Little White Lies

they’d use to wire Charley-as invisible as any Wyatt had ever seen.

“What’s taking them so long?” Wyatt paced to the window for the hundredth time. “How long does it take to put on a wig and clothes that cover nothing?”

James and Cael looked up.

“What? I’m just asking.”

Cael holstered his weapon and turned to Wyatt. “There are things you don’t know about Charley, man. She’s nothing if not thorough.”

“Of course there are.” Arms crossed, Wyatt stood feet from the door which separated him from Lily and Charley.

“What Cael means is…” James shot Cael a glare. “She needs time to do it right, and if you interrupt her, not only will she be thoroughly pissed, she’ll lose focus.”

“She changes her appearance a lot, doesn’t she? This dramatically?” Wyatt leaned a hip against the long dresser.

“Yup.” James’s mumble barely registered.

“More than you know.” Cael and James’s fist made contact with each other.

Wyatt rolled his eyes. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear the two were brothers-as close as he and Stuart had been until those last weeks of high school. Eighteen years of friendship gone in an instant.

He shook off the memories as a creak of the door came on the heels of female voices. Wyatt noted James and Cael stopped, too.

James’s whistle bounced off the walls. Cael let out a low ‘wow’. Wyatt withheld his urge to do the same.

“Candie?” He walked around the six-foot blonde to verify the real Candie still lay on the bed in the other room.

Lily had tucked her in.

“Or Charley.” The Charley-Candie said.

“But you sound like her, too.” Wyatt cocked his head at her.

“Of course I do, Wyatt.” The same tipped nail urged his chin up until he met her eyes-his had headed south. “I’m very good at what I do.”

“I guess. You’ve got me completely fooled.”

“Do you need assurance?”

Would that be an insult? Do you ask a highly secret, well regarded agent to prove herself?

Wyatt hesitated.

Before he could answer, Charley turned around to Lily, her hands raised to eye level, and when she turned back around, her eye color-that melted chocolate he’d seen before-looked back at him. He assumed the contacts were in Lily’s hand as she held her fists closed.

“I didn’t mean to-”

“You didn’t insult her, Wyatt,” Lily said. “We-I mean she-doesn’t mind.”

Wyatt nodded, unsure what else he could say that wouldn’t put him in the proverbial doghouse. He’d learned long ago as he’d watched his Dad take the couch a few nights: Women had control.

“I believe we have some additional accoutrements to add to me?”

“Uh… yeah…” Wyatt reverted to his younger years and his inability to think or speak straight when in the presence of a hot girl-especially one with brains to go along with a kick-ass body radiating intensity just inches from him.

“How many different outfits do I need?” Charley’s eyes grew wide as Lily threw one after another onto the bed. “Did Candie have all these?” Charley spread her hands out over the array of costumes. “Are they all going to fit in the bag she brought?”

“They were in her bag,” Lily said.

“Damn, Charley.” James whistled a southern hog call. “A clothes horse like you doesn’t want them?”

She huffed out a breath, put her hands on her hips and offered him a glare. “Not these, idiot. Most of these aren’t even clothes. They’re-” She swung her arms wide. “-tramp material.”

“I agree.” Wyatt lifted a blue nylon ribbon-like outfit from the bag. There couldn’t have been more than two inches of materials in any given spot.

“How do I even put that on?” Charley’s voice pitched high.

“You just slide into it. Watch the others when you’re inside.” Lily shrugged.

Wyatt chuckled, though worry crept in. Man, I hope she figures this out.

“Okay.” Cael broke up the lingerie and attire discussion.

Wyatt turned to him, happy to get away from the clothes and the unhappy female. He scanned the various pieces of equipment still to be concealed on Charley’s body, wondering how they could be hidden and remain discreet for three to four hours.

“We need to get you suited up, sir.” Lily handed Wyatt an Armani suit she’d pulled from the closet.

“And I need to get these attached to you, Charley.” James held up two micro-wireless trackers. In one swift move, he drew Charley’s arms up so she stood like a cross, though she wore fewer clothes than most beach goers.

“It’s kinda nice you being almost my height.” He moved his hands across her arms, slid up, down and around, from her fingertips to her shoulders, following the curve of her neck, to ear.

Wyatt shifted against the dresser, suit in hand, as James slid his hands down Charley’s sides, low to her hips, around and through the strap at her waist and back up across her breasts to her parted lips.

A frustration built within Wyatt as he watched them. Their movements imparted a sensuality, a sexuality, that unnerved him, yet related only to the addition of equipment.

Where did that desire come from?

“Just go ahead and make out already.” Cael chuckled but continued to type on his laptop.

Charley’s laugh broke the moment but not the fire that built within Wyatt. “That was seriously hot,” she said to James but continued to chuckle.

Are these two together?

Charley turned her gaze to Wyatt’s and lowered her lashes so they touched the tops of her cheeks. As she opened again, she added a slow, sultry wink in his direction along with a caress of her lips with her tongue.

Wyatt turned to Cael. He had to break away from her trance; otherwise, he’d do none of them any good during their op. Think procedure. Think about the end result. “I’m gonna change.” Wyatt shook his head as he moved to the bathroom, traded slacks, added the jacket and half tied the silk tie he’d been handed.

He studied himself in the mirror, braced against the counter. Confidence, he reminded himself. As much as his body suggested he’d prepared for every possibility, doubts lingered by the name of Charley.

12

“Anyone got a cell I can borrow?” Charley patted her hips, waist and chest as if a spot to store the device would appear by magic. “Something small and inconspicuous?” She added a small chuckle.

As much as she disliked the role she’d play, she’d do it with every bit of her ability. Dressed in black slacks, a black silk shirt unbuttoned halfway but tucked in, and his tie hanging loose, Wyatt looked his part as much as she did.

“Lookin’ good there, man.” Charley loosened his tie an inch more and patted his chest. The muscles under her hand contracted.

She didn’t want to break free but pulled away, her eyes fixed on Wyatt’s.

“Bundle up, Charley!” Lily sang from the other room. “No one needs to see Candie’s ass ’til they get in the club!”

“What’s she doing in there?” Charley asked.