then David approached her today by the pool. She really did love her dumb luck. He saved her having to come up with some lame excuse to talk to him. Why hadn't she thought to just walk up to him and offer to buy him a drink?

    She blinked and rubbed at her eyes. Damn these contacts. She really should have taken them out before dinner. It felt like she had gravel in her sockets. She closed her eyes and willed them to water. It didn't take much. She thought about having to go back to Seattle without David Snyder and felt her eyes mist.

    Both agencies told her in no uncertain terms if she didn't succeed on this assignment, all kinds of proverbial shit would hit the fan. The doors into NASSD would slam shut for any ICE agent, snuffing out their chances. Her role inside ICE would probably be demoted down to file clerk.

    Oh goodie. She paved all sorts of new roads on this assignment.

    "Who sent you, anyway? NASSD? CIA? ICE?"

    She blinked and looked up as the sexy Super Spy himself took the chair opposite hers at the small table and sank his large frame down to rest. He studied her, looking like he didn't know whether to believe whatever answer she gave.

    Although she'd dressed for dinner, something her mother had instilled in her since she was a little girl, he obviously didn't share her sense of propriety. He had on the same swimming trunks he'd worn earlier. At least now he wore a shirt. A dark shirt, she noticed, that did incredible things to his features. Sure, his dark eyes were hard and unnerving as he deliberated whatever he had on his mind, but still gloriously appealing. His compassion caused them to dance in the candlelight. The sign of a good heart.

    She hoped.

    Maybe he decided to give her another chance? She pushed her plate of untouched Ahi Tuna toward him without saying a word. She gave it her best shot, but just the smell of raw fish had her saliva glands on overdrive, the smell reminding her of the nasty smell of her parent's kitchen during the annual McKoy fish fry.

    Her little sister Kaylee had instructed her to try anything and everything she'd never tried before. Charis eyes the sexy NASSD agent. Did he count?

    He ignored the food. Apparently he had a thing against raw meat, too. But then again, from the way he eyed her, it looked like he wanted to eat her raw. His eyes danced with lust as he slowly traced her frame.

    Deep shudders rushed her body, centering in her core, undeniably dampening her, lowering whatever resistance she may have.

    "Hello to you, too. Hungry?"

    Oh, he looked hungry all right. The way he feasted on her with his eyes just about had her ready to come right there. It triggered her clit's attention, the tingling of her juices as she started to soften. She loved the feel of her nipples pressing against the fabric of her dress. Not having on a bra, she knew her body's reaction had to be obvious. The way he curled the corner of his lip as he raked those brazen eyes across her swollen, hardened nipples had her ready to melt.

    He blinked and gave his head a slight shake, lost his start of a smile. "Just answer the question."

    She rubbed her eyes as she looked at him. "Weber."

    "What, too chicken shit to do it himself? Tell him I'm not interested." He stood back up.

    Crap.
Don't let him leave. This may be your last chance.
"Wrong Weber," she hurried out. "JT sent me."

    He sank back down, his expression still. "Why? Is she all right? Did something happen to the baby? Is it Dan? Is he all right?"

    Despite her want to be cold to him, Charis warmed to the empathy in his voice. She didn't expect that type of a reaction out of a bitter ex-agent hell bent on revenge. Her instincts had been right again. He wasn't a threat. He was a man just trying to move on with his life. A life unfairly torn apart by an act of terrorism.

    Oh, David.

    A man unmistakably attached to the Weber's. She knew she's surely go to Hell for playing his emotions against him, but she knew no other way. Besides, NASSD told her to bring him back at any cost.

    
NASSD Rule #24: Use your target's weakness as your strength.
If she worked it right and got him back to HQ, SD Weber could take over and talk him into staying for whatever top-secret assignment he had up his sleeve. Of course, David would probably never speak to her again, and for that her emotions wavered.

    Saying a silent prayer and asking forgiveness for what she was about to do, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "You need to get back to Seattle."

    Her words clearly cut into him. "My God. If something happened... And I wasn't there... My
God
."

    "They need you." She squinted against the dryness. Blink. Blink. Blink.

    He nodded, visibly swallowing over and over. "I'll never forgive myself... Son-of-a-bitch." Closing his eyes, he shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Never mind. This isn't your fault. I shouldn't have left. Jesus. I've been so selfish. If the baby..."

    Forget rule #24. She wouldn't do it. Seeing how much he cared for the Weber's made her heart ache. She refused to play his emotions like that. Screw the rules. Compassion for those close to you did not constitute a weakness. And taking advantage of that compassion definitely did not show strength. Not for the first time, she found a huge flaw in NASSD's rules.

