Chapter 9
Jamie woke up to the sun shining through the blinds. She was disoriented for a moment, wondering how she had found her way into her bed. Then she remembered the night before and sat up straight, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.
She'd failed to seduce her own fiancé, so she'd taken her frustration out on her new partner in crime.
He didn't seem to mind much. In fact, I'd say he was more than willing.
She recalled his words, how he'd told her she was beautiful, how he'd do anything to taste her.
And he had tasted her.
Jamie lay back against her pillows, the night before replayed in her mind. Although she hadn't thought herself attracted to Drake, once he'd kissed her, all that changed.
I thought the time for one-night stands was behind me. But the way that man kisses, like nothing in the world matters except his lips against mine…
She shivered, pulling her robe around her. Drake was a man full of secrets, a mystery she was just realizing she’d like to solve.
He worked in intelligence, was uncover at NASA to root out a conspiracy that involved her sister. He was strong and skilled, easily dispatching the two buffoons who had attempted to follow her home from the train. And now, he’d shown that he was no slouch in the bedroom either.
Unlike someone else…
Jamie frowned, suddenly realizing that she’d cheated on her fiancé. Sure, she’d given Lance first crack at her, so to speak, and he’d demurred. Still, it wasn’t right, what she’d done last night.
And yet, she didn’t regret her actions. It was plain to see that Lance wasn’t the man for her. They had next to nothing in common, and although he was good-looking and high-ranking, she felt none of the passion she’d surrendered to the night before.
Jamie was just discovering that she deserved that passion. She deserved someone who looked at her like Drake had.
Like he’d die if he couldn’t touch me.
She couldn’t hold out hope for any kind of relationship with the mysterious Drake. He was some kind of spy, after all, and that meant the opposite of stability. If the James Bond films had taught her nothing, they’d taught her that spies didn’t stick around once their mission was complete.
Still, there was a certain appeal to being the Bond Girl du Jour, well-dressed and clever, with a slight hint of danger. She’d play her part until she brought her sister home, and then she and Drake would go their separate ways.
But that still left Lance. What to do about her unwitting fiancé?
For a moment she felt bad. Guilty. She’d accepted his proposal because he represented the stability she craved in the absence of her sister. He was someone who could help her locate Sylvie, someone she could lean on.
Still, a niggling of doubt tugged at her mind. Was Lance really as into her as he claimed? He’d never made a move on her, even if he was attentive, nor had he pushed her to set a date or even to move in with him. He’d courted her, locked her down, and now he was content to remain in a holding pattern with her, making no moves at all.
Maybe he was using her, just like she was using him. While Jamie’s motives were fairly transparent, she couldn’t see why Lance would be using her. Perhaps he was a part of the conspiracy, and his goal was to merely keep Jamie pacified while they did whatever needed to be done regarding Sylvie.
What that was, she had no idea.Uggh! I need more information!
Drake had been less than forthcoming, hiding behind the word ‘classified’ as if it were a giant billboard in Times Square. Today’s goal would have to be figuring out what this conspiracy was all about, and how to extricate her sister from it.
Jamie stretched then pulled herself out of bed, heading towards the shower. She didn’t know what the plan for the day was, as Drake had apparently left after she’d almost passed out on him. And as she had no way to contact him, she had to wait until he came to her.
After a leisurely shower, Jamie headed to her closet. Although she considered clothing combinations that ranged from fashionable ninja to office bandit, she settled on dark leggings and a long black sweater. They were likely going to hit the office during the daylight hours, so dressing like a cross between a spy and a thief wasn’t going to get her any traction.
She did, however, opt for sensible flats that could get her out of a scrape in a hurry, if needed. Although she felt fairly confident in her ability to run in four-inch heels, she’d rather not test it.
Then it was time for lunch. Jamie seated herself at her bistro table, picking at a salad and paging through a holo-magazine. The glossy pop-up ads and slick, moving pictorials didn’t hold her interest, however. She was too focused on what would happen today.
With Lance and his team out of the NASA offices, she and Drake should be able to get in and poke around with no interruption. She’d been through many of the offices before, and although they required clearance in the form of a security badge, once through the portal, there was little oversight. If she and Drake could get past the security desk and through the secured entry point, they should be able to snoop at will.
Checking the time, Jamie wondered why Drake hadn’t tried to contact her yet. For a moment she regretted not spending more time planning with him last night, but then admitted that she preferred the activities as they had taken place. She was more a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants gal anyway, and she really wouldn’t have wanted to give up a fantastic orgasm in favor of boring preparations.
It was nearly two when she heard the faint knock. It wasn’t from the front door, however. Instead, it came from the window outside her kitchen. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes and deciding instead to get into the spirit of playing the spy, Jamie crept over to the window and cracked it open.
