Dating Outside Your DNA (24 page)

She followed. "Did I really do okay?"

He grinned when he looked over his shoulder, then leaned back  against a tree. "Yeah, better than I expected."

She frowned. God, he liked the way she frowned, the way her  lips pursed. If he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, her body  would press against his, her soft curves molding to his harder body.

"Hey, Lyraka, where are you?" one of the guys called out.

"They can't see us. Better join your team before they think you  were eaten by a wild animal."

She hesitated, then threw her arms around  his neck and

planted a quick kiss on his lips, then pulled back before he could do  more than catch his breath.

"I've missed you." She turned and scrambled down the small

hill.

He took an involuntary step after her, realized what he was doing, and turned  in the opposite direction toward his Jeep.

She missed him? He smiled, liking that she did. Not that either of them would have a chance to do a lot about it. The next few weeks

were going to be the most intensive exercises any of the trainees had

ever been through.

He remembered what it had been like when he went through

training, but this would be different. Each one of them had been

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handpicked for what they could bring to the team. This was the best

of the best--they just didn't know it yet. That is, if  they made it through

the course.

He opened the door of the Jeep and climbed inside. This had been a relatively easy day. The next ones would be a lot more difficult.

And more realistic.

He stopped with his hand on the ignition key. The next exercises would also be dangerous. What they would face in the weeks to come would push them to the brink of their endurance and then some. Joe had said he wanted them ready to roll in four weeks in case they were needed. His spies were telling him something was up with the Roverts and maybe the Adnams. He didn't like either one of the species.

A few years ago, he'd had a chance encounter with a Rovert.  Everything about the Rovert said he was human. Women would probably drool over him because of his dark looks. He'd been charming and pleasant, until Roan looked into his eyes. There was no soul inside him. Just a coldness that reeked of pure evil.

He wasn't as worried about the Adnams. Not as long as he kept his distance. They had a tendency to explode smelly slime. Gross, but not deadly. They acted a lot tougher than they were. Nasty

creatures.

He started the Jeep and headed back to the main buildings. If the Roverts and Adnams were stirring up trouble and combined forces, it could get really messy. He didn't like to  think of Lyraka being in the middle of it.

He rested his arm on the door and leaned back in the seat.

Relationships could be so damned complicated sometimes. More so if it was two agents involved.

But they weren't involved. They'd only had sex. His gut

clenched. He hadn't had sex like that his whole life. Lyraka was

special.

She was so eager to learn everything, and didn't mind getting

dirty. He laughed. They were the same in that respect. She damn

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sure didn't back away from anything he'd asked her to do except  when it came to blind trust. She had a problem with that, but he was  certain she would learn to trust as the team worked together over the  next few weeks.

He pulled into one of the parking spots, turned off the ignition, and climbed out. He had to write his report. More paperwork. He was getting sick of it. If Joe didn't get him out of here he was going to put in for vacation time. Joe couldn't continue to hold him hostage in the hopes that he would train everyone who'd ever thought about becoming  an agent.

Joe was in his office. Roan tapped on the door, then went inside.

Joe looked up. "Roan, come in."

"Sally wasn't at her desk."

"I let her off early. How'd the exercise go?"

"Good."

"Lyraka?"

"Better than I'd expected."

"Did they work together as a team? That's the most important

thing."

"Yeah."

"And Johnny?"

"Exactly as I expected."

Joe nodded. "Did they use Lyraka as lead?"

"Right from the start, even though Johnny had wanted to take it.  The rest of the team didn't budge."

"Smart move. I knew they would make a good team. They each  bring something to the group that makes them special." He picked up  a pencil and tapped the eraser end on the top of his desk. "Will they  be ready?"

Roan shrugged. "I think so. Maybe. If they don't break. What  you're planning hasn't been done before. It's a tough call."

Joe set the pencil down and leaned back in his chair, a grim  expression on his face.

"What?"

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Joe shook his head. "My head tells me that we have plenty of time. My gut is yelling at me to h urry and get this team together."

"We have other teams."

"Not like this one. Besides, we're spread too thin. The  government doesn't think we need to train agents for intergalactic  patrols. The president is listening to his advisors, and the advisors

are  looking at what this is costing. They'd rather use the money to

fund research on how long it takes catsup to run out of the bottle." He

tossed the pencil down in disgust.

"Then we'll just have to hope your gut is wrong."

If they were spread that thin, it would be hard to protect the

borders, and they would be ripe for an invasion. That wasn't good.

"It's surprising how a hot shower and a good meal can turn a

man's disposition around." Ray patted his stomach.

"What I'm wondering is how you could hold so much." Link

shook his head as everyone headed toward the training building.

Reeka snorted. "Between the two of you, I was wondering if you

were going to leave anything. Next time, both of you start at the end

of the buffet line."

Lyraka smiled. They were already forming a nice easy friendship. It felt good to be part of something.

