Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

Tanner had been then. “And I dont think I would, even now. After al ,

Ive had a lot more practice resisting you.

“Thanks, I think. Diane kissed Blairs cheek. “We have to go inside,

sweetie. Ive of icial y frozen my ass of .

Blair reached for Dianes hand as they rose. “Thanks for coming out to

get me and just forget ing it.

“Cams going to be okay, Diane said gently. “Shes amazingly good at

what she does, and besides, Felicia and Renée are with her.

“I know. As they started back toward the house, Blair added, “Cams

going to figure out a way to help Valerie, too.

“Thats what I keep tel ing myself. I have to believe it, because I cant

stand to think of anything else.

“Sometimes its bet er not to think. Blair stif ened. “Did you hear a car

door slam just then? She hurried up the stairs, tugging Diane behind her,

and rushed past Hara into the kitchen. The room was empty. She raced

toward the front of the house, Diane right behind her. “Paula, is someone

here? Is Camoh my God!

Blair skidded to a halt, barely stopping herself from throwing her arms

around a beaming Mac Phil ips. He was unnatural y pale, and whereas

hed always been slim and muscular, now he was simply thin. But

his gaunt face was stil handsome and his blue eyes bright and merciful

y pain-free. She hadnt seen him for several weeks, and he had stil

been in the rehab center then, recovering from the gunshot wound that

he had sustained while protecting her during the at ack on the Aerie.

“Oh my God. What are you doing here?

Mac clasped Blairs hand, half shaking it, half holding it. “I got a cal

late this

morning from the commander to pack my bags, and Id barely finished

when a

Humvee with two of Tanners people showed up, andhere

I am.

“Did you know about this? Blair asked

Paula.

“No. Paula tried to look serious and in-charge, but she couldnt help

grinning at their old team member. “Apparently it was arranged after

we left DC. She careful y clasped Macs shoulder. “How are you

doing?

“A hel of a lot bet er than I was yesterday. Im of icial y cleared for

light duty starting next week, but Ive been sit ing around al this week

doing nothing but going crazy. He reached down for his suitcase but

Wozinski grabbed it first.

“I have that,

sir.

Mac raised an eyebrow. “Jesus, Greg. Im not your

boss.

Gregs face was total y serious. “No sir. Anything you need, just let me

know, sir.

Mac looked perplexed, but Blair understood. Mac had almost died

trying to save her, and when an agent was wil ing to make the

ultimate sacrifice, other agents considered them heroes. The same

thing had happened to Cam when Cam had been shot in the line of

duty, and Cam was just as uncomfortable with the adulation as Mac

seemed to be. Blair hooked her arm through Macs and gave him a lit le

hug. “Does Felicia know youre coming?

“Im not sure, Mac said, blushing and looking even more handsome.

“She told me about her new posting with the commander. He met

Paulas gaze. “And Renées.

Paula nodded, realizing that they had more in common than ever. She and

Mac were al that remained of the original team. Theyd been together

before the commander took over, and now they were the veterans.

And they shared something else, something almost more criticalthe

women they loved were both

part of the commanders OHS team. Renée and Felicia were

involved in something potential y more dangerous than any of them had

ever experienced. She squared her shoulders. “Shes real y happy about

it, and I think its exactly where she belongs.

“Yeah. Mac nodded. “Felicia

too.

“Come on back to the kitchen, Blair said. “Are you

hungry?

“I could Mac broke of at the sound of footsteps on the front porch, and

both he and Paula automatical y stepped between Blair and the door,

their shoulders touching, shielding her.

“Its Tanner, a voice cal ed as a knock

sounded.

Paula opened the door just enough to check outside, blocking the view

into the room. After a second, she swung the door open and Tanner

Whitley strode in with her characteristic saunter, a strikingly beautiful

blonde in a naval uniform by her side.

“Mac, Tanner said. “I trust the trip went al right? Without waiting

for an answer, she kissed Blair soundly on the mouth. “You look

terrific.

