Trey: Red, Hot & Blue, Book 1 (4 page)

It was a test. Trey knew that. A test both for himself and for Carly. Keeping his role in mind, he became the newlywed husband who was supplying arms to terrorist bastards.

Without hesitation, Trey strode to where she stood. More petite up close than she appeared when she was wielding her larger-than-life attitude while slinging beer behind her bar, in reality she came up only to about his chest.

He tangled one hand in her hair so she couldn’t pull her head away, not that she tried. He slipped the other beneath the hem of the shirt where it just met the jeans riding low below her waist. Her skin felt warm and smooth to the touch. He slid his hand higher and let his thumb rest just below the lush curve of her breast.

Trey had to duck his head down to reach her. She stared up at him, her eyes liquid pools of green clearly showing her surprise as he bent and captured her mouth.

Kissing her hard and deep, he parted her lips and drove his tongue between them before he or she had too much time to think about it. In this particular situation thinking would be bad.

She didn’t squirm or pull away. In fact, she actually tilted her head and allowed him greater access to the warm, wet recesses of her mouth. As his tongue met and stroked hers, he felt a stirring in his pants. There was no way to kiss a woman this attractive this deeply and not have it affect him. He was a healthy male after all, but he didn’t need a raging hard-on in front of both Carly and the commander.

When he thought how he and Carly would be sharing a bed as they portrayed a married couple for the duration of this mission his mind went to bad places, and his erection followed. Trey quickly broke the kiss.

Trying to ignore both his pounding heart and his rapidly expanding lower appendage, he dropped his hands from her too-tempting body and turned to the commander. “Sir?”

The commander nodded and smiled. “Let’s get you two on that plane.”

He caught the brief look of shock on Carly’s face. They’d have to work on that on the flight over. She couldn’t show any surprise in front of the target. It could mean both their lives.

Trey followed the commander out of the office and into the meeting room, guiding a stunned Carly by the elbow until he saw Jack’s gaze zero in on his hand holding Carly’s arm. He dropped his hold immediately and found himself wiping his mouth and remembering that kiss.

Damn it, he would have to get a hold on himself. If he wanted to get them through this thing alive, he’d have to conquer both the chemistry he felt with Carly and the guilt he had over Jack.

The commander, unaware of the love triangle developing right beneath his nose, continued to brief the team. “Our happy couple here will be flying in a private jet courtesy of our targets’ bank account.” Trey inwardly cringed at the term “happy couple” and the look on Jack’s face.

The commander continued. “The jet has been swept for surveillance and is clean, but count that as the last secure place until this thing is over. The rest of the team will be in a transport just ahead of them. We’ll be connected by Williams’s earpiece. Let’s roll, wheels up at O-nine-thirty.”

Trey whispered into Carly’s ear. “Walk up ahead for a moment. I need to talk to Jack alone.”

It was killing her already to follow his orders without question, he could tell, but she did as he asked. He counted her compliance as another step closer to insuring they’d make their flight home and not in a body bag either.

“Jack.” Trey held him back a few paces. “I need to know you’re okay before I get on that plane.”

“No, I’m not okay, Trey. I’m pissed as hell. I’m going to be stuck on the sidelines instead of out there trying to help my brother. And to top it off, I have to watch my best friend play bridegroom to the woman I may very well be falling in love with. If he doesn’t get her killed first.”

Trey felt his eyes widen at that revelation. Jack had used the “L” word. He’d known Jack had a crush on Carly, but not that he was falling in love.

“This is just an assignment, Jack. It’s all pretend.” Yeah, right. Nothing
pretend
about his reaction to their kiss. It would also be very real that Carly’s warm body would be sharing a bed with his in a hotel room in Kosovo. “You can pick up wherever you left off with her when I bring her back.” Trey hated that thought.

“Just make sure you do bring her back.” Then Jack surprised him when he reached out and hooked an arm around Trey’s neck, pulling him into a quick hug. “Make sure to keep yourself safe and my brother too.”

Trey needed no reminding of exactly how many lives he was carrying on his shoulders at the moment, but knowing Jack was still his friend helped ease the burden a bit. He slapped him on the back and they both ran to catch up with the group.

Chapter Five

Carly sat in the passenger seat of a rental car as Trey drove them to some private jet at the airport. The charade had already begun apparently. They drove in a separate car in case anyone was watching. She and Trey couldn’t be seen piling out of the black van that carried his teammates and all their equipment. She drew some small satisfaction that her suspicions had been dead on. There was no doubt in her mind now that they were definitely black ops, right down to the color of their vehicle.

“I’m scheduled to be off tonight, but I have to call the bar and leave a message so they don’t worry about me when I’m not there to open tomorrow.”

He handed her a cell phone. “No details.”

“I know. I’m not stupid.” She added the last part under her breath but he turned to look at her as if he’d heard.

“Do you have your story ready?”

“Yes.” Not really, but now that he’d said it she thought of an excuse for her unexplained absence pretty quickly. After dialing, she waited for the machine to pick up.