    "There's nothing wrong with SD Weber or his wife. Their baby is fine."

    His features hardened as he rested his gaze on her. He narrowed those dark eyes, which were quickly loosing their warmth. "Then why-"

    "They need you back in Seattle. Some top-secret mission the director won't even talk about. He said he'd only trust one agent to this assignment." She met his gaze and blinked twice. "He'll only talk to you."

    He voice grew terse. "But you said-"

    "I know. I saw the way you reacted and thought... Never mind. I'm sorry."

    He shook his head, the heat from the unbridled fury flashing across his hardened face. "You mean to tell me you made me believe something happened to them? To their baby? What the hell kind of game are you playing, McKoy?"

    "I was just following the rulebook."

    "Fuck the rulebook. I'm not a NASSD agent, not anymore. And you never were. You are not going to get me to come home by exploiting the fact I have a heart."

    Home. He'd said home. Her heart jumped. She ignored the hatred in his eyes, tearing at her control. "Please, David. I'll do anything." The dryness in her eyes caused her to wink.

    He abruptly stopped his rant and lost all expression. Tracing her body with his eyes and curling his lip into a coy grin in response, he arched his playful brow. The look sent shivers straight to her core. "Anything?"

    Feeling up to the challenge, she held his gaze with hers just as the dryness in her eyes caused her to wink again. "Anything."

    

    

    "Don't promise what you aren't ready to deliver, lady. NASSD 101."

    Actually, NASSD Rule #101 was to always have more than one way out of any situation. Charis thought about that. How in the world would she get out of this? But then another thought popped into her head, one that took over all other rational thought.
Did
she want to get out of this?

    
Wink
. "You haven't offered anything I'm not ready to deliver," she countered, not really sure where her bravado came from. It might have something to do with the way he made her body hum, causing an aching throb between her legs. A throb, she knew, that would only increase in intensity until she had him deep within her, her body sheathing him in warmth.

    He continued to study her for what seemed an eternity. "Nice try, Angel. But you're bluffing. And I already gave Weber my answer a year ago. I'm not transferring. I'm just not cut out for a desk job."

    
Angel.
He'd called her by her codename again. She darted her eyes around the room to see if anyone had heard him. No one seemed to care.

    "That's not what this is," she quickly recovered. "NASSD sent me here to bring you back in."

    David eyed her. "And if you don't?"

    "Then I'm shifted so far down the food chain I'll be getting coffee for the janitor."

    That comment made him grin. He gave her a chuckle. "Who'd you piss off?"

    Good question. And one she didn't have an answer to. "Tell you what," she said, donning her negotiating hat. "You come back to Seattle with me and ask SD Weber yourself."

    "Nice try."

    She thought so, though obviously not nice enough. "Come on, David. What have you got to lose? NASSD needs you."

    "NASSD needs to pull their head out of their ass. We've never gone after agents like this, luring them back in. Why me? I'm a risk now."

    "Quit pouting," she ordered him lightly. "You're much better looking when you smile."

    He sat back, looked at her. The lines on his handsome brow increased as he frowned at her in concentration. His eyes never left hers, though she felt the heat from his gaze cover every inch of her. The throb she knew would eventually consume her amplified to a roar. She felt the wetness spreading, soaking her panties.

    After several long seconds, he pulled his gaze from her neck and rested it on her face. "And if you succeed?"

    "It opens the door for ICE agents to transfer in to NASSD."

    "NASSD has its own intel. We don't need ICE pushing their way in."

    "We?" Charis pointed out, ticked he was being such an ass. If he wanted to give her attitude, she'd return it just as well, if not better. After all, she was the oldest of seven kids. She knew how to hold her own. "You left, remember? After you walked out, you lost all rights to speak to the needs of NASSD."

    "Now you listen to me-"

    "No, you listen," she countered, her frustration taking over. "I came all the way from the mainland to bring you back to the states. I won't let you shut me out without so much as the courtesy of listening to what I have to say."

    She snapped her mouth shut. She'd never,
ever
spoken out during a negotiation. What had gotten in to her?

    Her answer sat across the table. His attitude. His unbelievable arrogance. His hard, handsome face. All rational thought escaped her when he looked at her like that. No wonder it brought out the worst in her.

    He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Angel?"

    Why did he keep calling her by her codename? He practically shouted it every chance he got. She leaned toward him, lowering her voice. "How did you find me?"

    Raising his brow, he eyed her. "Come again?"

    "You heard me." She looked around to make sure no other ears tuned into their conversation.