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Declan had been missing for three days after a deep cover assignment. They found him finally in a casino in downtown Cairo. Lindsay was sent in to find out what the hell was going on.
She dressed sexily in a black slinky dress and smoky makeup. Her cover was that she was a old friend of Declan, or Cooper McTavish to his business associates and wanted to get 'reacquainted with him. Surely they wouldn't deny an old friend some time alone? She strutted into the casino, head high.
It worked. She found him at the high rollers' blackjack table, tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around, she slapped him full across the face then gave him a full, long kiss. "Where the hell have you been?" she yelled in French. "You were supposed to be in Morocco with him and instead I hear you are in Cairo with your little friends playing cards?" She sniffed disdainfully at the shocked men.
Declan's reaction was priceless. He went from shock to anger to desire, exactly as she knew he would. "Well, I…"
"And then you can't even introduce me to your friends?" she screamed, then turned to the other men. "Sophia Antoinette Neveau…" she said demurely.
The men nodded at her, some leering at her openly and others chuckling at the red appearing on Declan's face.
"Sophia, can we do this later?"
She turned back on him, enraged. "Non, no we can't. I am going up to my room and if you know what is good for you, you will come too." She stormed off.
He turned to the other men, apologetically. "I'm sorry, gentlemen but I will have to fold from this game. I have more…ah…pressing matters. Have a good evening."
More leering, more laughter but they nodded and he was gone.
When he got out of their sight, he sprinted, seeing her slight figure weaving through the crowd. He made it to the elevator just as it was closing and Lindsay wiggled her fingers at him, grinning. "Dammit!" He hit the closed doors with the palms of his hands in frustration and raced back to the front desk. "D'you have a room for Sophia Neveau?"
The clerk looked at him snottily but typed a few keys anyway. "Yes sir. Top floor. Penthouse. Is she expecting you?"
"Yes."
She eyed him suspiciously then gave a half shrug. "The code is 7645."
"Thank you." He raced back into the elevator. Punching the penthouse code, he fidgeted nervously as he waited.
When he got to the door, he stopped. He didn't know what to expect. Was she Lindsay, shy and timid Lindsay or sexy sultry Sophia? Or a mix of both because they really were the same person…
He knocked softly.
The door opened and he was yanked inside. His smirk faded when he came face to face with Luther Strickland.
"You goin' AWOL on us, Agent Gorman?"
He surveyed the room. Suitcases, Zhen looking bored, Lindsay reading, one high heeled leg swung over the other, showing a lot of leg. He swallowed hard. "They were always around, always a little suspicious. I didn't have time."
Luther crossed his arms. "Well, now you do. Agent Ferris will be your wingman, sorry, wingwoman-" he tipped his head to her "-and your cover's in here. Learn it." He tossed Declan a file. "We've got you some time so stay, learn, get Ferris up to speed and we'll see you in five days. Close the deal or we'll close it for you." He turned his back and went to Lindsay.
Declan wanted to pull a face but Luther probably had surveillance gear all over the room so he settled for opening the file with a sigh. The guy needed to relax… exjoy life…
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He watched her get ready for bed, mulling over the file. They were supposed to be old lovers from long ago reuniting so he'd given up his room and moved into the penthouse with her.
She was bloody cute when she was brushing her teeth.
What was wrong with him? It was like he'd turned into this idiot schoolboy with a silly crush all over again. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a crush. He was the job. It was safer and easier and less complicated. He didn't do romance and he didn't do crushes. He had desires and lusts but not likes… maybe it was just a respect thing. Her skills as an agent just turned him on. 'Yeah, along with everything else she does…' a snide voice added. He shook his head. "So, you want the couch or the bed?"
She stopped brushing her teeth long enough to give him a long 'Are you kidding me?" look before spitting. "I think we're adult enough to share a king-sized bed, you, me and your ego. Besides, we might as well get used to it… tomorrow we're going to be a lot closer…"
"But that's not really in our control, is it?"
She felt like hitting him. She felt like yelling, 'Are you kidding me? D'you remember Italy? Do you even care, you son of a bitch?" But she didn't. Too much control training as an agent. Instead, she shut the bathroom door to change.
When she came out, she avoided his eyes. She felt self-conscious in just boxers and an oversized t-shirt. When he had told her he was moving into the penthouse, she'd acted like such an idiot – blushing and stammering. Alone, together for five days. On top of being on sexual public display in front of the people they were trying to take down.
"Can you handle it?" Zhen had asked, half snidely. "Or is it against your religion or something?" She was always coming down on Lindsay for not getting out more, not getting more guys.
Who knew? She hadn't had an answer. She grabbed her book and padded to the bed, Declan watching her from over his laptop.
"Those from an old or current boyfriend?"
She stared at him blankly until he nodded to her boxers. "Oh, um, old." She climbed into bed and opened her book.
"He let you have them?"
"Huh?"
"Did he give them to you or did you take them?"
"He left them." She opened the book again.
"Because I'd be pretty pissed if an ex-girlfriend didn't give me back my shorts… they can be pricey, y'know…"
"D'you have any sisters?"
"Huh?" She held the book in her lap and watched him with a blank look on her face. "Sisters… any sisters?"
"Yes, two… why?" He looked startled and confused.
"Now I know how they feel…" She closed the book, exasperated, and turned out the light.
He sat in the glow of the laptop, watching her fall asleep, then closed it and went to sleep on the couch.
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Okay, so I'm going to be away for ten days so please be patient… the story will come back! I'll try to update it during but I don't think I'll have internet access. Let me know what you think!