Her Officer in Charge Read online

He heard her grateful groan as she dropped her finger against her clit. Tightening his grasp, he carefully lifted her so his cock remained only slightly buried, then thrust upwards. His strokes were measured and powerful, and he studied her closely, watching for the signs that would tell him she was about to explode. When she squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath, he knew she was there.

  “Bella, don’t forget,” he panted.

  “Sir,” she gasped, “please, may I come?”

  “Give it to me,” he demanded.

  Crying out his name, she let loose, her orgasm rattling through her body. Vince watched her, trying to hold back, but his cock refused to listen, and jerked and spasmed, making him groan through clenched teeth as his fingers gripped her waist. When finally he fell from her cunt, spent and flaccid, she was collapsing against him, panting heavily and whispering his name.

  “Easy, sweetheart,” he crooned, wrapping his arms around her.

  “It’s so intense,” she gasped. “I’ve never known anything like this.”

  “For me too,” he murmured, the tingling prickles sparking through his limbs.

  It was a few minutes later that she shifted on his lap, and with eyes half-lidded she raised her head.

  “When I think of all the shows I’ve done at that base, and you were there, so close, it almost makes me sad. I could have met you ages ago.”

  “Things happen when they’re supposed to, and I know that’s a cliché, but it’s one I believe. Now though, when you find yourself booked at another event here, I can come as your bodyguard.”

  “Don’t you mean, if? Will I have a sound man?” she grimaced. “I wish you’d tell me what’s going on.”

  “If you need a sound man, I’ll help you find one, no problem,” he promised, “but it may not come to that. One thing though, if I find you being a difficult diva, I’ll have to spank you before you go on stage.”

  “I can’t go on stage with a sore butt!” she protested.

  “If you don’t behave, you’ll have no choice,” he declared.

  “Can we please lie down?”

  “That sounds like a clever way to change the subject.”

  “Maybe it is,” she admitted, “but I do want to lie down. I need a nap.”

  As she moved off his lap, he caught sight of her blotchy scarlet behind. Over the last twenty-four hours he’d had to spank her and make it count. A short time later, curled in each other’s arms, he felt her drift off, and his mind took him back to Scott Bateman. He needed to check in and get an update, but loath to leave her, he promised himself five more minutes.

  “I hate the thought of leaving,” she whispered.

  “I know, and I’ve been thinking about that.”

  “Scott and I will be heading back after the war games tonight. You haven’t really said anything, but I know you’re worried about me being with him, even though I keep telling you he’s been nothing but a godsend.”

  “I’m glad that he has, but you’re right, I am a bit concerned. I think, though, I may have the answer.”

  “You do?”

  “Stay here for a minute. I’ll be right back, and then I’ll tell you my idea.”

  Slipping from the bed, he pulled on his boxers and headed into his study to call the major. He was surprised he’d not heard back from him, and expected there’d be some fresh information. As much as he thought Scott Bateman was not the man Bella thought him to be, he hoped he was wrong. Picking up the phone, he placed the call, and the major answered in his usual gruff tone.

  “Yes!”

  “Captain Valenti, sir. Any news?”

  “We did a sweep of Bateman’s motel room but he’d already checked out for both of them. It had been cleaned, so no prints.”

  “What about the guy he met with? Were there any hits from his picture?”

  “Nothing yet.”

  “There must be a way to get Bateman’s prints.”

  “Working on that now,” the major said brusquely.

  “I can always get them tonight. I can meet him with Bella before the war games for a drink, or even dinner.”

  “We might have them by tonight. I’ll keep you informed.”

  There was a click, and the call was ended. Vince stared at the phone and frowned.

  “How can they not have his prints?” he muttered. “This whole thing is becoming stranger by the hour. Something’s not right.”

  Standing up, he stretched his arms above his head, shook off the phone call, and returned to his bedroom, but as he approached the bed, he found Bella had fallen asleep.

  Poor thing, such a crazy time you’ve had. I don’t blame you for being knackered. Rest. I have some thinking to do anyway.

  Softly closing the door behind him, he headed to the kitchen, made himself some fresh coffee, and, taking it into the living room, he began to sip and pace.

  I can feel it in my bones. Something’s off, but what?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Stirring from her nap, Bella reached out to hold her handsome officer, and was dismayed to find the bed was empty. Yawning sleepily, she stretched, then stared at her watch, and was amazed that it was almost five-thirty.

  “Good grief,” she muttered, “did I sleep for three hours?”

  Climbing from the bed, she half-staggered into the bathroom, and after she’d freshened up, she pulled on her clothes and headed down the hallway, softly calling his name. Hearing no response, she moved to the living room and peered through the French doors that overlooked a terrace and the backyard. He was on the manicured lawn doing push-ups.

  You’ve got to be kidding me. Oh, Vince, you put me to shame. Your house is sparkling, and look at you, you’re so dedicated. I guess if you’re a captain in the marines you have to be.

  Pushing open the doors, she stood for a moment watching him, then settled into one of the deck chairs.

  Vince had glimpsed her as she’d walked on to the flagstone terrace, and pushed through his last dozen before jumping to his feet and jogging across to join her.

