Code Name Desire (4 page)

His white teeth flashed. “In a good way. I
agree.” He pointed at the padded ceiling and swiveled his wrist.
The driver gave a curt nod and changed lanes.

She didn’t want him to return her to the
club, but under the circumstances, she thought it best, if only to
rescue her reputation so he could take her seriously. After that
kiss, she suspected he would have a hard time getting her off his
mind. As it was, she planned on a sleepless night, too. When he
dropped her at The Barrister’s Press, she would give him her
number. He wouldn't wait until noon tomorrow to ring her.

The driver ramped onto the expressway, and
Jaeda raised her eyebrows at Teague. “You’re not taking me back to
the club?”

“I don’t believe that would serve our
purposes.”

A knot formed in her stomach. “Our purposes?”
Had he discovered her gun while his hands roamed during the kiss?
Did he suspect she had a mission beyond getting romantic with
him?

“Indeed.” He pulled on his suit jacket. “It’s
early yet. I want to get you alone, where curious eyes and ears
won’t hamper my ability to know you better.”

Unwilling to explore that thought further and
take a chance of having him trap her into an emotional corner, she
used the excuse of pulling on her coat to avoid commenting.

“You have secrets, don’t you?” he asked.

You have no idea
. She kept her eyes
averted, afraid he would glimpse her unease. Running her palms
along her hips in a ruse of smoothing the material, she skimmed
over the comforting lump of her weapon. In case she needed to get
to it quickly, she left her wrap unbuttoned.

“You’re lack of answer tells me you do.
You’ve said you’re not married or otherwise obligated. Perhaps you
need to reassure me again on that point.”

Now, this she could handle. “I’m alone. I
mean, I have my parents and a few friends back home, but here in
England, I’ve been alone. Too busy to make friends, I guess. No
time for dating, really.” Her voice broke as she whispered, “It’s
been difficult.”

Where had that come from? She hadn't intended
to confess her personal hardship. To her horror, tears welled in
her eyes, and she looked out the window.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” he said, taking her
hand. He placed a finger under her chin and turned her to face him.
“I understand loneliness. A man in my position doesn’t make friends
easily. I never know who to trust.”

His last statement twisted like a knife in
her chest. She was his enemy, entering his life only long enough to
take what her country needed before abandoning him. Worse, she had
to win his love. If she succeeded, she would leave him crushed and
bitter. Her throat began to close at the acknowledgement that she
was one of the people he shouldn’t trust. When had she come to
care? At what point in the evening had she learned to like him?

“You’re thoughtful,” he observed. “What’s on
your mind?”

She forced a grin to her lips. “Isn’t that
what
I’m
supposed to ask right before you push me away?”

He leaned against the seatback and crossed
his arms over his chest. “I should tell you I’m not afraid of
commitment. I don’t know anything about the bloke who treated you
so badly, but I can tell you I won’t hurt you like that.”

“What makes you think I’ve been treated
badly?” She suddenly wanted to laugh. She had never had a boyfriend
who abused her, even emotionally, but if she considered the agency
as a sort of boyfriend, it would prove the worst possible type. The
agency had stolen her trust, her basic faith in people, her
innocence.

“You’re guarded. Though you were quite
forthright when I kissed you.” He smiled.

“I was,” she agreed. “And I kissed you,
too.”

His features relaxed, and his mouth softened.
Sexual tension emanated from him in waves that rocked her beyond
any movement from the car. “That you did. I rather prefer the open
Jaeda – your hands in my hair and your mouth trying to devour me –
to this one you show me now, with no expression on your face and a
hardness to your eyes. I can almost see your mind working, yet I
can’t make out what has you so defensive.”

They left the highway and sped along a gently
winding road flanked by thick, dark forest. “Where are you taking
me?” she asked.

A slow grin spread across his face. “It’s a
surprise.”

She scooted closer to him and rested her
cheek against the seat’s leather, her nose inches from his. “I like
surprises.”

Chapter Five

“I’m glad to hear you like surprises because
we’ve arrived,” Teague said, his grin broadening.

