desk job somewhere. Renée closed her eyes. “I dont think I can take
that.
Paula tightened her hold, frightened more by the despondency in Renées
voice than the thought that her lover might be transferred across the
country. “Itl be okay. Your leg wil be fi ne and youl be back to duty
before you know it.
“Im not going to accept a post somewhere if it means Im never going to
be able to see you. Renée caressed Paulas chest, then circled lower,
unconsciously tracing the line of muscles down to the base of her bel y.
“Not after everything thats happened.
Paula tried to focus on being supportive, but Renées persistent caresses
were starting to sap her concentration. Casual y, she covered Renées
questing hand and drew it away from the trigger zone that was
dangerously close to igniting. “I know. I feel the same.
“We havent made love since I got shot, Renée observed softly,
extracting her hand from Paulas grip. She cupped Paula very lightly
between the legs. “Miss it?
“Oh, geez, Paula choked, her legs starting to quiver.
“Yeah.
Renée squeezed gently. “Have you been taking many solo
fl ights?
“Not many. Paula fl ushed as she felt a fl ood of wetness between her
thighs. “Oh.
“Mmm. You did miss me, didnt you? Renée gripped a lit le harder and
jiggled her hand.
“Stop. Paula slammed her hand down over Renées, ef ectively
preventing her from moving her fi ngers. “Honest. Dont. Il get real y
excited, and we cant until your legs better.
Renée laughed. “My leg might keep me from working, sweetie, but it
doesnt keep me from taking care of the important business. She lowered
her head and licked Paulas nipple into rapid at ention. When Paula
shivered and moaned softly, she worried the smal , hard knot tenderly
with her teeth. “So I think you should hold very stil . She sucked until
Paula moaned again. “While I make you come.
“Renée, Paula said hoarsely. “We should
wait.
Renée shifted and guided Paulas face to her breast. “No. Waiting is the
last thing we should do. She hissed in a breath as Paulas mouth closed
over her nipple. Delicately, she traced the hard prominence of Paulas
clitoris with her fi ngertip. When Paula jerked and started to pul back,
she gripped her between thumb and forefi nger and squeezed. “Were
here together right now, Paula. Feel me now, sweetie. Feel me.
Unable to resist the persistent caresses, Paula closed her eyes as Renée
fondled her in just the right spot with just the right pressure to make her
come. Spinning toward orgasm, she whispered the one thing of which
she was total y certain in a suddenly uncertain world. “I love you.
Chapter Six
D iane was quiet tonight, Cam said as she sat on the side of the bed and
pul ed of her shoes. She unbuckled her belt, lifted her hips, and shed
her trousers. Across the room, Blair undressed, tossing her blue jeans
and T-shirt into the laundry basket in the bedroom closet. The circles
that had surfaced beneath her eyes earlier in the day had deepened, giving
her a haunted look.
“Things are stil pret y awful in Manhat an, Blair said. “She closed the
gal ery for a while.
“Its going to take some time before people and businesses recover. Cam
gave a mirthless laugh as she removed her shirt. “I guess recover is an
optimistic word.
“Adjust to a new reality is more like it. Naked, Blair brushed her fi
ngertips over Cams chest as she slid past her and into bed. “I guess were
just catching up to the rest of the world.
Cam removed the rest of her clothes, turned of the light, and got into
bed. She turned on her side and circled Blair with one arm, easing
close to her in the dark. “You should go back to Whitley Point for a
while. Take Diane.
“Turn the light on.
Wordlessly, Cam
complied.
“Go back to Whitley Point and stay out of the way? Blair asked
edgily.
“I dont believe I said that. Cam traced a fi ngertip along the rigid arc of
Blairs jaw. “I was thinking that twenty-four hours ago you almost
looked relaxed. She smoothed her thumb over the crest of Blairs
cheekbone. “Now youre looking a lit le weary.
Blair snatched Cams hand away from her face and bit her thumb hard
enough to make Cam wince. “Dont try to distract me with your slick
moves.
“Ow.
“Let me guess what youre going to be doing while Im painting pret y
pictures on a remote island. And Diane is doingcross-stitch.
Cam smothered a grin. Blair had been pale moments before. Now she
was fl ushed and her eyes were bright. Anger looked good on her, but
then, it always
had.
“Youl be playing super sleuth in Washington or New York or God
knows where, chasing down maniacs who would be happy to kil you,
and themselves, and anyone in the vicinity. Blair pushed at Cams
shoulder. “I already know youre going to take my fathers of er. Just
what else do you have planned?
“Im not sure. Ive been out of the intel loop since the raid. Ive got to
assemble a team and do some catching up. Cam risked diving in for a
quick kiss. “And its possible Il need to travel.