  “I hope you didn’t stop on my account. I was enjoying the view,” she grinned.

  “Your timing is perfect. I was just finishing.”

  “Too bad,” she giggled.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, dropping into a chair next to her.

  “Good, rested, I guess I was more tired than I thought. Sorry, I didn’t mean to pass out on you.”

  “No, it’s good. You needed it. I’m going to run and take a shower, and then we need to talk.”

  “Wait, any news on Scott, or that man we saw him with?”

  “Bella, you know even if I had anything I couldn’t share it, unless it was to say, definitively, that he’s been cleared. Oh, I can tell you that he’s checked you both out of the motel.”

  “Yes, he would have. I should call him.”

  “Yes, you should. You do that while I take my shower. We’ll reconvene in the kitchen.”

  “Oh, my gosh, reconvene? That’s funny.”

  “Hey, it’s how I talk,” he chuckled as he rose from the chair and, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss, he headed back into the house.

  She sat for few minutes admiring the beauty of his garden. It was obvious a great deal of planning had gone into the layout of the flowerbeds, and the white rock path that ambled through the lawn looked like a snowy creek, giving the yard a touch of whimsy.

  “Not what I would have imagined for a tough guy marine,” she murmured, then stood up and wandered back inside.

  Returning to the bedroom to retrieve her phone, she could hear him in the shower. A naughty smile crossed her lips, and after sending Scott a quick text to tell him she was expecting to see him outside the venue building at the base around seven, she stripped off and hurried into the bathroom.

  The shower stall was fogged up, and she softly opened the door, suppressing a giggle. Startled, Vince spun around, his eyes wide, and when he saw her he shook his head, grabbed her arm, and pulled her inside.

 
“You should never sneak up on a marine,” he scolded, swatting her repeatedly.

  “Ow, ow, was that really necessary?” she protested.

  “Definitely,” he exclaimed, then, pinning her wrists against the tiled wall, he brought his face close to hers and added, “but I’m glad you’re here.”

  His lips were suddenly kissing her fervently, his fingers were in her pussy, fingering and rubbing, and as he moved his mouth to her neck, she grasped his cock and began urgently sliding her hand up and down. A raging fever engulfed them, and in a hurried, demanding fit of passion, they brought each other to a sudden, shuddering climax.

  “My gosh,” she panted, resting against him, “what was that?”

  “That was you,” he growled, holding her as he leaned against the wall. “I think you’ve hypnotized me into needing to ravage you every couple of hours.”

  “Must you spank me as well?” she asked breathlessly. “Man, those swats hurt.”

  “It’s the water. It adds a little zing.”

  “A little? It adds a bit more than that,” she declared, still trying to catch her breath.

  “You,” he said softly, taking her hair and gently pulling it back to gaze at her, “are gorgeous.”

  “You really think so?”

  “I really think so.”

  The water still spilling over them, he kissed her again, then held her for a moment before stepping back.

  “I’m going to get out of here while I still can,” he winked. “I’ll be in the kitchen. We have things to talk about.”

  “Wait. I thought you said there was no news,” she frowned.

  “Uh, it’s about going back to the city with him, and there might be a couple of things I can add,” he replied, closing the stall door.

  “I won’t be long,” she promised.

  A short time later, dried and dressed, hating once again that she had nothing to change into, she checked her phone and saw a response from Scott. He hoped she’d had a relaxing day and wanted to talk to her about meeting up for the games that night. Still unable to believe her sweet sound man was capable of being duplicitous, she sighed heavily and headed to the kitchen.

  “There you are,” Vince declared as she ambled in. “Come and have some coffee. I made it just for you.”

  Sitting on the table was a French press, a coffee mug, cream and sugar, and a plate of cookies.

  “That looks perfect,” she smiled as she slipped into a chair opposite him. “Just for the record, I still don’t believe Scott is guilty of anything. I just don’t.”

  “Right. Well, I can say this. Operatives come in all shapes and sizes, and the best are those you’d never suspect.”

  “Huh. I suppose that makes some kind of sense,” she replied as she poured the coffee.

  “I think, just to be cautious, it would be wise to go on the premise that there might be more to Scott than you think.”

  “Guilty until proven innocent, you mean. Guilty of what I don’t even know, though using the word operative suggests he’s some kind of James Bond character.”

  “Bella, being careful is being smart,” he said solemnly. “Did you call him about tonight?”

  “I texted him and he said he wants to talk to me.”

  “Hmm. Well, getting back to being smart, the thing is, you have dropped into my life and have become very important to me, and I can’t change how protective I’m feeling.”

  “Oh, I see,” she said quietly. “Is it okay if I said I love that?”

  “I hope you do,” he smiled. “You need to understand something, so listen carefully, and this is serious.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  “I know about operatives. I know how they think, and how they work. One day the person you thought was the nicest next-door neighbor you’ve ever had, is in your living room with a knife at your throat. Operatives are trained chameleons.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” she murmured. “Do you really think Scott could be one?”

  “Anyone could be, and I’m not taking any chances with you. If he is, you could be in danger. I’m not saying he would purposely harm you, but it’s like being in the line of fire and not knowing it.”

