The Spy Who Saved Christmas (21 page)
Which meant they were alone. Heat shot through her as he dragged the pad of his thumbs across her nipples. He moved the kissing lower, seducing her neck, lingering in the hollow spot, moving agonizingly slowly toward those hardening buds. Then his mouth found one, which freed up a hand. He used that to reach under her knee and hook it over his hip, pressing the proof of his desire against her.
“We should visit our old friend the dough-kneading table,” he said in a heated whisper.
“The last time you said that, you got me pregnant. Again.” She rolled her eyes, her gaze straying up. The next second she was moving away from him. “The cameras!” When he touched her, she had a tendency to forget about everything else.
He came after her, not looking the least perturbed. His gaze focused on the spot where her shirt gaped. “I’ll delete the tape before anyone comes into work in the morning.” He splayed his fingers across her belly. She was only three months along, barely showing. “I’m glad I’m here with you for this pregnancy,” he told her, his voice full of tenderness. “I didn’t realize until now what I missed with the twins. It really is a miracle. Cade wasn’t messing with me.”
He kissed her hotly and deeply, just as a faint alarm beeped in the back office. He tore himself away as if it pained him.
She straightened her clothes. Ben and the others would be here any minute. They would receive the alarm on their cells.
Due to the economy, a lot of stores had gone out of business in the small strip mall. And every time one did, the top-secret unit Reid worked for bought the place. They put a man behind the counter as a front. Business continued as usual. But in the sizable attic that stretched above the row of stores, a super high-tech mission center had been sneakily built.
Reid had found a way to do his job and still keep them safe. The strip mall’s security—although invisible to the untrained eye—rivaled that of the White House. And since Reid was the coordinator, he rarely left on missions; he arranged for background support when needed, utilizing his considerable knowledge of the field.
Oddly, business also began doing better than ever before. The strip mall was gaining steadily in popularity, especially with the ladies. The men on Reid’s team, handsome hunks to the last, didn’t escape notice.
“I suppose I won’t be home early tonight,” he said grumpily.
“I suppose not. You’re the mission coordinator.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “I prefer spymaster.” She grinned.
“I will not be mocked.” He kissed her thoroughly.
“Lesson learned,” she said when she could breathe again.
His gaze searched her face. “I’m sorry. I had plans for us for tonight. You don’t mind?”
“I knew who you were when I married you. I love you with everything that you do, exactly the way you are.”
“I love you, too. You and the boys are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” The reluctance was still there in his eyes, but his stance was already changing, his body language morphing into warrior mode.
Cars pulled into the parking lot. The team was here. He kissed her one more time then took off running.
She said a prayer for whoever was in trouble this time. Then she turned to go home to her boys, who’d be awaiting their mother’s embrace.
Maybe she didn’t end up a brave pilot like Granny Jordan, but she was raising twin boys, and that was an adventure and a half. And nobody could argue that the man she married wasn’t plenty exciting. No, she wasn’t living her grandmother’s life. But she wasn’t living her mother’s, either. And that was as it should be.
She had her own life, her own challenges, her own wonderful family. Her very own spymaster who was about to save Christmas. Again.
With many thanks to Allison Lyons.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6915-0
THE SPY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS
Copyright © 2010 by Dana Marton
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Mission: Redemption
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Defending the Crown