Can one night of passion change the lives of two people? Or will their duty to their country stand in their way?
My head was throbbing. Every bone, every muscle, ached. It felt like a semi-truck had run over me. Lying on my side, I opened my eyes and squinted in the early morning sunlight peeking through the curtains.
Those were not my curtains.
I blinked and twisted to look at the ceiling-exposed beams. I looked back at the window. Against the wall was a flimsy bookcase spilling with haphazardly stacked books. This was not my room.
My apartment was packed, so what was I—
A nauseous roll through my stomach forced me to clamber out of bed. The cool tile floors rocked beneath me as I stumbled towards the bathroom.
How did I know where the bathroom was?
Didn’t matter. All that mattered was making it to the toilet.
(Sparing you the details, don’t worry, I made it.)
I crawled across the unforgiving floor to the sink. Pulling myself to my feet, I twisted the nob and splashed my face with lukewarm water before rinsing my mouth out. Glancing around, I tried to ascertain where I was. It was vaguely familiar. A faded blue hand towel with a bleach stain hung beside the sink. On the countertop lay a single bar of white hand soap. Irish Spring. One toothbrush and a half-used tube of toothpaste. Old Spice aftershave.
I grabbed the aftershave and ripped the lid off. A familiar scent caught my nose. My olfactory senses kicked in, and a horrified gasp caught in my throat. The bottle slipped from my hands, and I stumbled back out of the bathroom.
Open and minimalist was one way to describe the studio apartment. A more accurate description would be, “A single man married to his job with the CIA lives here.” Even calling it Spartan would be too generous because that implied thought. A single chair and end table faced the sliding doors to the balcony. On the opposite wall was the kitchenette. Directly to my left was a queen-sized bed with grey sheets and navy blue bedding. Most of the bedding had been kicked off at some point during the night. A single blanket remained, covering most of a human form. A man with a body built like an Adonis and a heart of gold, dedicated to his work and his team. I’d longed for this. But in the morning light….
My head swam. Not from my obvious hangover, but from the implications of the scene. What have I done?
Stumbling around the room, I discovered my bra and panties. Quickly, I yanked them on. But my pants and top were nowhere to be found.
The figure in bed stirred. I froze. They rolled over and lay still once more. It was then that I noticed my badge and gun on the bedside table, mere inches from their face. Crap.
Sucking in a long breath, I tiptoed around the mattress, angling for my badge and gun. Couldn’t exactly leave without those. I was supposed to be on a plane flying to Dubai today. It was time for the fourth phase of Operation Full Moon to be implemented by Yours Truly. But first, I needed to find my clothes. And grab my effects.
One problem at a time, Disa.
Still holding my breath, I carefully reached for the bedside table when a hand shot out and gripped my wrist. Instinct took over, and I shoved my arm down to break their grip. But the person in bed was too fast for me. Tangled in the bedclothes, he sprang from the mattress, hurtling me to the ground, his weight pinning me down. My shoulder hit the bedside table, spilling the remnants of last night’s liquor all over his blanket.
My right arm was free, so I brought my palm up and smashed it against his chin. His head snapped back, and I was able to use the momentum to push him off. I rolled away and shifted onto my haunches, ready to strike.
But he was down for the count. Face pressed against the tile, a low moan echoed across the floor. He pushed himself onto his forearms, head rolling, clearly still feeling the effects of the tequila.
Moving onto my hands and knees, I crawled towards him and asked in a quiet voice, “Are you all right?”
The head of golden curls looked up at me. Bloodshot blue eyes tried to focus on my face. “Oh, Disa…” He moaned. “What have we done?” He glanced around. “What time is it?”
“Don’t know.”
He pushed himself onto one side and blinked. “Can you look outside?”
I stood and crossed to the window by the bookcase. A soft pink and orange glow filtered into the bachelor pad. The sanctuary I had invaded. I tried to remind myself it was all right. Today I was leaving. I had a job to do.
A rustling behind me made me turn. Wrapped in his damp sheet, Liam stood beside me, looking out at the first hints of commuter traffic. He swore softly under his breath. Then a sickly green color washed out his tan skin, and he took off sprinting for the bathroom.