Blair sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. “Where? And dont
you dare say anywhere in the Middle East. She focused on Cam, her
face set. “I mean it. If someone has to go there, fi ne. Thats why we
have the CIA and al the other spies. She fi sted her hands so tightly Cam
thought her fi ngers must be get ing numb. “Ive never asked you not to
do something, Cameron. But Im asking this.
“Thats not where I meant, Cam said, prying Blairs clenched hands
open and clasping her fi ngers. “I was thinking Paris.
“Paris? Blair echoed.
“Why?
“Because Foster made more than a few trips there in the ten months
before the assault on you. Maybe theres a connection. Cam shrugged,
frustrated. “I dont know. Thats the problemnone of us know,
because none of us expected anything like what happened.
“Do you think Valeries in
Paris?
“Valerie? Cam circled Blairs shoulders and tugged her down onto the
bed. She stroked Blairs hair even though she could feel Blair resist her
caress. This wasnt anger. This was fear. Fear and something else she
couldnt quite get a sense of. “I suppose its possible. She knows as much
as I know about what happened in
the at ack at the Aerie and who might be behind it. Thats part of the
problem. Shes knows as much as I do, or more, and shes one step
ahead of us.
“Youre taking this assignment with OHS to fi nd Valerie, arent
you? Blair asked.
“No, Cam said. “Im taking this assignment because Stark doesnt need
me, and neither do you, not professional y. And theres no way Im
going back to providing security for presidential hopefuls or visiting
diplomats, and Im sure as hel not going to chase bad mone
y, even if it
is funding drug cartels. There are bigger threats than drugs to worry
about now.
“And of course, you want to go after the biggest and baddest. Blair rol
ed on top of Cam and braced herself on her elbows. She very gently
touched Cams face. “Im surprised youre not in the military. Youre such
a patriot.
Cam smiled and kissed the tips of Blairs fi ngers. “I thought about it when
I was younger, but I dont take orders al that wel . At Blairs snort of
derision, she shook her head. “No, I dont. Not real y. I understand the
chain of command and I respect it. But I need the freedom to cal my
own shots in my day-to-day work.
“You avoided my question about Valerie. You do want to fi nd her, dont
you? Blair was aware of treading careful y. She did want to know what
Cam planned to do. As much as Cam could tel her. Cam was her lover,
and she needed to know what mat ered to her, what drove herwhat
danger she would put herself in and why. But she didnt want anything
that Cam might tel her to be an unwitting betrayal of their trust.
“I want to fi nd her, Cam agreed, “and I need to fi nd her. Shes either in
danger or a potential danger to others. Either way, shes not safe out there
alone.
“Im not going to use Diane to help you. Blair didnt know why she was
surprised that the words came so easily. There had never been any doubt
about what she
would do. Or wouldnt
do.
Blair started to sit up, but Cam held her close. “I never thought that you
would. You know I wouldnt ask you to, right?
Silently,
Blair
nodded.
“But just hear me out,
okay?
“You might not ask me to, but you might want me to. Blair rested her
head on
Cams chest. “I dont want todisappoint
you.
“Disappoint Cam tilted Blairs chin and met her eyes. They were
cloudy and troubled. She hated that her lover had been caught in the
tangled web of divided loyalties. “Baby, its my job. Not yours. Lucinda
was wrong to ask you to get involved.
“What
about
national
security?
“Wel have no national securityor any other kindif we resort to spying
on our friends. Cam shook her head. “I trust youl tel me if Diane gets
into any trouble.
“I wil
.
“And you have to stay out of it. Cam held Blairs jaw more fi rmly,
delving into the blue eyes that glimmered with anticipated resistance.
“Okay?
“Okay. Blair hesitated. “Can you tel me why you think Valerie might
be in danger? Diane real y loves her, Cam.
“Ah, Jesus, Cam breathed. “What a
mess.
“Love tends to get that way, Blair murmured, kissing Cams throat.
“You mess me up.
Stroking the back of Blairs neck, Cam sorted her thoughts. “Until a few
hours before the raid, the only people who knew Mathesons identity
were Valerie, Stark, Savard, and Davis. If Matheson disappeared
from the compoundor never showed up there to begin with because
someone tipped him of there are only a limited number of explanations.
I know it wasnt any of my people and not likely to be anyone on the
assault team. So, either Valerie warned him or someone Valerie told
warned him.
“Valerie must report to someone inside the Company, Cam, Blair
said.
“Of course. Whoever ordered her to infi ltrate our team to
begin with.
Blair closed her eyes. “Then that means theyl know that youre looking
for her. Jesus, this is a nightmare. And youre going to be right in the
middle of it.
“If Valerie wasnt responsible for the leak, once she got wind of
Matheson disappearing, shed know she was the weak link. Shed
have to disappear because shed know whoever tipped Matheson would
be coming after her.