“You dont look too shabby either, Blair said, thinking that with her

windblown dark hair, piercing dark eyes, and muscular build Tanner

looked every inch the playgirl she had once been, rather than the

head of a huge corporate conglomerate and the owner of Whitley

Island. As usual, she was dressed in casual pants, an open col ar shirt,

and wel -worn black boots. Blair smiled at the blonde who held Tanners

hand. Adrienne was more than a decade older than Tanner, and Blair

had only to see Tanner with Adrienne to know that the new peace in

Tanners eyes was entirely due to Adriennes presence in her life. The

gold wedding bands they wore only af irmed what was obvious from

seeing them together.

“Hel o, Adrienne. How are you? The last time Blair had seen

Adrienne had been immediately after 9/11. Adrienne had been spending

almost al of her time at the nearby naval base where she was

stationed.

“Slightly less crazy than last time we

met.

“I wish we werent always dropping in on you quite so

unexpectedly.

Adriennes calm blue eyes held Blairs. “Were happy to have

you, anytime, under any circumstances.

Blair was certain that Cam would not have confided any of

the details surrounding their precipitous return to Whitley

Point to Tanner, and she knew that Tanner would not have asked,

but she understood Adriennes message. Without even

knowing the circumstances, Adrienne and Tanner would be

there for them, whenever they were needed. To her horror,

Blair felt her eyes sting with tears. “Thank you.

“Tanner, darling, Diane said, kissing Tanners cheek. “Thank

you for the wine and other essentials in the guest house. She

extended her hand to Adrienne. “Thanks for taking such good care

of us.

“If you need anything else that our security people cant get

for you, just let us know. Well see to it.

“How are you at pinochle? Blair asked.

Stark groaned. Adrienne smiled.

* * * * *

Just after midnight, the door to Blairs bedroom opened slowly

and

a thin shaft of pale yel ow light slashed across the

room. “Cam?

“Hi baby, Cam said. “Did I wake you?

Blair rol ed onto her side and turned on the bedside lamp.

She canted the shade so that most of the light angled away

from the bed and then sat up. “No. I wasnt sleeping. Are you all

right?

“Beat, but okay. Cam sighed as she crossed to the bed. “Im

going to take a shower and talk to Stark for a while, then Ill

“You dont have to shower and you can wait until tomorrow to

talk to Stark. I want you to just come to bed.

Cam hesitated. “Okay. Ill wait until the morning briefing to

check in with Stark. But the shower isnt optional.

“I like the way you smell, Blair said, folding back the covers

and patting the bed beside her. “If you dont get in here soon, Im

going to think youre avoiding me.

“The only thing Ive been thinking about for the last twelve hours

is you. Cam kissed Blair, put her weapon in the top drawer of

the bedside table, and undressed rapidly. “But Im still going to

shower. Ill be back in a few minutes.

Blair waited until she heard the shower running and then fol owed Cam

into the bathroom. When Cam stepped out of the enclosure and reached

for the towel that Blair held, Blair shook her head. “You just stand stil .

Il do this.

“You know what Id real y like? Cam said as Blair toweled her hair and

then wiped her face and neck.

“No, darling, what? Blair bit back a murmur of concern when she saw

that the bruises on Cams shoulder and hip had spread, darkening in

the centers to almost black.

“Id like that massage. Im too damn tal to sleep in the back of an

SUV.

Blair knew that if Cam was asking, she was more than stif from sleeping

in the car. She was hurting. “I think that can be arranged. She dried

Cams chest and stomach, then her back. Kneeling, she gently smoothed

the towel over Cams but ocks, down the outside of her legs, over her

calves, and up her inner thighs. “Turn around, darling.

Slowly, Cam turned. She skimmed her fingers through Blairs hair and

then over her cheek. “Feels good.

Tenderly, Blair dried Cams thighs and hips, taking care with the bruise

on the right side. “Youre so beautiful.

“Lets go to bed, Cam said

thickly.

Blair rose, her nipples tight beneath the T-shirt she had worn to bed.

“Come on, Im not done yet. She took Cams hand and led her into the

bedroom. “Lie on your stomach and get comfortable.

