Читать книгу Special Assignment: Baby - Debra Webb - Страница 6

“WE’RE PLEASED TO have you with us, Court.” The man smiled, the kind of smile politicians used to get your vote. His voice was deep and disturbingly calm.

Careful to analyze every move, every look, Court Brody grasped the hand Joshua Neely offered and shook it firmly. “I’m honored to be here, sir,” he said with as much sincerity as he could marshal.

“My friends call me Joshua,” the older man returned with an ease that was both confident and knowing. “And I think you and I are going to be friends.” That smile again. “Raymond tells me that you’re very interested in our beliefs.”

“I am.” Court resisted the urge to scrub his palm against his jeans when Neely released it. “I’ve been away for a long time. But now that I’m back home where I belong, I’d like to be a part of what your people are doing.”

Neely nodded his understanding. “Raymond, take Court and show him around. We’ll give him his official welcome at the rally tonight.”

“Yes, sir, Joshua.”

Grinning as if he’d just accomplished a major coup, Raymond ushered Court toward the nearest exit. On the stoop leading out of the enormous meeting hall, he paused and slapped Court on the shoulder.

“I knew he’d invite you to join us right away. I knew it,” Raymond repeated, his tall, thin frame fairly vibrating with excitement. “That’s why I wanted you to come today. We need more men like you, Court. We’ve got to fight if we’re gonna bring this country back to what it should be.”

Court recalled the crowd of men, women and children gathered in the meeting hall for Neely’s speech. The hour-long monologue he’d just endured reminded him entirely too much of a Sunday morning fire-and-brimstone sermon. Only it was Saturday, and this place, with its security fence and armed guards, was no church. Yet, Joshua Neely certainly fit the bill of preacher. Court had a niggling feeling that the man was anything but godly. Tall, with just enough gray around the temples to look distinguished, Neely made an impressive picture. No wonder people around here were flocking to him as if he were the answer to the second coming.

“I appreciate you bringing me, Raymond.” Court plowed his hand through his hair and settled his black Stetson into place, then shifted uncertainly, playing his part. Good old Raymond had swallowed the act hook, line and sinker the moment he and Court met at the Watering Hole. The guy was desperate to bring in a few new recruits. “I’ve been back a couple of weeks already and haven’t quite figured out what I want to do with myself. I’m sure glad I ran into you yesterday.”

That wacky grin split the other man’s face again. “Whatever you’re looking for, buddy, you’ll find it right here.” Raymond ushered Court down the steps, anxious to show him around. “Joshua provides us with everything we need, and all he asks in return is loyalty.” He fixed Court with a you-know-what-I-mean look. “Complete loyalty.”

Before Court could utter the response poised on the tip of his tongue, a tall figure, definitely female, rushed around the corner of the building and skidded to a stop directly in front of them. Raymond backed up a step to let the woman, who was clearly in a hell of a hurry, pass. Court surveyed her speculatively, then froze. His heart dropped all the way to his well broken-in boots.

Sabrina.

For a full ten seconds all he could do was look at her. Still tall and thin, with a luscious mixture of caramel-and-honey-colored hair falling around her shoulders, she stared right back at him. Those eyes—Court swallowed tightly—dark chocolate brown, wide with long lashes tipped in gold. Right now those gorgeous eyes were registering the same shock as Court’s own no doubt were. God, it felt like a lifetime since he’d seen her.

“Court?”

His name was hardly more than a whisper on her full lips, but the sound was enough to snap him out of the trance he’d drifted into.

“What’re you doing here?” A questioning frown pleated her smooth brow.

“Court’s my new recruit,” Raymond enthused before Court could fully gather his wits. “You know him, Sabrina?”

She knew him, all right. Adrenaline pounded through Court’s veins. Sabrina Korbett was the only person in this godforsaken place that knew he was a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Yes,” she said, confused. “But I thought—”

“It’s been a long time,” Court interrupted smoothly as he grabbed her by the shoulders and jerked her against him. “Too long.” Inclining his head to the right, he closed his mouth over hers before she could fully comprehend his intent. She tensed, but in no time at all she surrendered to his kiss…just like before.

She was soft, and warm, and her mouth opened for his as if two years hadn’t passed since they’d laid eyes on each other. As if…the past hadn’t happened at all. He accepted her instinctive invitation, his tongue sliding along hers, his fingers automatically tightening around her slender arms. The same need that had always filled him when he so much as looked at Sabrina washed over him now, making him weak with want, making his blood boil in his veins.

“Guess you know each other pretty well. I’ll… ah…just wait over by the training center,” Raymond announced, breaking the fragile connection that had whisked Court back into the past he’d tried so hard to forget.

Sabrina flattened her palms against his chest and tried to push him away. He knew he had to stop, but, damn, he didn’t want to. The feel of her touch, even knowing that she was pushing him away, arced through him.

“Stop,” she managed to blurt between his stolen kisses.

Court drew back just far enough to look into those wide, startled eyes. He focused his most intimidating glare down at her. “You don’t know me anymore, Brin, so don’t say anything we’ll both regret.”

She wrenched out of his grasp and glared back at him. Court knew the instant she’d made her decision. He braced himself for the blow.

Sabrina slapped him hard.

He deserved it.

“I don’t know what you’re doing back here, Court Brody,” she said hotly, her breath still ragged from his kiss. “And I don’t care, but I want you to stay away from me.”

Court held her gaze for two beats longer, as difficult as that proved with her glaring daggers at him and his lips yearning to mate with hers once more. “Just remember what I said, and we’ll both be safe.”

She blinked and uncertainty replaced some of the fury in her eyes. “Is…this some sort of undercover job?” Anxiety tightened the pretty features of her face. “You’re not…are you here to—”

He forced a bitter laugh. “Hate to disappoint you, but I’m not that guy anymore. You don’t know me.”

He walked away without looking back. His heart skipped a beat or two as he struggled to calm his breathing. Raymond was waiting, probably wondering what was up with the little episode of “remember when” that Court and Sabrina had just played out. Now he’d have to figure out a way to explain that kiss.

Damn.

Just what he needed—he swore again—to get his cover made before he even got started with this assignment. Court blew out a breath as he strode in the direction of the training center. It never once entered his mind that he might run into her at this militia compound. Sabrina should be married and raising a family by now. Court clenched his jaw at the thought of her with another man.

She sure as hell didn’t belong to him. And Sabrina Korbett was a distraction he didn’t need right now. Especially not here.

Getting into the compound had been easy.

Now all he had to do was stay alive until he got the information he needed.

But Sabrina knew his secret. If she told anyone what she knew, all the information in the world wouldn’t do Court any good.

Because he’d be a dead man.