"Did y'all notice someone was missing?" Alesha looked around pointedly.

"Johnny, and good riddance. I'd had all of him I could take."

Lyraka had to agree with Warren, but it made her wonder if  Johnny'd gotten kicked out of the program. Her heart wasn't breaking because of it.

They walked inside the building and down the hall to the training room, then filed in, and sat at the long table. A few minutes later, Roan walked in. Her heart began to thump loudly inside her chest as she drank in the sight of him. He wore jeans and a dark green T-shirt. Her breath caught in her throat as a familiar heat began to sweep over her.

"Is it getting warm in here?" Ray asked.

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"Maybe you're having hot flashes." Alesha snickered.

"Not funny."

Time to think of something else and not about having sex. If

she was the one generating the heat, it could get embarrassing.

"The other instructors will be along in a few minutes," Roan told

them.

"There are more instructors than you and Gavin?" Reeka

asked.

"You'll have one other instructor. You're about to start intensive

training. You'll be asked to push yourself further than you've ever  thought you could. Today was a walk in the park compared to  what  you're about to go through." He looked at each one of them. "But  when you finish you won't
 
think
 
you're the best of the best, you'll
 
know
 
it."

Pride filled her. This was what she was meant to do.

"Here they are," Roan said as he turned toward the d oor.

"You've got to be shittin' me," Ray said

Everyone turned and looked toward the door. Lyraka's mouth

dropped open. There was no way this was happening. No way!

"Meet your third instructor, Johnny Hayden."

She had a feeling she would never make it t hrough the coming

weeks of intensive training. Well, damn!

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Chapter 20

R
oan could tell by the team's reaction that they weren't happy.  It couldn't be helped.

"He was a ringer." Ray's look said it all for the rest of them-- he was disgusted.

"We had to see if everyone could work and play well with others. And we wanted to see if you would stand by each other if the chips were down," Johnny said. "You proved it when you refused to leave Lyraka. It might be different in other branches of the

govern ment, but when you work for the elite force, you work as a  team, and you watch each others' backs. Together, you're a well oiled  machine. Separate, and you become weak."

"So, are you really an asshole?" Alesha drawled. "Or were you  pretending?"

He grinned and it completely changed him. "By the end of the  training, you'll probably think we're all assholes." He suddenly turned  serious. "Everything you thought I was, I'm not. I don't care who you  are as long as you believe in what you're doing. We're the good guys,  and everyone should have the right to live in peace."

Gavin went on to tell them exactly what they'd be doing over the  next few weeks. Roan had to give the team credit for not walking out  right then and there. They would be expected to do a lot.

Time passed quickly as they went over the mock mission. The  afternoon turned into evening. Gavin and Johnny left Roan with the  last part of what needed to be done so they could start setting up for  the next day. He figured from the slumped shoulders and th e yawns,  they'd been at it long enough.

"That's it for today. Get some rest and I'll see you back here

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tomorrow morning." He began to gather up the papers on the desk as  everyone filed out of the room, but when he looked up, Lyraka was  still there.

She sat on the long table, feet swinging, patiently waiting for him to notice her. Man, why the hell had he taken their relationship as far as he had? But the longer he looked at her, the more he knew exactly what had possessed him.

He went back to stacking papers. "You're going to have a long day tomorrow. Better get some rest."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

She crossed her legs. He caught the movement from the corner of his eye. It seemed innocent enough, as though she hadn't planned on it being provocative , but it was, and he was finding it hard to concentrate.

She'd changed into red shorts and a thin white shirt with short sleeves. Trouble was, the shirt was really thin and he could see the lacy cups of her white bra. Had she worn it on purpose, knowing what it would do to him?

"It's not that late. I won't even go to bed for at least another

couple of hours."

The thought of her crawling into bed, pulling the sheet slowly up

her body, the cotton caressing her, was a vision he didn't want, or

need, right now. He set the papers down and leaned his hip against

the desk. "We shouldn't have made love."

"Is there a rule against it?"

He frowned. "No, but you're going to need all your

concentration to get through the next few weeks and..."

"I want to make love  with you. My body burns for your touch. I

want your mouth on me. I want to taste you."

He turned and strode to the door.

Disappointment filled her. She felt such an incredible need to

be closer to him, to have him take her into his arms, to feel his

warmth wrapping around her. She didn't think it was her passionate

Nerakian side, either. If it had been anyone else in the room, she

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would've walked out the door without a problem. It wasn't just the  man, it was the person that she wanted, and now he was walking  away. Incredible disappointment filled her.

Roan shut the door, then turned the lock.

"You've quickly become an addiction for me," he said, then  turned. "From the first moment I saw you, I knew I was attracted to  you, even though I refused to acknowledge it."

His words sent a thrill through her. She hadn't thought she

could live another minute and not feel his body pressed against hers.