Cam complied, pil owing her head on her folded arms. When Blair knelt

next to her, she said, “Arent you get ing undressed?

“Not just yet. Blair decided it was safer if she kept her T-shirt and

panties on. Although her only intention was to help Cam relax, she

became aroused any time she touched her, for any reason. Starting at

the back of Cams neck, she worked her way down, pausing when she

found the clusters of knot ed muscles along the way and gently

massaging them until they softened.

“Jesus, Cam mut ered at one point, “that feels

great.

Blair smiled. “Good. Now turn

over.

Cam careful y flipped over. Her limbs felt loose, her mind more than a

lit le hazy. She was also wet. Blair knelt beside her in a short T-shirt

and skimpy panties, her hair down, her face void of any makeup. Her

ful breasts pressed against the thin cot on as she leaned forward, her

hard nipples clearly visible. Cam swept her hand up Blairs side and

cupped her breast.

“Stop that, Blair protested with more determination than

she felt.

“I want to touch you, Cam

murmured.

“Tonight is for you. Just

relax.

Cam sighed but she felt so good she couldnt argue. She moved her

hand to

Blairs side and left it there as Blair

worked.

Staying away from the bruise on Cams right shoulder, Blair circled her

thumbs along the muscles under her col arbone. Cam had a warriors

bodyher sleek muscles long and tight, her breasts smal and round. Her

nipples were neat pink circles, as compact and hard as the rest of her

body. Scars marked her chest and thighthe gunshot wounds she had

earned in bat le. “I love you very much.

“Makes al the dif erence, Cam

whispered.

Blair smiled. “I know. She stroked Cams stomach, then worked her way

down the front of Cams legs. As she slowly skimmed her fingers along

the insides of Cams thighs, she felt a dif erent kind of tension infuse

her lovers body. She leaned down and kissed Cams stomach, then

rubbed her mouth over Cams navel. “Feel good?

Cam twisted her fingers in Blairs hair. She was so relaxed she could

barely move, but every nerve was singing with arousal. “Not even

close.

“That bad, huh? Blair stretched out along Cams uninjured side,

resting her

cheek in the center of Cams stomach. She drew one leg up over

Cams and nestled her sex against Cams calf. “If you promise to lie stil ,

Il see if I can make you feel better.

“Youre hot, Cam whispered, drawing strands of Blairs hair through her

fingers. “I can feel how hot you are against my leg.

“I am, Blair said, smoothing a fingertip up and down the cleft between

Cams thighs. “Im very hot. And wet. Thats what happens when I touch

you.

Cam groaned softly. “Seems the same thing happens

to me.

“Oh

yeah?

“See for yourself, Cam whispered, her fingers trembling as she caressed

Blairs face.

“I love this, Blair said. “I love you. Now dont

move.

Cam closed her eyes as Blair softly, ever so softly, massaged her

clitoris until she climaxed. Blair moaned quietly, her mouth against

Cams stomach, her legs shaking as she rubbed against Cams leg until

she came.

“I didnt know it was possible to come without moving a

muscle, Cam murmured, the last tendrils of tension bleeding away.

“Jesus, I couldnt get up now if I had to.

“Good, Blair said lazily, turning on her back so she could reach the lamp

to turn it of . She found the sheet and pul ed it over them. “Because Im

not let ing you get up. Maybe not for a couple of days. She turned

on her side again and wrapped an arm around Cams middle. “Im so

glad youre here.

Cam stroked Blairs hair and held her tightly. “I need to be here. I

need you.

“Im here. Go to sleep now,

darling.

Morning would come soon enough, and when it did, the hunt would begin

again. But for now, Cam accepted the peace that only Blair could bring

her, and slept.

Chapter Fourteen

Thursda

y

M atheson smiled at the man who joined him on the steps of the

Lincoln Memorial. He was much younger, a stocky redhead in neatly

pressed work pants and a brown leather bomber jacket with an

American flag patch stitched onto the sleeve. They shook hands and

moved of to one side of the rotunda as a maintenance worker began

polishing the stone floor with an electric buf er. The noise made