My Spy (40 page)

“Nothing but rain and wind, with more to come. Could be some major gusting up here.” Izzy sounded focused but not unduly worried.

“That's what I figured. I'll check the backup generator.” Sam squinted as the rain resolved into solid sheets. “Anything else I need to know?”

“A man died in jail today,” Izzy said tersely. “The same man who broke into your apartment in Virginia. The admiral thought you should know.”

Sam stared into the darkness, considering the news. “How's your team?”

“Dug in like Georgia ticks. All major vantage points covered while we ride out this storm. And your dog just trotted up.”

“Give him a rub behind the ears, then send him out. Donegal can handle point better than any of us.” As he spoke, Sam continued to survey the dark slope behind the house through his night-vision goggles, though the lightning wasn't making the process an easy one. Satisfied, he pocketed the goggles and glanced at his watch. “All quiet up here. I'll check in at nineteen-hundred hours.”

“Roger.”

Sam pocketed his phone. But the pricking was still there, halfway between his shoulders, when he turned away from the darkness in search of Annie.

A
FTER
A
RESTLESS
MEAL, SAM
PROWLED
THE
HOUSE
AGAIN.
THE storm growled and rain made a solid drumming on the roof, punctuated by flares of angry lightning.

He returned to find Annie sitting by the fire, wearing a red silk dress, a cup of tea beside her. Firelight touched her face as she slid in a bookmark, closed her book carefully, and made room for him on the big leather couch.

Sam stopped in the doorway, drinking in the sight of her.

Feeling that same amazing kick in his chest.

“Reading something good?”

“Taylor's latest mystery. She's been nagging me for weeks and now I've got the time. It's very good.” She gripped the book, studying his face. “Something's wrong, isn't it?”

“This storm could be a big one. The generator's all set, but we might lose power briefly. I put out flashlights in the kitchen, just in case.”

“You didn't touch your wine at dinner.”

“Not thirsty,” Sam lied. He wouldn't drink when he felt edgy like this.

Annie was still studying his face. “You didn't eat much either.”

Sam shrugged. “Not very hungry.” He stared out the window, watching water race off the broad porch. “We could be in for some mudslides if the storm continues. I'm going for a walk to check on things.”

“Sam.”

“Don't worry, I left some candles, too,” he said tightly. “Waterproof matches, if you need them. But it probably won't come to that.”

“Sam,” she repeated patiently.

“And if there's any real problem, Donegal will let me know. And Izzy.”

“
Sam.
” This time Annie took his hand.

“Something wrong?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

“You can't stay wired up like this. Even a tough guy like you needs downtime.”

He sat on the couch, edgy and not quite sure why. Not quite touching her and not sure why.

He looked into the dancing flames. “Hard to relax with that storm howling over the mountain.”

“Forget about the storm. Let somebody else worry for a change. Izzy's there, right?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Think about something else.”

“Like what?”

She leaned closer and pushed him slowly back onto the couch. “Like amazing, spontaneous sex.”

His lips curved slightly. “You couldn't come up with anything better?”

“How about stupendous, mind-destroying sex?”

“Got anyone in particular in mind?”

“Unfortunately, Sharon Stone was busy.” She moved gracefully, straddling his body. “I said I'd stand in. Although stand probably isn't the operative word for what I had in mind.” Sam looked down and felt his brain circuits scramble when her skirt hiked up and he realized she was naked under that red dress, completely naked.

She moved to find a better fit. “See? That's better already.”

He tried to talk and coughed out air. “Not exactly,” he said hoarsely. She was working at his belt, opening his zipper, and Sam felt all the blood in his body race down where her fingers were moving with excruciating care.

“No?” She gave a dazzling smile. “Maybe this will be better.” She eased down his pants with graceful precision, then ran her hands down his chest, rising in a whisper of red silk. Her slim thighs flexed as she moved above him, taking him slowly inside her while a cloud of lust left him rock hard and brain dead.

Every time she touched him it got better. This had to be some kind of biological impossibility, he thought dimly.

Not that he was going to question the miracle.

Lightning cracked overhead, filling the room with hot, white light and an afterimage that looked almost like smoke.

Or maybe he only imagined it. Maybe it was just the sight of her body above him and the slow, erotic clench of her thighs as she came down to meet him with a sigh, while his brain shattered into a million little pieces.

“How are we doing?” she asked sweetly.

“I'm still trying to recover from what you're wearing under that dress.”

“I guess you mean this.” She gave him an enigmatic smile and opened the top three buttons, revealing skin brushed golden by the firelight.

He could see the outline of her nipples pressed against the fine silk and it left his throat dry. “If this is a new fashion trend, it gets my vote.”