“Hey, guys. Something came up and I have to be out of town for a few days. I’m going to need you to juggle the schedule a bit and cover my shifts. Also, you have to place an order for liquor and beer today or we’ll be in big trouble by the weekend. Just ask the distributor to help you put together the order and don’t let him talk you into anything you don’t think we need. I do not want that orange-flavored creamy tequila crap he keeps pushing on me and if I come home and find it there, I’m going to make whichever one of you ordered it drink every last ounce. I guess that’s it. You won’t be able to get in touch with me, but I’ll call when—”

The machine cut her off. She hung up the phone and handed it to him.

Trey glanced at her. “Boy. I had no idea it was so complicated owning a bar. Then again, I had no idea you owned the bar until today or that you used to be in the service.”

Carly sniffed. “One thing the military does well is pry into people’s personal business.”

So they knew about her time in the service. She hoped they also knew she spent the entire duration of it behind a desk stateside. Sure, she went through basic training and yeah, she could fire a weapon. If she had one, which she didn’t so she wasn’t at all convinced
that
skill was going to help in this situation. She could file papers for Trey if the need arose though.

He laid a hand on her knee. “I know you’re pissed about being dragged into this, but get it all out now. Once we’re off that plane you’re no longer Carly McAfee and we can’t discuss any of this, no matter what you’re feeling.”

Like she needed reminding he’d put his life into her hands. She decided as long as she had his permission to vent now and only now she might as well get it all out. “What the hell was with that kiss?”

He glanced at her and then focused on the road ahead. Did his brown eyes show guilt? Embarrassment? “You know as well as I that the commander was testing both of us.”

“Testing what? How long it took for you to get your tongue down my throat?” She was angry, but more at herself than at him. She’d reacted to his kiss. She hated that thought.

She would like to think it was because of her self-imposed sexual dry spell. Last night she’d let Jack kiss her and almost gave in to his invitation for dinner, though he probably wouldn’t remember. Today she’d been ready to crawl into Trey’s pants.

Not only was she breaking all her own rules, it seemed to be getting progressively worse. As nice and sweet as Jack’s kiss had been the night before, her body hadn’t reacted as fiercely as it had to Trey’s mind-blowing lip lock.

Damn it. She didn’t want to be attracted to either of them. Not Jack or Trey. No, it was more than that. She would not allow herself to be attracted. Not since the love of her life had come home from his tour of duty overseas, married and with a baby.
Surprise
.

Now here she was pretending to be married to one of the few guys she’d been attracted to since then. A guy who, against all common sense, she was having trouble resisting and of course, he was eyeball deep in the military.

Trey glanced her direction again. “I’m sorry, but the reality is you and I are either convincingly happily married or dead. Under normal circumstances, my behavior in the commander’s office would have been totally inappropriate, but there’s nothing normal about this situation. You cannot react to anything I do once we’re off that plane or—”

“I know. I know. I know.”

“No, Carly. I’m afraid you don’t. We may be under twenty-four-hour audio and visual surveillance even in our hotel room. We have to act married, day and night. No breaks. No downtime. ”

She whipped her head around to stare at his profile as he drove. “Are you saying I’m supposed to have sex with you?”

His throat worked as he swallowed. “It shouldn’t come to that. Hopefully we’ll be in and out quick…out of the mission I mean. One or two nights maximum.”

“What if we’re there longer?”

“We won’t be.”

“What if we are?”

“We’ll figure something out.”

Not liking the sound of that, nor the fact her insides had done a total flip at the thought of having sex with Trey, Carly crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the side window.

“Carly.”

“What?”

“We may have to get pretty intimate. I have to know you won’t react like this during the op if I have to touch you.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Look at me.”

Finally, she turned away from the window to face him.

“Are you going to be okay with all of this?”

“Why don’t you have any faith in me?”

“I do have faith in you or I wouldn’t have said yes when the commander asked my opinion on your coming.”

“Then stop questioning me.”

“It’s a lot to deal with. You’re not trained for this. I need to know that if things get serious you’ll be okay.”

“Yes, damn it. Once we’re off that plane, I’ll be the perfect little obedient wife. Okay? But right now, can you please stop talking about this and leave me alone?”

Trey’s raised eyebrows were his only reaction to her hissy fit as he concentrated overly hard on the road ahead.

She drew in a deep steadying breath. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. This is a lot to deal with all of a sudden.” His voice was kinder, gentler than it had been the entire car ride. He was probably afraid she’d totally break down and start to cry or something.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the well-built muscles flex in his arm as he spun the steering wheel and guided the car into the airport entrance. Those arms could very well be wrapped around her as they pretended to be married. She pictured them together as they tried to convince the cameras and microphones they were married. Need coiled within her and she became very aware of the lower parts of her body.

Trey had no idea how much she was trying to deal with right now.

Inside the airport, Trey placed a hand on the small of Carly’s stiffened back and guided her toward the terminal where the private jet waited. He took it as a good sign she didn’t slap his hand away after her meltdown in the car earlier.

