Page 49 of Dark ’N’ Deadly

He would protect Tess. If necessary, with his life.

It didn’t matter to him that their time together was short or that she would never be his. Tess McTavish was special. He’d always known that. She was not only the loveliest woman he’d ever met, but a beautiful soul to be protected at all costs.

Sap. There he’d gone again with the Hollywood script. Again, he’d meant it.

“We reloaded the drums on the pickup and replaced the bed cap.” He pointed to the tiny pinhole camera the techies had installed at the base of the windshield, just above the dashboard. “That’s where the camera is. The microphone is right behind the front bumper grill, so make sure you turn off the engine as soon as possible, or we won’t be able to pick up any sound.”

Standing beside him, Tess was tiny. Fragile, even. The black sleeveless blouse and just-above-the-knee length skirt wasn’t her typical over-the-top colorful style, and it made her skin seem paler, like pure alabaster.

“Got it?” he asked when she didn’t respond. He touched his fingers to her arm, and she nearly jumped.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Turn off the engine. Got it.”

Did she?

The tense set of her mouth and the slight furrow between her brows didn’t come from fear alone. It came from something else. She’s distracted. Tess might be standing inches from him, but her mind was a thousand miles away and the clock was ticking.

“Hey.” He cupped her chin. “I need you with me on this. It’s important that you remember to turn the engine off so I can hear what’s going on. Otherwise, you’re as good as alone out there.”

“I got it,” she repeated, but her eyes were still distant.

He wished they had more time for him to get to the bottom of what was distracting her, but the hourglass was about to run out.

“I plugged the meet location into your cell phone.” He nodded to the phone he’d already set in the cup holder. “I also wrote down directions in case your phone loses signal.” He didn’t like the last-minute change of venue for this op, but they’d have to roll with it.

Dark clouds rose in the distance, accompanied by an occasional flash of lightning. Rain began to fall, pinging on the hood of the truck. Not good. If the storm headed their way, the chopper would be grounded, and they wouldn’t be able to see or hear a thing.

“I can do this.” She nodded, as if trying to convince herself more than him.

“I know you can,” he replied softly. What he didn’t say was that with every passing second, he was so regretting going along with this plan. Stupidly, he’d thought that when this moment came, he could handle it, but man was he wrong.

The irrational urge to sweep her in his arms, carry her away, and tuck her safely in his house where nothing bad could happen to her was as clear in his mind as a billboard sign.

You’re crazy. Insane.

No, he was scared out of his head.

For her.

Suck it up and get it done.

“Dayne and I will head out first,” he said. “Wait five minutes, then start driving. Don’t make any quick turns or the drums will shift. We’ll all be in the school parking lot you’ll pass on your left, less than a mile from the barn. Assuming you can convince them you’re Jesse’s sister, make the delivery, then get the hell out of there. We’ll do the rest. Drive directly to the Flemington post office in town. An agent will follow you there and drive you home.”

Home. The idea that she would be there when he returned was about the only thing keeping him from acting on his urges.

She nodded, outwardly calm and collected, but the pulse at her throat beat rapidly. Normally, he’d be having this talk with an informant he’d wired up or an undercover agent. Not a woman he…

Cared about. A lot.

The steady whop-whop got louder. An unmarked chopper flew low, staying well beneath the cloud cover, which, he noted, was lowering by the second. Damn. He recognized the chopper’s tail numbers and prayed the storm held off long enough.

Rain pounded harder. He stepped aside for Tess to get in the truck.

“I’ll either be on the first surveillance shift or doing recon, so I won’t be home until after midnight.”

Without looking at him, she nodded then adjusted the seat and rearview mirror. The only outward sign of tension was the whitening of her knuckles on the wheel.

And of his own where he gripped the edge of the driver’s door.