Jaeda faced forward as the driver turned and
passed between two massive stone pillars. Moonlight bathed a
cobblestone drive that curved past an expanse of lawn capable of
putting any golf course to shame. At the end of the drive, a lovely
brownstone loomed. Golden light spilled from large first floor
windows onto lush grass and a smooth paved circle drive lined with
pretty flowers growing low to the ground. The place enchanted
her.

“Where are we?”

Draping an arm around her shoulders, he said,
“Welcome to my home.”

Interesting
. She had done something
right. She couldn’t wait to see the inside, despite the fact that
she had the floor plan memorized. As they pulled into the circle at
the front of the manor, she caught a glimpse of stables built in
brownstone to match the house. The place impressed her almost as
much as the man who owned it.

The driver came to a stop and opened the car
door for her. Hitting the glittering pavement with an almost
metallic ring, the spiked heels of her shoes reminded her of her
role. She came armed with both weapons and information. She had a
job to do. It didn’t matter how much she liked him or thought him
sexy, he was the enemy. An enemy of the state and, therefore, her
enemy. Pasting her practiced smile into place, she took a step back
and waited for him to exit the car.

Refocused on her task, she held out a hand.
“Your place is so beautiful. I’d be interested to see it in the
daylight, although with the moonlight and the glow from the
windows, there’s a certain magic…don’t you think?”

He looked around as if searching for the
magic. “Well, I live here so I can’t really say there’s magic. But
I do like it at night. I find the dark soothing.” He took her hand
and led her toward the front door.

“So you live here alone?” It seemed too big
for a lone bachelor. The blueprints had revealed a large,
well-planned layout, but seeing it in person brought a whole new
and unexpected dimension.

“Sort of, but not really. I have servants,
though only four live on the grounds. My butler and housekeeper
live here in the house with me. Caster lives in the rooms above the
stable, and my cook lives with her family in a cottage near the
main road. I have maids, a groundskeeper, and two stable hands who
come and work during the day but leave in the evenings.”

She shot him an incredulous look. “All for
little ole’ you?”

He chuckled. “I entertain quite regularly. In
the world of high finance, networking and socializing are nearly as
important as the investment work. I view my servants more as my
helpers than my subordinates. Yes, I pay them, and yes, they do as
I ask. They keep my home and make me look good. But we’re a team,
you see?”

Jaeda nodded and climbed the set of wide
stairs to the front door. Teague walked a step behind, his hand on
the small of her back, and she adored the gesture. Lifting her chin
a notch, she shrugged away the comforting warmth threatening to
make her soft. She needed her edge to make this assignment a
success.

Before they reached the front door, it swung
wide. A stout man in his mid- to late-forties greeted them with a
bored expression. “Mr. Jameson. Ma’am.”

“Thank you, Sutton.” Teague ushered her into
a large but welcoming foyer where a long, black-framed mirror
begged for her attention above a dark lacquered entry table.
Tall-backed black chairs stood at attention at perfectly spaced
intervals. In striking contrast, the dark furniture complimented
the walls painted in creamy, flawless verdigris green and the floor
lain in white marble.

She had conducted assignments in places as
nice, but always uninvited. Breaking into such a place didn’t have
the same effect as entering as a wanted visitor. It stalled her
stride by half a beat and threatened to topple the practiced
confidence in her smile.

Teague studied her a moment, his hand never
leaving her back. “Sutton, I’d like you to meet Ms. Bennett. She’s
my special guest this evening.” Though he spoke to the butler, he
didn’t take his eyes from her face.

Acutely aware of his scrutiny, Jaeda schooled
her features into a relaxed and pleasant expression. “It’s a
pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sutton.”

The butler bowed. “Call me Sutton, Ms.
Bennett. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to call on
me.”

“Thank you, Sutton,” she said.

Teague glanced at the butler and asked, “Has
Mrs. Chesley left for the day?”

“No, sir. Cook is in the kitchen. Shall I
have her prepare a late meal for two?”

