everything.”

Harder.

Madness.

Deeper.

It couldn’t be deeper, but it was.

Her entire body was on fire. The sensitive nerves beneath her skin were causing the flesh to swell, become part of the act itself.

He was shifting her back and forth and rotating, each movement taking, building, peaking.

“Now,” he whispered in her ear. “Now, Eve.”

He drove deeper.

She arched. Her teeth bit into her lower lip as her entire body convulsed. “Joe!”

Pleasure. Intense. Explosive. Mind-blowing.

She was panting, clinging desperately to him, as the room whirled around her. Over. Dear heaven, it had been more intense than she could-

But it wasn’t over.

Her gaze flew up to his face. “You didn’t…”

“No.” His mouth was tense, but full and sensual. Everything about him held that same extreme sexual tension. He lowered his head and kissed her, his tongue teasing hers, then outlining her lower lip. He whispered, “Endurance.”

And he started to move again.

Skilled, teasing, alternating hard and gentle.

Her climax had been so intense, it wasn’t possible that she could climb to that peak again.

But it was happening. Joe was bringing her with him, using every sexual skill in his arsenal.

And it happened again.

“Endurance?” Joe asked as he looked down at her. “Not such a bad trait, is it?”

And he started to move once more.

The entire night became a sensual dream of arousal and satisfying that arousal. It was hours later that the passion ebbed enough for her to roll over and put her head in the hollow of his shoulder. It was her favorite place, but tonight even that position seemed to lack a certain security. “Were you… angry?”

“Did I seem angry?”

“I don’t-I guess not. It was just… fierce.”

“You didn’t enjoy it?”

“Of course I did. Don’t be an ass. You were… extraordinary.”

“Then I’ll have to do it more often until it becomes ordinary.” He kissed her temple. “And then we’ll go on to the next level.”

“There can’t be a next level.”

“Yes, there is. We’ll find it.” His tone was absolutely positive as he got out of bed and strode toward the bathroom. “Maybe I can’t ever know what made up the psyche of that sixteen-year-old girl, but I can make sure that our chemistry comes out way ahead of anything you knew back then.”

“It always did, Joe.”

“Maybe.” He stood there in the doorway, naked, confident, handsome, totally mature. Joe, who had been her salvation and her love. Joe, who could raise her to the realm of complete eroticism.

He smiled. “But I’m an overachiever. I think we’ll stretch our limits.”

He disappeared into the bathroom.

She lay there, her gaze on the door. Her body felt flushed, lazy, yet her muscles had an underlying tingle that wouldn’t leave her. It was as if they were waiting for the next touch, the next-

Her cell phone rang on the bedside table.

She reached over to get it.

Catherine.

“Sorry to call you in the middle of the night, but I thought you’d want to know as soon as I did. I just talked to Nate Queen.”

“And?”

“Nothing. He says he can’t find any more information than he gave me before. Bullshit. He knows something. He’s stalling.”

“So what are you doing?”

“I’m going to keep after him. What else? And if I don’t get answers, I’m going to zero in on him in person. I won’t let him weasel out on getting us what we need.”

Joe had come back into the room and was staring at Eve. “Catherine?”

Eve nodded, before saying to Catherine, “You thought he’d be able to tell us. What changed?”

“How do I know? His superiors stomped on him? He got panicky? I don’t know much about him. Queen wasn’t my original contact. I’d done a favor for Dan Murphy, an agent on the lower rungs at Army Intelligence, and I tapped him for help. He was willing at first, but he just handed me off to Nate Queen like a hot potato when I brought up Gallo. I’ll call you back when I know more. What did you find out from Montalvo?”

“Not much. As far as anyone knew, he never worked with a partner and was never in the service.”

“That’s a start. Elimination can be valuable, too. Bye.” Catherine hung up.

“Am I to be told what Catherine found out?” Joe asked quietly.

“Zero. Nate Queen, with Army Intelligence, thought he might be able to find John Gallo. He just told Catherine he was mistaken. She thinks someone got to him. She’s going after him.”

His lips tightened. “Maybe she needs help.”

“Believe me, she can handle him.”

“You’re probably right. It appears half the Intelligence community owes Catherine a favor, and the other half is wary of her.” He got into bed. “And she’s collecting all of their debts in your cause, Eve.”

“I told her she didn’t owe me anything. Catherine doesn’t listen to anything she doesn’t want to hear.”

“Single-minded? Is that the pot calling the kettle black?”

Catherine and she were alike in so many ways and also had a multitude of differences. “Whatever. This time, I’ll take what she’s offering.”

“Naturally.” He had not pulled her close. He was lying on his own side of the bed. “That goes without saying.” He was gazing into the darkness. “She’s offering you Bonnie.”

* * *

CATHERINE CALLED HER BACK AT TEN the next morning. “Still no luck with Queen. He’s not taking my calls. I did find out that he wasn’t at headquarters. He was out in the field.”

“Where?”

“I couldn’t find out. He’s supposed to be back this afternoon and I’m going to fly up to INSCOM and ask him.”

Eve chuckled. “And Joe was wondering if you were going to need his help with Queen.”

“I might call him if I can’t get the bastard to talk. Joe and I could play good cop-bad cop. We’d be a good team. Is he at the precinct today?”

“Yes, it’s a wonder he keeps a job the way I constantly pull him away from it.”

“I didn’t notice any pulling. Are you working?”

“Not yet. My adopted daughter, Jane, just called me from London, and we talked for a while.”

“But I bet not about Gallo.”

“No. Why would I worry her? She’d want to jump on a plane and come here. This is my problem.” She added, “But I’ll be working soon. I’m expecting a skull from Austin, Texas, today. A little boy they found buried in the woods near the freeway.”

“I’m glad you have something to keep you occupied. Otherwise, you’d be a basket case. I’ll try to give you a heads-up as soon as I corner Queen.” She hung up.

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