As they waited in line to go through the metal detectors, he slid his hand up over her shirt. Gently cradling the back of her head in one hand, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, watching her reaction closely. Her eyes drifted closed, opening again to stare into his when he ended the all-too-brief kiss.

She didn’t slap him. That was good. Carly would have to get used to him casually touching her the way a husband would. Better to practice here than in front of the target. If she weren’t able to handle this, he would much rather find out now instead of in front of the enemy.

He tried not to think about the fact he just plain liked kissing her. Jack had been right when he said she was a really good kisser. Trey’s stomach clenched and he pushed thoughts of Jack and Carly out of his mind. This mission required one hundred percent of his concentration. He’d have to deal with any ramifications when they returned, and they would return if he had anything to say about it.

Carly was quiet. Too quiet and a little stiff.

“Everything all right?” He brushed a finger down her cheek.

Her answer was a far-from-convincing nod.

Reaching down, he took her hand and squeezed it. “You’re doing great.”

She swallowed before answering. “Thanks.”

They breezed through the final security check with the couple’s documents, expertly altered by Matt to include their own photos. The bastard had been right about airport security. Even with Carly’s nerves apparent, the agents didn’t look too hard at an all-American happily married couple traveling together.

Trey carried their bag, or rather the single piece of luggage belonging to the real couple they were impersonating, onto the aircraft. They’d have to change into the Smiths’ clothes before landing and hope at least something fit well enough to be convincing. Otherwise they would have to wear their own clothes, but the less they deviated from the real couple’s original plans and looks the better.

Matt and his magic computer had made sure the pilot was clean. He was actually also ex-military. Trey figured he and Carly were able to feel moderately safe on the flight while they memorized their fake histories.

As they waited for take-off, she sat in the seat next to him and read the file. She raised an eyebrow. “My name is Candi with an ‘I’ and I was a stripper before I married you? Oh, that’s just lovely.”

He laughed. “I can’t wait to see what kind of wardrobe is waiting for you in that suitcase.”

She scowled. “Just don’t expect me to dance for you or anything.”

“We’ll see.”

Carly smacked him on the leg at his little joke. He grinned, happy she was loosening up a bit. Her playful side was just as appealing as the rest of her. Pushing her appeal out of his mind, he tried to concentrate on his own file. He was having a lot of trouble doing so.

Since he was already thinking about her anyway, he figured he might as well put his arm around her. Strictly for practice, of course.

Without raising her eyes from her file, she commented on his action. “No one can see us here. We don’t have to act married now, you know.”

“Yes, we do. You still tense up every time I touch you. You have to stop.”

Now she did look at him, but not in a nice way. Her brows knit above her gorgeous eyes. “I do not tense up.”

He laughed. “Yeah, you do. It’s slight, but I feel it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, if it’s so slight no one else is going to notice.”

“We can’t take a chance.” He sobered at that reminder.

Serious now too, she nodded. “I know.”

“Good.” He didn’t say what he was thinking, that
knowing
and
doing
were two different things. Then he decided to push her a little further, strictly for the sake of the mission, of course. “Kiss me.”

With a slight look of surprise, but without hesitation, she leaned in and brushed her lips across his gently. Then she pulled away. “Ha. That was another test. You thought I would fail, didn’t you?” With a humph, she returned to her paperwork, looking very satisfied with herself.

Trey felt like an absolute shit, not to mention a rotten friend, a pitiful soldier and not all that great of a man right now, but he couldn’t help himself. He reached out and turned her face toward him again. “I mean
really
kiss me.”

He saw the battle in her eyes. She swallowed hard and dropped her gaze to his lips before closing the distance between them. Then her parted lips were on his and her hand was in his hair. Acting the aggressor, Carly took control and her tongue met his.

His chest tightened and he had to control the groan building inside him. Trey couldn’t stop himself, didn’t want to, when his hand brushed the side of her breast and settled there. He heard her sharp intake of breath as she kissed him harder.

Then she pulled away, breathless, her eyelids heavy. “This is just for this assignment, nothing more.”

It was definitely not a question, more of a statement, a demand really. Why? Not that he should care. He did not want or need a girlfriend, he reminded himself.

Why was she making rules? Maybe she was falling for Jack. If so, he should be happy for his friend. It cut him to the bone he wasn’t, not even close.

“Of course.” He nodded in response. “Just for the mission.” Then he leaned against the seatback and continued studying the file until he thought his eyes might burn a hole in the page.

He was concentrating so hard on ignoring Carly the sound of Matt’s voice coming through his earpiece startled the hell out of him. He literally jumped in his seat and not surprisingly, Carly noticed.

“What’s wrong?” She sat forward, frowning.

“Nothing. Go ahead, Matt.”

“Just testing it out there, big boy. So, how was that kiss?” Matt’s smart ass comment did nothing for his mood and just served to remind him they were indeed under constant surveillance, if not by the bad guys, definitely by the good guys. He’d been hoping Matt and his magic laptop wouldn’t have communications up and running while they were in the transport, but he was wrong.