Hidden Truth Read online

  Apparently, her kiss didn’t carry the same magic it once had. In the past her kiss would have left a man thinking about nothing more than wanting the rest of her.

  “I promise you...that’s not it.” He pulled his coat down a bit, covering his crotch. Oh.

  Maybe she had a gift after all.

  “You don’t need to be embarrassed. I take that as a compliment.” She gave him a coy look.

  He laugh nervously. “Oh, believe me, I’m not embarrassed about anything I’ve got going on down there.”

  “Oh my goodness...” She laughed so hard her stomach hurt.

  “If I have my way, you will see exactly what I mean.”

  “You have no shame, do you?”

  He reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Actually, I was thinking I’d build us a shelter so we could...get a bit more comfortable.” He looked up at the sky where there were stars peeking through the dusk. “It’s getting dark. Even if we turn around and start making our way back to the truck, we’re going to be packing out in the dark. Our horse skills being what they are, I think it’s best if we just wait out the night.”

  “That’s the only reason you want to stay out here?” she asked, raising her brow.

  “I have to take care of my lady first, then we can have the rest of the night to see where things go.” He kissed her hand. “If you want, there’s a couple of Mylar survival blankets in the bag. We can start setting up the lean-to.” He started to say something else, but stopped. From the guilty look on his face, she could tell he’d been about to start giving orders.

  He was learning that she didn’t appreciate being told what to do. And the realization made her like him that much more. It was a rare man who wasn’t intimidated by an independent woman.

  “Don’t go too far. If the Cusslers are close they’ll come to investigate the fire,” she said, looking into the shadows that surrounded them.

  “I guess we’ll need a door for our lean-to if we want our privacy.”

  The way he spoke sounded like he was joking, but she liked the idea. The last thing she wanted was to be spied on by a group of hillbillies in the middle of the night. Especially if things went to the place she wanted them to go with Trevor. She’d like to see exactly what he had been trying to cover with his coat.

  They collected a few poles and set up a frame for their shelter. Trevor chopped off fresh boughs from the surrounding pines and, using them for the insulating materials, set them around the frame and on top to stop the snow from getting through. It didn’t take long, but by the time they were done, she was starving. The granola bar had done little to keep the pangs of hunger at bay, but she could make it a day or two without food.

  She sat down on the log by the fire and opened his bag. At the top was a handgun. The black steel immediately reminded her of why she was there in the first place, and all that hinged on her investigation of Trevor and his family.

  If they had sex, it would compromise her in an entirely new way. If she did it, would be she doing it because she wanted to, or would there be a part of her that had sunk so low that she was willing to use her body to get ahead?

  She hated the thought.

  She pushed the gun aside and pulled out the Mylar blankets. Opening the crinkling, tinfoil-like material, she set the first sheet on the pile of soft boughs that would act as their bed for the night. If this was what they were going to sleep on, it was going to make for a loud night.

  Trevor came over and took the second blanket from her. Using a bit of duct tape, he lined the top of the shelter with the Mylar sheet so the fire’s heat would be reflected down on them as they slept. As he worked, she could make out the scent of saddle leather and sweat and the sweet aroma of campfire on him. She’d never thought she was the kind of woman who would find that to be an aphrodisiac, but it was just that...especially when a bead of sweat worked its way down his temple, slipping into the corner of his lips.

  She wanted to take those lips again. Thankfully, one of the horses chuffed. Getting up, Trevor followed suit, and they made their way over and readied them for the night.

  As they finished, Trevor put his hands on his hips and stood admiring their work. Darkness had settled in on them, and with it came a whisper of tiredness. It had been a long, exhausting day, but she wasn’t going to let it stand in the way...if she decided to act on her baser instincts.

  She slipped her hand between his; her fingers were icy in comparison. “What, no door?” she teased, looking at their shabby-chic survivalist paradise.

  “Well, I was thinking something in a teak...maybe mahogany.” He let go of her hand and gave her butt a playful pat. “You are freaking funny, aren’t you?” There was a brilliance in his eyes as he looked at her that made him appear even more handsome.

  She had found herself an Adonis. Yeah, Mike had definitely set her up to take this fall.

  But she was no Aphrodite and she couldn’t fall in love with this ill-fated man. However, maybe just for one night, she could give in to her desires.

  Stepping into the lean-to, she pulled him after her. The sheet crinkled under them as he lay down beside her. He unclicked his SIG Sauer P226 from his thigh and set it above their heads like an ominous reminder of the reality that awaited them when they stepped out of their silver wonderland. Wrapping her leg around his, she scooted into his nook and put her head on his chest. Maybe she could be satisfied with just this...the simple pleasure of lying in his arms.

  Then again, there was something that seemed more dangerous about sinking into the comfort and safety of his arms...sex was intimate, but listening to the beat of his heart would be far more bonding. And that bond, the sacredness that came with letting someone into her heart, terrified her.