  “I don’t really understand. We’ve been working together for months.”

  “When you leave here, he’ll be under surveillance. If he’s an innocent civilian, this is all a big misunderstanding, no problem, but if he’s not, anything could happen. So, my idea is that you stay here with me.”

  “What?”

  “It’s just a precaution until things are sorted out.”

  “You don’t think he’s going to join us tonight, do you?”

  “That’s what my gut says. If he is an operative, he’ll be sniffing the air. Operatives live just as much by their gut as their gun. If he backs out of meeting up tonight, it wouldn’t prove anything, but it would contribute to my suspicions.”

  “I’m suddenly feeling kind of sick,” she mumbled.

  “I’ve probably said too much, but I didn’t feel right about asking you to stay here without telling you why.”

  “You mean, if this weren’t happening, you wouldn’t have asked me to stay over a bit longer? Wow, that’s one way to make a girl feel wanted.”

  “That’s not what I meant. I just thought I owed you an explanation, and for the record, yes, I would have asked you to stay a few more days.”

  “I need to ask you something.”

  “Sure, but I can’t promise an answer.”

  “Do you think Scott’s been using me to gain access to the bases where I’ve been doing my act?”

  “It’s not what I think that matters,” he said solemnly, “but if someone wants to get on a base, your show provides the perfect cover.”

  “Now that you mention it, he’ll often leave and come back.”

  “What do you mean, leave and come back?” Vince frowned. “Be specific.”

  “Usually during the setup. He’ll leave to get something to eat, or race back to get something from the motel. He’s always back in plenty of time before the show.”

  “Anything else?”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t know why, but that just popped into my head.”

  “If anything else happens to pop in, let me know. I think you should call him now, and find out if he’s meeting us.”

  “Right. My phone’s in the bedroom.”

  “I’ll come with you,” he said, rising from the table.

  “All this aside, I am excited about watching the games.”

  “I’m excited that you’ll be staying with me,” he said, reaching for her hand.

  “That too! I’m not as spic-and-span as you are,” she admitted as she rose to her feet.

  “You will be by the end of the week,” he teased.

  “Yikes, should I be worried?”

  “About Scott, no, I’m going to protect you, and there may be nothing to worry about; about being neat and tidy in my house, most definitely.”

  In a nearby Mexican restaurant, Scott Bateman was sitting at a bar drinking a Corona. Though he’d been relieved at the time, Bella’s stunt had thrown a wrench in the works and made some people very angry. He hadn’t been able make a move with her on the loose. If she’d been nabbed, the alarm would have been raised. The camp would have been lit up like a Christmas tree, and patrols would have been buzzing around searching for anyone else who wasn’t supposed to be there. When she’d called and said she’d met someone, he had no legitimate excuse to return.

  Then there was Moses.

  The man infuriated him. Moses was a glutton. He lived for food. Scott didn’t care if the man ate himself into an early grave, but insisting they meet at brunch instead of in the privacy of the suite was reckless. It didn’t matter that Moses swore he was off the radar; Scott didn’t take chances. An operative was off the radar only until he wasn’t, and that could happen at any time. Scott survived by being anonymous. Being seen with Moses put that in jeopardy.

  Mak
ing things even worse, Moses had been furious that Scott had arrived empty-handed. Scott had explained that the change in venue had put him too far away from the office he needed to access, and Bella’s stunt had made a later attempt impossible, but Moses had refused to accept it. Scott knew the man didn’t make idle threats, but as grave as the situation now was, as Scott sat quietly sipping his beer, something else was bothering him.

  The air! It didn’t smell right.

  I don’t even want to go back to that base tonight, but I have to pick up Bella. War games. Fuck. I don’t need to see that shit. I’ve seen enough explosions and heard enough gunfire to last me a lifetime. She sounded pretty gaga over this guy. Maybe I can nudge her into sticking around here for a couple of days and I can get out of here by myself. I’ve got a snake wriggling down my spine and it’s telling me to bolt, and the last thing I want to do is put Bella in any danger.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The bartender picked up Scott’s empty bottle, wiped the counter, and asked if he wanted another. Scott shook his head.

  “I think I’m going to grab a table and have a bite to eat.”

  “You can eat here if you want,” the bartender offered.

  “Yeah, maybe I’ll do that. Let me see a menu.”

  He was perusing the entrees when his phone chimed, and without looking he knew it was Bella.

  “I’ll take the chicken enchiladas,” he said to the bartender, “but I need to take this call so I’ll go outside. Won’t be a minute.”

  “Sure, I’ll put in the order,” the bartender assured him.

  Accepting the call, he held the phone to his ear as he moved quickly out of the restaurant.

  “Bella, hey.”

  “Hi, Scott. You wanted to talk to me about tonight?”

  “Yeah, but tell me about this guy you’ve met. I didn’t know you jumped into things so quick. In all the months we’ve been working together, this is a first. How’s it going? How was your day?”

  “You’re right, it is a first,” she laughed, “and my day was great. How was yours?”

  “I had a surprise.”

  “You did? What kind of surprise?”