In his absence, I scurried around the room, finding my top and pants and quickly dressing. Then I collected my badge and gun, tucking both into my waistband. On the end table was my BlackBerry. Quickly, I checked my work email. One new email from Officer Worth. I opened it, read it, and my phone slipped.
About that time, Liam reappeared, running his fingers through his curls. Thankfully, he’d slipped into a pair of gym shorts.
Not that it mattered. Now I knew what he looked and felt like naked. And trust me, it was very nice. Very. Very. Nice.
Trying to ignore my boss’s muscular body, I forced my gaze up to his face. “Disa? What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to tell him. This would complicate everything. When I say that Liam Davis was a world-class wet blanket, no-nonsense, married-to-his-career type of guy, I mean it a hundredfold. The only reason we hooked up last night was that I was leaving. Today. Or I was supposed to.
“Full Moon’s been scrapped. I’m staying.”
A change passed across Liam’s face. Cold filled his gorgeous blue eyes, and his lips tightened. I knew we would never speak of what happened last night.
But that was sort of complicated for a few reasons. As the Special Agent in Charge, Liam was my boss. We did everything together (sex too, now, I guess). Here’s the thing… We both confessed that we’re crazy about each other. But he won’t date a co-worker, much less a subordinate. But I was leaving. Thus, the sex.
So now what?
Despite his typical gloomy mood, Liam was gentlemanly enough to drive us both to work. Officer Worth had called an emergency meeting with the team.
As we neared the first checkpoint at Langley, I started, “Liam, I—”
“Don’t.”
“You don’t even—”
“—know what you were going to say? Yes, I do. We’ve worked in the same office for two years; you’ve been part of my team for the past six months.” He swallowed. “I know you.” But do you know how long I’ve wanted you?? The question shouted through my mind, but I kept it inside.
Gripping the steering wheel, he clenched his jaw. “This is my life, Disa.”
I understood the words not spoken. There’s no room for you in it.
When we arrived, we were immediately whisked to a boardroom for a private meeting. The conference room was windowless and drab with washed-out walls and a dingy oak table. A few scattered chairs already occupied by the rest of the team. The screen projector splashed “OPERATION FULL MOON” across the far wall.
Liam looked fresh in a clean navy blue suit and tie. I was in yesterday’s rumpled yellow blouse and wrinkled green slacks. Usually, I felt like a million bucks wearing this top, loving how it popped against my dark skin. Today I felt self-conscious, as if somehow everyone knew what we’d done.
Liam glanced at me. Did his gaze linger? I couldn’t tell. It bothered me how much I wanted his eyes to stay.
Truth is, I’d been crushing on him for two years. Liam was a beautiful man who wore a suit and badge like he was born to. He was driven and focused, which I also found wildly attractive. His one flaw was his tendency to be a total killjoy.
When I was transferred to his team, I quickly realized that such a wet blanket would never approve of an office romance. To be fair, they were frowned upon…but still.
So why did Liam just appear at my elbow with a paper cup of hot tea? Would just a boss remember I like tea, not coffee?
Before I could say thank you, the door behind me swung open, and in marched Officer Worth. With zero introductions, he strode to the front of the room and nodded at Sarah, a forensic analyst, to operate the slides.
“Operation Full Moon has been dismantled, effective at o’ two hundred hours,” he said in his rumbly voice. “Officer Williams, I believe you owe the team a cake.”
My brain was so stuck on Liam that it took way too long for me to process that Officer Worth was addressing me, much less making a joke about my goodbye party. Finally, a forced laugh came out of me. “Oh! Of course. Right away, sir.”
From her post at the monitor, Sarah was looking at me and then at Liam. Back at me. Liam again. And her mouth formed a long “O” shape. I pursed my lips, drawing a line at my neck, silently telling her to cut it out. Eyes crinkling with merriment at having figured us out, Sarah chuckled to herself, clicking to the next slide.
The big boss continued. “Phase Four of Full Moon required…”
I knew all of this but didn’t know why Officer Worth was rehashing every last thing. Why didn’t he just tell us why the mission was tossed?
Leaning over to Liam, I whispered, “Our intel was solid, yeah?”
“Don’t question it now. It’s too late.”
“It’s never too late.” I looked at him pointedly.
