Little White Lies

across the street.

She moves like a graceful tank. Two men flanked her, their long jackets floating behind them, eyes covered by shades despite the darkness of the hour. Charley’s face tilted up at the second floor. Does she see me?

Wyatt leaned back on the ledge, crossed his arms and tapped his toes with a nervous energy that flowed through his body.

“Relax, Wyatt,” Lily said. “Keep your eye on the monitors.”

Though the men remained silent, Charley kept them apprised. Lobby. Elevator. Hallway.

“Ready boys?” she asked with suggestive undertones as the key engaged the lock and the door swung open in front of her.

Wyatt trained his gaze on the monitor.

James moved outside to reprogram the lock so there’d be no unexpected entry or exit.

Wyatt continued to watch via video monitor as Charley brought them farther inside, offered them a drink, and let her jacket drop to the floor. The silver and blue outline of her attire covered very little.

Both men accepted a Scotch from the minibar, their faces in shadow.

Charley’s hip swayed right, her hands in her hair. She slipped to the left, reaching for the ties to her ensemble. One of the two excused himself to the bathroom.

“Show time, take two,” James said.

“Let me help you with your tie.” Charley crooned to the man seated on the bed. She moved close enough for his face to fill the screen.

“Holy shit.” Cael came up behind Wyatt.

Wyatt’s lips firmed into a tight grimace as he looked upon a face he knew all too well, yet not at all. How do they know him?

***

A crash, an ‘oomph’, and silence emanated from the bathroom.

Lily’s concoction works with magical timing.

The man on the bed looked up at Charley and mouthed all-too-familiar words. “Keep-my-cover.”

“I will,” she mouthed and closed her eyes. She added, “Keep mine,” but he’d already fallen backward to the bed.

When Wyatt stormed the room, Charley turned toward him from where she’d knelt. Her body shook as if she’d been chilled by the wind, yet the room hovered at a warm seventy-two degrees.

“How does he know you?” Wyatt asked. “How does my best friend from high school know it’s you?”

“I can explain.” Charley held out her hands as she stood. “I’d like to change out of these clothes first.”

James and Cael entered and split up-one to the bathroom, one to Stuart. They pulled each man from his stupor.

“What is there to explain? How does he know?”

Charley tried to move past Wyatt, but he blocked her way. “Let me by, Wyatt.”

“Let her by, man.” James’s warning came as he sat Kevin in a chair.

Wyatt moved enough to let her by but so that she’d have to rub her entire body against his to do so. Once past, she strode into the room where Lily waited.

“How much do I tell him?”

Lily pointed to her ear.

Damn!

Wyatt walked in, fury burned his eyes. “Tell me how much of what?”

“Everything,” Lily mouthed and moved to the opposite room.

Charley knew they’d listen to every word. She paced as she thought. The size of the room prevented the extension of her full stride as Candie. What does he really want to know? She bristled at the lack of space.

“Sit down, Wyatt.” Charley motioned to the bed where Candie slept.

He stood, arms crossed, and didn’t budge.

“Okay.” He’s not going to make this easy.

She ran her hands through her hair. When she touched the lens of the hidden camera, she followed its path down the back of her head and detached it.

“Now only I can see you.” She laid it on the table.

“How do you know Stuart?”

“We worked together.” Not a lie.

“When?”

Too soon after I left you. “A number of years ago.”

“Why?”

“Same as you. Help. Information.” She shrugged. To save his life.

“How did he know you aren’t Candie?”

The question lay in front of her like a red-hot branding iron. How much did she risk? How far did she have to go? “I let him kiss me.” She looked down at the floor.

“So a kiss tells someone who you are?” His voice rose. “Is that all it takes? A simple kiss on the lips?” Wyatt stepped toward her.

Charley took a step back, bumped into the table. “Wyatt-”

“Don’t ‘Wyatt’ me.” He threw his arms out like an umpire calling a runner safe. “How does he know, dammit? You said you showed him.” Wyatt’s tone turned venomous as he batted the sides of his head with his palms. “It’s nearly midnight, Charley; I’m tired and frustrated, and this new information isn’t going to help.”

“I told you.” Charley dropped her voice to a whisper.

“Like this?” Wyatt’s lips met hers with a fiery passion.

Her arms hung limp at her sides, like drapes above a window. As Wyatt pressed his lips to hers, memory took hold. She wanted to tear into him; she wanted to cry.

Control your emotions Charley, or he’s going to discover the truth.

Wyatt pushed the kiss farther.

Charley’s hands regained their function, and she dove into him, dug through his suit, and moved her fingers up to his hair, where she pressed as he shifted and adjusted. Their lips sizzled with an intensity she’d known only with one other man-rather, the man he used to be.

She pulled her lips from his but kept a secure hold on him. “I was in South America.” Though it wasn’t the first time we met or the last. “We were on an assignment for the Army. Stuart was a private in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Go on.” He pushed but laid his head against her forehead.

“Like this operation, he walked into the middle of it. To save his life I had to reveal a bit of my cover, so to speak.” She took a deep breath. “In the process, we ended up entangled within each others’ arms and walked out unharmed. But-” She moved her hands up to hold on to Wyatt’s lapels. “-I still had work to do, and he might see me again. We needed a signal to ensure if we found ourselves in the same situation, we’d both know.”

“That doesn’t sound so farfetched. Why didn’t you just say something?”

“He’s undercover, Wyatt. He’s not a part of this group you’re searching for. If he’s here, in that role, he’s fighting the same battle. He signaled me, I signaled him. We both knew.” More than you.

“Who does he work for?”

“That I can’t say.” Or not exactly-same group as you.

Relief flooded into her as Charley realized Wyatt’s concern lent itself more to their cover than her revelations. He tried to turn, but Charley held him close.

“As far as I know, he’s not on our side. I haven’t seen him since high school, so I really don’t know anything about him.”

“I thought you were best friends?”