“Maybe I'll start one.”

“Maybe I'll help you.” He opened the last two buttons on her dress so the silk slid over her shoulders and pooled onto the floor. “You are something to look at,” he whispered, forgetting everything but how she felt as he rolled his palms over her beautiful, flushed breasts and how her eyes darkened when he explored the heat at the center of her thighs.

She smelled like cinnamon and strawberries, and Sam told her how he was going to taste her with his tongue just to be sure where one taste stopped and the other tastes started.

She looked a little unfocused at that, which made Sam smile. She looked even more unfocused when he moved his hand lower, tracing circles that grew smaller and smaller until she shuddered and pushed against him, her whole body taut and quivering.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he whispered, making the circles even tighter, finding the small knot of nerves that made her shudder and close her eyes, made her pant his name and dig her nails into his chest and rock
against his body, making her come and come and loving every incredible second of it.

After a few centuries passed, she took a long breath. “My body feels like cotton candy.”

“I bet you'll taste like cotton candy, too. Why don't I find out?”

“When did
you
take control of this fantasy, McKade?”

“I believe in a full participatory democracy. Since you mentioned fantasies,” he said, lifting her hips with his hands, “I think it's time for another one.”

“Will I like it?” she asked huskily.

Sam smiled, lifting her, then lowering her slowly, drawing out the lush pleasure of belonging to her, in her. “That's up to you,” he said, his voice unsteady. “Let's see how we fit, Annie.”

She made a restless sound, her body wet and hot and open where they slid together deeply. “Pretty good, I'd say.”

“Then you'll like this, too.”

He pushed deeper, let her slide back, pushed deeper still, every stroke driving him closer toward some edge he couldn't see.

“Do it more so I can be sure,” she said raggedly.

Her hands tightened, braced on his chest, and he couldn't stop looking at her as he drove up, filling her openness completely, her body slick against his. Her eyes got that dark, unfocused look again and she said his name, rising up and gripping him tightly inside her.

How did she do that? Sam wondered dimly, but his mind didn't answer because he was harder than he'd ever been, his vision a hot red haze as he looked at Annie, strong and wise and sexy and beautiful above him as she fell into the pleasure of having him completely.

Sam stiffened with the sudden realization that he wasn't just having good sex or even great sex. No, this was stupendous, mind-destroying sex, exactly the way she'd promised, and he wanted it with her every day of his life.

He also wanted her wearing that red lace and the silk dress. He wanted her wearing nothing but a flush and a smile. “God,” he whispered, lost at the thought, and she might have said his name as she clutched at his neck and rocked against him harder, her body tight and beautifully wet around him.

Then the heat was there, clawing away all sanity while he pushed to be closer, deeper, buried completely inside her as she moaned out his name in a climax that tore through both of them like the lightning that ripped through the heavy, rainswollen darkness.

This is real,
he thought dimly, riding the edge of oblivion down into her shuddering body.

This is amazing.

This is mine.

“S
O,
DID
YOU
MANAGE
TO
FORGET
THE STORM
?”

Thunder grumbled as Sam traced the curve of her shoulder. “The storm, my name, and what we had for dinner.”

“Me, too.” She took a slow breath. “Must be something about the color red.”

Sam shook his head. “Must be something about the way we fit together.”

“Maybe.” Annie's voice was husky and warm and a little tired. “I like how your mind works, McKade.”

He pulled her slick, sated body down against his chest and smiled. “Ditto, Doc.”

“Thank God for participatory democracy,” she murmured sleepily.

“W
HY
ARE
YOU DRESSED
?”

Annie blinked as she sat up on the couch.

“I'm going out for a few minutes.” Sam pulled a blanket over her, his fingers lingering at her face. “Donegal's here, right by the window.”

“Still raining?” she asked sleepily.

“Afraid so. Go back to sleep.”

“I'll wait up,” she insisted. Her eyes drifted closed. “Just hurry.” She curled into the pillows on the couch, slipping back to sleep.

“Donegal, stay.” Sam turned, forcing his thoughts to the darkness outside and the small, stabbing awareness that wouldn't leave him.

H
E
WAS
LOOKING
AT
HIS
MAP,
CURSING
LOUDLY,
WHEN
HE
SAW the flashing red light. He shoved his Browning out of sight beneath the seat and slowed, then pulled to the side of the road.

Had he been speeding?

Impossible. He couldn't have been that careless.

The cruiser sat for a long time. Probably checking the DMV computer, scanning for a possible theft. They wouldn't find any, since this particular van had never been reported lost. No, he was an exemplary employee of Sunset Pools. All his customers were happy with his work.