“You know my stance, Disa.”
I didn’t care that Operation Full Moon had failed. I only wanted Liam.
Flashes of our tryst swept through my mind. I knew he only wanted me.
What we thought was going to be one night of passion no longer had to be. We could be together because I wasn’t leaving!
“Please, just—”
“Officer Williams?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Officer Worth was addressing me.
“Something to add?”
Stammering, I said, “No, sir.”
I tried (and failed) to nonchalantly drink my tea.
Shifting his feet, Liam moved so his arm brushed against my shoulder, silently offering his endless pool of strength. This only added to whatever girlish fantasies were building inside me. Good gracious, what had gotten into me? (Besides Liam…)
“You were right,” I whispered to my boss.
Silently, Liam sipped his coffee.
“About what I was going to say in the car. That we can do this. We can be partners and, well, partners.”
Jaw clenched, he stared at his shoes.
I continued. “I don’t want to lose what we have. It took me leaving for us to confess how we felt. Now I’m not. Don’t you—”
“Officer Williams!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Anything to add?”
“No, sir.”
This time, Liam pulled away.
Foolish girl. I knew… I knew he wouldn’t be capable of risking it all. Here was a man whose only mistress was his country. This was his dream job, what he’d been born and bred for. The only reason he’d caved and shown his true feelings for me last night was because he thought the next day he’d go back to his work box, his feelings box shipped off to Dubai, too far away to be bothered.
Ugh. Men.
Officer Worth’s attention turned to Liam. The rest of the team all looked at their agent in charge. “Officer Liam Davis, I regret to inform you that due to this mission being compromised, heads must roll. As the leader of this team, the blame has fallen on you. I don’t need to remind everyone how instrumental Operation Full Moon was in gathering intel on Al-Qaeda. Establishing Officer Disa Williams overseas was the next big step to our infiltration.
“Officer Liam Davis, in addition to the failure of this mission, you have been compromised and are therefore no longer a member of the CIA, effective immediately.” The team was split between gawking at Officer Williams and Liam. I only had eyes for one man. I started to reach for him, then thought better of it.
Wordlessly, Liam placed his badge and gun on the dingy table before striding from the room.
There was a beat. Then another, before our all-seeing forensic analyst, Sarah caught my attention, mouthing the word, “Go!”
I realized my jaw was hanging open. Snapping it shut, I dashed out the door. “Liam!”
I sprinted through the halls, around cubicles, evidence boxes, and other employees.
When I caught up, Liam was in the main lobby, standing smack dab in the middle of the CIA seal. His shoes and suit jacket were flung away, and he was struggling with the necktie. Without asking, I removed it for him. His trembling fingers struggled with the shirt buttons. As I began to help him with those, too, he started to laugh. My fuddy-duddy, rule-following, no-nonsense boss, friend, and lover was bent in half laughing as tears streamed from his eyes. The laughter was infectious, and I, too, was overcome without really knowing why.
Giggling uncontrollably, I fell into his muscular body, and his arms closed around me. “Oh, Disa, what have we done?”
“Not the first time you’ve asked me that today.”
Pressing his forehead against mine, I smelled the coffee on his breath and the Old Spice aftershave mingling. Then he kissed me, slowly, tenderly.
I knew his world was falling apart in the aftermath of a failed operation and being compromised, but none of that mattered.
The love of my life was kissing me within these hallowed walls, for everyone to see. He whispered into my mouth, “I love you, Disa. I’ve been head over heels since the moment I saw you.”
I smirked. “Also, not the first time you’ve said that to me today.”
“Okay, but that was different.” Taking my face in his hands, Liam continued. “You see how it’s different, right?”
“Yes.” I slid my hands along his sculpted arms.
“Good, because you helped me see the difference.”
Taking his wrists, I brought his arms down to my waist. “I think getting fired may have helped, too.”
Liam grinned. “It helped with perspective.” “I’ll take it.”
Threading my arms around his neck, I kissed him deeply.
As an author, Alexandra Rexford enjoys writing stories with wit and romance, including a dash of danger. In a perfect world, she would spend all her time writing, reading, sipping hot cocoa, and snuggling with her dogs.
Featured image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.
