Disavowed(54)
She grinned, feeling him relax again. “Maybe we’ll have a contest someday.”
“I’m up for that.”
“As long as your ego can handle losing to me.”
He arched a brow. “Pretty sure of yourself.”
“Yep. And I’m still active, unlike you,” she teased, feeling freer and more alive than she had in forever. “Shooting’s a perishable skill. Not sure how you’d do against me on a range now that you drive a desk for a living.”
Chuckling, he cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her softly on the mouth. “I can hit any target I set my sights on, sweetheart,” he said, gliding his hand over her rear in a caress meant to underscore that he’d set his sights on her.
I love being in your crosshairs, she thought, parting her lips for him, sinking into the kiss.
A knock sounded on the next motel room door over. “Housekeeping.”
Briar tensed. “We’d better get moving.”
He hugged her close one last time. “Yeah. Much as I’d love to just stay here with you for a couple days instead.”
Sounded like heaven.
Releasing her, he turned away, giving her an eyeful of his muscled back and the tattoo on his right shoulder blade as he sat up. A skull wearing a boonie hat, one of its eye sockets fashioned out of a crosshairs, and crossed rifles beneath it. “Very sexy,” she murmured, tracing a fingertip over it.
He looked back at her over his shoulder, his eyes smoldering. “Want to join me in the shower?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
He grinned and rose to his feet, turning as he stretched his arms over his head, giving her an eye-popping view of his muscled physique. Good God, he was gorgeous. It was hard to believe that body had been on hers, beneath her, inside her, giving her such incredible pleasure and security. Whatever else happened, what they’d shared last night had been real and no one could take that away from her.
Seeing her staring at him like a starving woman, he smirked before heading for the bathroom. “I’ll be fast, then you can take your turn and I’ll start making some calls.”
Chapter Fifteen
Matt waited until he heard the shower running in the bathroom before digging out a burner phone they’d taken from the safe house, and dialed Tuck. It was almost eight, and two hours later than that on the East Coast. If his team was even back there yet.
“Tucker here.”
The rush of relief at the sound of his team leader’s voice surprised him. “Hey, it’s Matt.”
“Matt, how the hell are you? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Where are you guys?”
“Better question is, where are you? We were told to stay put after the order came down yesterday morning to capture Briar.”
Whoever was after her hadn’t wasted any time in sounding the alarm. “She’s dead.”
“What?”
“Within a few hours of me leaving her. Sniper took her out, I just got word a few hours ago.” He felt guilty lying to Tuck about it, but he couldn’t risk her safety by telling the truth, not even to one of his most trusted guys.
“Oh, man, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. I am too.”
“You still in Denver?”
“Yes. Gonna take a few days off though. Just need some time to myself after all this.”
“I get it. Guess we’re heading back to Quantico in a couple hours then. Can I do anything?”
“Yeah, actually.” Matt put one hand in his pocket and kept watching the bathroom door. “I’m gonna talk to Celida about it too, but this stays between us for now. Totally off the record. Is this a good time?”
A pause. “Gimme a minute to find us some privacy. Schroder’s a nosy bastard.” Matt imagined Tuck saying it within earshot and the answering scowl on the medic’s face, undoubtedly a raised middle finger in there as well. Team banter was part of the reason the guys were so tight.
He heard footsteps on the other end of the line, then the sound of a door opening and closing. “Okay, I’m alone. What’s up?” Tuck asked.
Matt knew Tuck’s phone was encrypted, so he didn’t worry about anyone being able to trace their conversation, and he would ditch his own before leaving the motel. “Something I learned while I was with her. It’s something that needs to be looked into real carefully and kept off the books. No one can find out we’re digging.”
“Sounds intriguing, and you know how Celida loves a challenge.” Tuck’s voice held a resigned, sardonic edge and Matt understood why. Celida didn’t back down from anyone or anything. She and Briar had that in common. “Does it have to do with Briar?”