  He ran his fingers through her hair. If she hadn’t been so nervous, the sweet comfort of his touch would have put her to sleep. And yet all she could think of was where her hand rested on his abs. As he breathed, she could feel the muscles expand and contract. A warmth rose up from his core, growing steadily warmer as her hand eased down his stomach. She was so close to him. All it would take would be one little flip of the button and everything between them would change. For one night, he could be hers and she could be his...in every way.

  One little button. How could she have let her future come to rest on one little brass button? She’d been playing this game long enough that she knew what she was setting herself up for; she couldn’t claim ignorance now. And yet she was still surprised how authentic it felt being with Trevor. If she was just her and he was just, well, him, they could have made the world theirs.

  He cleared his throat and stopped playing with her hair as her hand moved down until her fingers grazed the rough fabric of his blue jeans. “Sabrina?”

  She stopped moving and looked up at him, gently resting her chin on his chest. “What?” she asked coyly.

  He gave a light nervous cough and didn’t seem capable of continuing.

  “Shhh,” she said, pressing her finger to his lips.

  He drew her finger into his mouth and gave it a playful nibble. Her thighs clenched at the pleasure of the slight pain. She withdrew her hand and rested her fingers on the fateful button. Reaching down, he stopped her for a moment.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, giving her a look that was a mixture of desire and concern.

  She understood exactly how he must have been feeling, but at this moment logical thought was failing.

  “I want you, Trevor. I’ve wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you.” She moved atop him, straddling him as she flipped open the button and unzipped his jeans. She looked into his eyes. “What about you? Do you want me?”

  “More than you can possibly know.” He emitted a slight growl, running his hand over his face. “But you are going to be the death of me.” He took hold of her hips and she ground against him.
<
br />   She giggled, but at the back of her mind she questioned if he was right in his assumption—literally. She forced down the thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to worry what would come of their forbidden relationship. Now was the time for pleasure.

  Sitting up slightly, she wiggled down his pants. Standing over him, as much as she could in the enclosed space, she slipped off her pants and black panties and let them drop on the Mylar beside him. The fire reflected off the silver sheets around them, but the chill of the night pressed in against her nakedness.

  He sat up, taking hold of her. His hands were warm against her ass. He gave her a wicked smile as he kissed the soft skin of her inner thigh. His lips were hot against her cold skin, and as he inched his kiss higher up her leg, she was sure he was hotter than the flames that danced on the Mylar.

  She reached up as his tongue met her, and her hands brushed against the world of fire around her.

  “Trevor,” she gasped, as his fingers found her. “I need you. Please,” she begged, running her fingers through his long hair.

  He kissed her again, then took her hand and leaned back, leading her atop of him. She pulled him inside her and in one slow movement, he filled her. There was nothing more glorious than this night...their night. It would be one memory she would cherish for the rest of her life.

  Chapter Eight

  The sun was breaking through the trees, but as they rode deeper into the backcountry, all Trevor could think about was the taste of Sabrina. He sucked at his bottom lip. He’d never known a woman could taste exactly like peaches.

  And the face she had made when he’d pressed inside her. Just the thought made his body spring to life. Dang, he would give just about anything to be back in that lean-to, holding her against his chest and listening to the sounds she made when she was satisfied.

  Ever since they’d loaded up and hit the trail this morning, she had been quiet. If she was like him, it was lack of sleep catching up with her, but it still surprised him. Not that he’d ever done this kind of thing before, but when he had slept with women in the past, normally the next day they opened up and wanted to talk. Sabrina was certainly a different kind of woman, and she definitely kept him on his toes. It was one of the things he loved about her—she challenged him.

  As they rode up onto the top of the saddle that bridged two mountains together, in the distance he could make out a muddy game trail. Thanks to the pristine snow around it, the muddy mess looked like a snake slithering through an Arctic playground. The trail had probably been made by deer and elk, but it seemed out of place in the high country.

  While animals were sometimes at the top of the mountains this time of year, it seemed like they would have moved lower to wait out the cold snap. Unlike humans, they heeded nature’s warnings.

  If he and Sabrina had been smart, they would’ve never spent the night up in the woods. It had been an ill-advised decision. Even without the possible ramifications of sleeping together, the weather alone could have been extremely dangerous. Luckily the storm hadn’t been that bad, but if it had, they could have been stuck out in the wilderness for days. Even now there was no guarantee they would make it back unscathed.

  The cold air nibbled at his nose as they rode toward the serpentine game trail. The distinct odor of campfire drifted toward him on the gentle breeze. “Do you smell that?” he asked, unsure if it was his clothing that he was smelling or if it came from some unknown source.

  “Smoke.” She looked around, pointing toward the east. “Look over there.”

  There was a fine tendril of wispy smoke drifting up and over the edge of the mountain. They were close to someone. But in the millions of acres that spread around them, it was impossible to know exactly who awaited them. Hopefully it was the Cusslers, and they could finally start making heads or tails of the situation they found themselves in. Then again, it might also be the second hillbilly family. Either way, they could be walking straight into a trap.