“So youre tel ing me that Valerie isnt safe, and I should help you fi
nd her.
“Thats one way of looking at it, Cam said. “Right now, Im not
sure. And because Im not sure, I dont want you to do anything.
“Except hide out with Tanner and Diane at Whitley
Point.
“That would be my wish. Cam kissed the tip of Blairs chin. “Any
chance?
“I dont know, maybe, Blair said. “Not because I want to hide, but
because I dont want to stay here. And I cant go back to Manhat an,
because I dont have any place to go back to.
“This is sounding good, Cam
said.
“But
“Uh-
oh.
Blair smiled. “Im not going without
you.
Cam frowned. “Im going to be pret y busy, Blair. Ive got to put a team
together, for one thing. Then who knows what Il fi nd once I start
digging into this whole Valerie situation.
“Are you tel ing me youre going to direct the investigation from some of
i ce in DC somewhere? Where anyone could access your fi les or
monitor your activities? Blair made a face. “Even I know thats not
very smart. If you even suspect that theres someone high enough up
to get Mathesons name from Valeries intel igence reports and warn
him, then nothing is secure. She grinned. “Unless youre going to work
out of Lucindas of i ce.
Cam groaned. “You make it sound so appealing. But were talking about
a big operation here, baby.
“You found Matheson working from Whitley Point. That was a big
operation, too.
“Yeah, and someone ferried Valerie of right under our
noses.
“Good point, except Valerie helped them from the inside. Blair saw the
anger and betrayal fl icker across Cams face, knowing nothing she
might say could lessen it. Only the truth could do that. “Youve got to
admit, its going to be more secure there than almost any place around
here.
“we used to do al of our advance surveil ance and intel igence right out
of the Aerie. That was a damn big operation, too.
“Il talk to Tanner tomorrow about speeding up the property purchase. Im
sure she can make it happen. Besides, Blair said softly, “I love it there,
and we need
a place to
live.
Cam brushed her fi ngers through Blairs hair, then drew her
head down and kissed her. She murmured against her lips,
“We do, dont we.
“Is it all right with
you?
“Are you going to be okay having a base of operations where
we live?
Blair laughed shortly. “Cameron, Ive always had some kind
of base where I live. Look at the Aerie. Im used to it.
“If youre sure. Right now, Id feel a hell of a lot better if you
were back there.
“Im going to talk to Lucinda tomorrow about our plans, Blair
said. Cam rolled her over and settled one thigh between
her legs.
“Youre not going to make me go with you, are
you?
&nbs
p; “I cant believe youre afraid of Lucinda. Blair curled her leg
around the back of Cams thigh and nestled her center
against Cams crotch. “Itll cost you.
“Anything. Cam slowly rotated her hips between Blairs legs.
“Just name it.
“Lets see how many times you can make me come, Blair
whispered, “while I think about it.
Cam laughed. “Tough duty.
* * * * *
“Hel o? Diane said distractedly, expecting a wrong
number. “Hi. Did I wake you?
Diane sat up abruptly, the sheet fal ing away unheeded. The
sliver of moon and the glow from the surrounding city cast the
room in dim, gray light. She hadnt been sleeping, even though
it was the middle of the night. “No. I was thinking about you.
An indrawn breath and a beat of silence fol owed. Diane
almost said her name, but knew instinctively not to. She
waited, the seconds interminable.
“Are you home?
“Actual y Im Diane thought of all the conversations shed had
over the years with Blair and how theyd always been
careful, even when there was probably no need to be. Now,
with Valerie, there surely was. “Im visiting friends.
“Ah. Anyone I know?
“Yes. Dianes heart pounded and she strained to hear every nuance
in Valeries voice. “Hows your trip going?
“I shouldnt have cal ed, but I missed
you.
Diane caught her breath. “Can I join you? Im in a bit of a
hiatus myself right now.
“Thats not a good
idea.
“Why not? I miss you, too. Terribly.
“Im not very good company right now.
Diane heard the warning beneath the words but refused to
be deterred. “Shouldnt I be the one to decide that?
“Trust me, it might not be all thatpleasant.
“To be with you? Diane said lightly while mental y translating,
Its not safe .
“Yes.
“Then thats al the more reason to let me come and prove you wrong.
Diane raised her knees and pressed her forehead to them. She closed her
eyes, trying to shut out every other sensation except the sound of
Valeries voice.
A sigh came through the line. “And thats why Ive stayed
away.
“Im sure our friends could help cheer you
up.
“Im not so sure of
that.
Diane hesitated. Blair was the one person in her life whom she
trusted completely. But there was no reason that Valerie should. But
what about Cam? Didnt Valerie trust her? Cam would help Valerie,