Teague sent her a questioning look, and she
shook her head. A snack would be nice, but she didn’t think she
could stomach a full meal.

“I think simply a tray with cheese and
fruit.”

“Very good, sir.” Sutton turned to her. “I’ll
take your coat, Ms. Bennett.”

Clutching the lapels together, she offered
what she hoped passed as a gracious smile. “If it’s alright, I’d
like to keep it close.”

“Of course,” said the butler with a sideways
nod of his head, his tone apologetic as if he had been wrong to
ask. “And where shall I have the food delivered, sir?”

Okay, when is this guy going to leave?

With a gentle pressure of his fingertips,
Teague had her turn and head down a hallway. “In my study.”

His study. Perfect! He likely kept vital
documents and records there, and she would take every opportunity
to learn what she could. She let him guide her to the rear of the
house, though she knew the way.

The room wrenched a sigh from her.
Overstuffed brown leather chairs and sofa dominated the center and
beckoned her to their comfort. A colorful oriental carpet with
intricate designs urged her to remove her shoes and sink her toes
in its plush pile. Along two complete walls, shelves went from
floor to ceiling, and leather-bound tomes lined neatly in their
stacks laced the air with the smell of old books – one of her
favorite scents. A subdued fire crackled quietly in a large
fireplace near the door, and a bank of tall, paned windows made the
room seem larger and provided a breathtaking view of the rear
lawn.

The desk in a corner sat like an afterthought
in the shadows, but it held her greatest attention. She suspected
she would find some of what she sought in those drawers…once she
learned what she needed to secure. That wouldn’t happen until she
attained her goal –
capture his heart
.

With deliberately slow movements, Jaeda
slipped her coat down her back while staring Teague in the eye. He
didn’t move, as if she captivated him. Somehow it made her
powerful. Maintaining her stare, she sidestepped to the sofa and
dropped the cover across the rounded end.

“Won’t you please make yourself comfortable?"
he asked, his features governed but his voice, thick and
throaty.

Running her fingertips along the plump top of
the couch, she made her way around and eased onto a cushion. It
chilled her through her dress, but only for a moment. Before he had
crossed the room, the leather began returning her warmth.

He stepped to a set of decanters and cut
crystal glasses displayed on a table next to the desk. Glancing
over his shoulder, he gave her a calculated look. She relaxed,
propping an elbow on the arm of the sofa. She had to play this
carefully. She had almost blown it in the car when she took the
flirting thing too far. He wanted her real, not trashy.

“I could spend days on end in this room,” she
said and meant it.

He brought two glasses half filled with a
gorgeous amber liquid and handed her one. Taking a sip, she admired
the lines of his body in the suit as he settled beside her. Rich
brandy washed across her tongue before gently stinging her throat
then creating a blossom of heat in her stomach. Closing her eyes,
she licked her lips.

“Good?” he asked.

“Delicious.”

A low laugh rumbled deep in his chest and
made it to his throat but not quite to his lips. The sound had an
intimate quality, as if he intended it only for her.

Another swallow of brandy had liquid heat
spreading low in her belly.

“Takes the chill out of you, doesn’t it? I
find a good brandy can take the chill of an English winter day
right out of your bones.”

The room grew dark, and she realized clouds
had covered the moon. The system that poured cold rain onto
London’s streets had caught up with them, only now it brought snow
with the falling temperatures. Large flakes danced against the
windows before flying away on a stiff wind. With evidence of a cold
outdoors in plain view, she became more aware of the study’s
coziness, and she snuggled into the corner of the sofa.

Teague took the glass from her hand and
placed it next to his on an end table. A knock brought him to his
feet, and he tossed a log on the fire before opening the door.
Flames licked at the fresh fuel, and Jaeda couldn't resist the
relaxation that overtook her. He returned and set a silver tray
with grapes, strawberries and assorted cheese and crackers next to
the drinks. She had no interest. She selfishly wanted him by her
side.

Chapter Six

Teague removed his jacket and tossed it atop
her coat. “Suddenly I’m very warm.”