  The people who lived in this kind of environment weren’t stupid about survival. If they had any indication that he and Sabrina were coming up the mountain to find them, they wouldn’t have built such a visible fire. In the event it was an ambush, they were ill-equipped to succeed.

  Or at least one of them was.

  He’d fought this kind of battle more times than he could count. It always seemed like the odds were stacked against him when it came to looking at something like this on paper, but his training and his level of expertise always gave him an advantage. They just had to play it smart.

  He motioned for Sabrina to stop, riding up alongside her and climbing down off his horse. To their left was a small drop-off. He led his horse down the embankment and into the small stand of timber. Sabrina followed suit. They tied up their horses and he grabbed the go bag. Pulling out the gun, he handed it to her.

  “You need me to explain how to use it?” he teased.

  She smiled at him, but there was a sassy look on her face. “Isn’t someone feeling feisty this morning?”

  “That’s not the only thing I’m feeling,” he said, pulling her close and pressing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her fingers into his hair, making him nearly groan.

  “Hey now,” she said, pulling back from him. “This isn’t the time or the place for fooling around.”

  He didn’t want to point out that last night was just as questionable, so he stayed quiet. She slipped the gun in the back of her pants and covered it with her jacket. There was something about the way she moved that made it look like she had done that a million times before. There was no hesitation, no shock at the feel of the cold steel against her skin and no second-guessing herself before she put the gun away. She was some kind of housekeeper.

  “How accurate are you thinking you can be with that gun, if it comes down to it?” he asked.

  “Let’s just say starting a fire and working a truck and trailer weren’t the only things my daddy taught me to do,” she said. “If I were you, I would make sure I wasn’t the one standing on the other end of my barrel.”

  He laughed quietly, looking over toward the smoke as he realized that up here, with as little cover as they had, it also meant that sound would most certainly carry.

  His phone buzzed in his back pocket. They must have found a tiny service signal. Moving to take it out and check, he stopped himself. “I need to take a whiz before we get started. Do you mind waiting here?”

  “No problem,” she said, waving him off.

  It wasn’t a great excuse, or charming, but it was the only thing he could think of to be alone for a few minutes.

  He walked away from her and sat down behind a small knob on the hill where he couldn’t be seen from above or below. Taking his phone out, he looked down at the screen. Chad had texted at least twenty times. Zoey had set up the fake drop in Seattle. They’d have at least a dozen eyes watching the place; if there was even a chance Sabrina wasn’t who she said she was, he’d know.

  Saying a silent prayer that he was wrong, he stuffed the phone back into his pocket. Last night had been inimitable, but he would love to try again.

  But if Sabrina were working for some foreign government or the Gray Wolves, what had occurred between them would never happen again. More likely than not, his family would require that he take care of the problem. He couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her.

  He sat with his knees up, and he pressed his forehead against them as he closed his eyes. The cold snow was starting to melt and leach into his pants, making his butt cold, but he ignored the feeling. The biting cold was nothing compared to the gnawing he felt in his chest.

  Hopefully he hadn’t misplaced his trust when he’d put it with her.

  For now, he could rest in the naive hope that he had found the one woman in this world to whom he could truly give his heart.

  * * *

  MEN. SOMETIMES THEY wer
e so uncouth...it was like she was back in the good old boys’ club that was a FBI resident agency.

  As he walked away, she made her way down the embankment from the horses and found a little bush. As she unbuttoned her pants, her phone buzzed from inside her breast pocket. The sensation caught her completely off guard. She hadn’t had service in the last day and it was a surprise that she even had any battery left, considering her phone had likely been searching for a signal since then. She pulled out her mobile, and looking over her shoulder to make sure Trevor was nowhere in sight, she punched in the code to unlock it.

  Front and center in her inbox was an email from Mike. She opened it, and as she read, excitement and then a sense of dread filled her. Her team had intercepted an email sent from the Widow Maker. Apparently, Trevor and his team were supposed to make a drop in Seattle at seven tomorrow night. Mike wanted to know whether or not they were to move on the information.

  She stopped reading and pressed the phone to her chest.

  If that were true, then it was likely the reason Trevor had been only too happy to spend the night out in the woods. He’d probably wanted them to spend the night out here again so she was completely out of the equation. Maybe he still saw her as a security risk and wanted her as far from his dealings as possible. Then again, she hadn’t given him any concrete reason, that she knew of, for him not to trust her. Besides, he would have to be at a meeting like that, wouldn’t he?

  She glanced back in the direction he had gone, but he was nowhere in sight.

  Maybe Chad and the rest of the family were taking the lead on this one.

  If the intelligence was legit, she needed to have a team there. Between the email and what they could glean from the handoff, her team would likely have more than enough for whatever prosecutor was put on their case. They could take down the family and put an end to their illegal gun trafficking once and for all. Then she could move on to another UC position. Maybe she could even get transferred away from Mike. She’d heard of some of her people taking remote location gigs; maybe she could get a little sunshine in and see the beaches of Colombia.