Sangita Rollins Polytech. One of their prominent physicists had vanished. My team was meant to find her and bring her back. I’d been doing a data analysis. And since it was an off-book mission. the senior board at Exodus wanted it untraceable, so we had paper files.
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Analysis is on my desk. I’ve memorized the profile.”
I could almost hear his eye roll as I checked my appearance in my mirror. “Damn you and your photographic memory,” he said. “Do you have everything you need?”
“I could use more ammo.”
“I brought you a pack from Andreas.”
“Excellent.” Andreas Tomms was our weapons guy. Normally a courier delivered our packs to us, everything we needed. We only went to headquarters for briefings, training, and evaluations. Once our missions were assigned, we were left on our own. Like independent contractors.
“So, is tonight the night?”
The way he said it in that sing-song voice made me want to smack him. “Not the way you think, I’m sure.”
“What, you don’t like her? The Marcus I knew had such a way with the ladies.” He grinned briefly, then his expression turned serious as he added, “It’s been a long time since Simone.”
I swallowed the pang of pain. “I know. My other problem is I get the feeling she can see that I’m lying through my teeth.”
Rhodes appeared in the doorframe of my bedroom as I pulled out a long-sleeved black sweater. Not too formal, not too casual. Dressed up just enough.
He studied me up and down. “You’re a looker, bro. It should be easy.”
I still couldn’t get used to Rhodes’s American accent. He was just as British as I was, but the accent was part of his cover in Los Angeles. The missions he worked on and the government officials he often worked with expected Rhodes Matheson, who was very much an American. Marcus Black was British, which at least made my life easier. It was one thing to use an accent for a mission, maybe a day or two. But to live fully American, that was brutal.
Rhodes was engaged, but his fiancée didn’t seem to notice that everything wasn’t quite as it seemed. We were all pretenders.
“Just remember, you need to be a gentleman, bro.”
I scowled. “I am a gentleman.”
“No, a gentleman eats, sleeps, and fucks. You, Marcus, are a soldier. For you, it’s eat, sleep, mission. No fucking. No smoothing the rough edges. You have to change your mindset. Release the pressure valve.”
I was smooth, damn it. “Fine. I’ll smooth the edges.” I had been a little twitchy lately.
“I’m telling you, bro, it’ll be a lot easier.”
I sighed. “Can you go now? You’re going to make me late.”
“Do you have condoms?”
I pointed at the door. “Out.”
He chuckled. “I’m gonna take this beer with me.”
“Jesus fucking Christ, Rhodes, you can’t drink and drive here.”
“I’m walking.” He winked.
“Pretty sure there’s an ordinance against having an open container too.”
He shrugged and then turned up the beer bottle, chugging the full contents.
He dangled the empty bottle in front of me. “Happy now?”
“Yeah, fine. Go.”
He nodded, touched me on the shoulder as a conveyance of good luck, and walked out the door. Then I was off to meet Lyra.
She’d told me she’d be coming from work, so I had picked a place between our flat and her office. She worked at this marketing and PR company in downtown Culver City that was ten blocks away from our building. Most days I watched her as she’d take her route to work. Sometimes she would drive, not often though. Occasionally she would detour and go the other way. Not that I paid that much attention to her.
Sure, you don’t.
I’d only been sitting outside the bistro for three minutes when Lyra rounded the corner. The white flared skirt she wore flirted and skimmed her thighs with every step. She carried some kind of printed orange, pink and yellow clutch. Her fuchsia wrap top lifted her breasts high enough to tease and make my mouth water. The V of her top along with the strip of belly showing tempted my brain into all kinds of inventive lasciviousness. But I worked hard to keep my gaze on her and not the mouthwatering glimpses of deep brown skin.
Christ, she looked good enough to eat.
More like devour.
When she saw me, she gave me a wave, and I watched as she inhaled deeply and then let out a long breath. Then her smile broadened as she started across the street. Nerves?
Something tripped over my skin when she was mere steps away. It was like the breeze wafted her lime and coconut shampoo my way. Bloody hell, she smelled good. She always had. I only wished I was the shag she wanted, but then Rhodes’s impromptu pep talk reminded me that there was more at stake than just wanting to shag a pretty girl. If the boss was aware of me not toeing the company line, there would be hell to pay, and I didn’t want that.
I liked a quiet life where I could focus on my career.
You mean where you can hide.
I was going to need to sort this out.
When she reached me, she extended her arms, and I stood and gave her a hug. In moments like that, when I was touching her, when she was close and I could smell her scent wrapped around me like a boa constrictor claiming me as her own, I felt like hell fucking yes, I can do this whole relationship thing. Her softness was something that called to me. Made a part of my brain believe this could be real.
Then she stepped back, giving me a perfunctory kiss on the cheek, and that was it. As the scent of coconut and lime teased me, my gaze focused on her full, very bitable lips. How was it we hadn’t even kissed yet?
How was it I hadn’t licked into her mouth and found out all her secrets? How was
