"You're right," Stark said quietly, realizing that she would feel the same herself. Nothing could get her to take time off when the nation was at war. No matter what name was put to it, that was the situation. "I only thought—"

"I just need some sleep." Exhausted, Savard settled back down into Stark's arms.

"I can't stay tonight," Stark said miserably. "I want to."

"It's all right." Savard kissed her into silence, then turned on her side and pulled Stark's arm around her body. She clasped her lover's hand between her breasts. "Just hold me for a little while,"

Stark brushed her lips over the back of Savard's neck, wishing there were some way to reach into her heart and ease her pain. She gave the comfort of her body, praying that for now it would be enough. When she carefully slipped away an hour later, her lover was asleep. She left a note on the coffee table next to Savard's badge and gun.

I love you. See you soon.

The words seemed so inadequate, but they were all she had to give.

*

Blair drifted lazily upward through the mists of sleep, a gradual awareness of pleasure coalescing in her consciousness. She sighed and shifted restlessly, her body already nearing climax but her mind not yet registering what was happening. The muscles in her legs tightened as a shiver coursed through her spine, and she opened her eyes to the first whispers of orgasm. Unable to focus, she reached out blindly, finding first Cam's shoulder, then her face. She cupped Cam's cheek with trembling fingers and surged against her mouth, on the brink of exploding.

"I'm going to come," she said in wonder. And she closed her eyes again, drenched in pleasure. The ripples of release broke hard, one riding fast upon the next, each more intense than the last, and she cried out in surprise. Dimly, she felt Cam's fingers thread through hers, and she clutched the steady hand to anchor herself amidst the chaos.

When finally freed from the grip of her orgasm, she laughed weakly and tugged at Cam's hair. "You started without me."

"Mmm, guilty as charged." Cam worked her way up the bed and stretched out on top of Blair. She kissed her lightly, a tease of tongue over warm, soft lips. "Good morning."

"The best I've had in quite some time." Blair caught Cam's head in her hands as she pushed her thigh between Cam's legs, grinning when Cam jerked and caught her breath sharply. "I want to watch you come."

Cam groaned and rocked on Blair's leg, slicking her skin with the proof of her need. "Won't take.. .long."

"Keep your eyes open. Cam, Cam. Don't close your eyes." Blair was nearly breathless, desperate to absorb each glimmer of passion revealed in her lover's face. "So beautiful."

"Oh, God..."

The cell phone on the bedside table rang, and Cam groaned.

"Don't you dare," Blair warned.

The phone rang again, and with her last ounce of will, Cam pushed herself over onto her back and swept the phone up with a trembling hand.

"Roberts."

"Good morning, Agent Roberts," Lucinda Washburn said.

Cam stared at the ceiling, struggling to even out her breathing. "Ma'am."

Blair made a grab for the phone, and Cam curled onto her side, blocking her lover's arm. She felt Blair's teeth on the back of her shoulder and stifled a gasp.

"I've discussed the issue of temporary relocation with the security advisor, and we both agree it's a workable solution."

"Good. Thank you." Cam flinched away at a harder bite, grinning even as she started making mental plans for the move. "Is Stark aware? Because I'm sure Blair will want to leave today."

"She'll be briefed next."

"I want to take my team with me. There are two buildings on site—a smaller guesthouse that will work for my people."

"There's been a development in that regard," Lucinda said in a tone that put Cam instantly on guard.

Displacing Blair, she sat up in bed, totally focused. "Yes, ma'am."

"There'll be one more agent joining your team, as well," Lucinda said.

There it is. The price I have to pay for Savard and Davis.

"Coming from where?"

"Ah, that's classified, but I'm sure the agent will fill you in as needed."

Cam almost laughed. She'd be told what the NSA or the DOD or the CIA wanted her to know, and nothing else. Whether it would be the truth or not was always in question. She lifted her watch from the bedside table. 0545.

"I'm briefing with my team at 0700. Your agent can catch up—"

"Not my agent," Lucinda interrupted with a hint of uncharacteristic annoyance. "I don't appreciate having this forced on me any more than you do."

"Sorry, ma'am. I was out of line."

Lucinda sighed. "You're just not accustomed to up-close-and-personal politics, but I'm afraid that we're all going to get a lot more used to it in the future."

"I don't play politics where Blair is concerned."

"Things have changed. We all have to play the game now, Cam."

Blair felt Cam stiffen and heard the anger in her voice. She shifted closer, tucked her arm around Cam's waist, and then gently kissed the tip of her shoulder. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Cam caught back the next ill-advised comment and stroked Blair's hair. Then she took a deep breath and gathered her control. "Once I know today's schedule, I'll give you a contact time and place for the agent to join us."

"That won't be necessary. I expect she'll be arriving at your location in about forty-five minutes."

"Someone's in a hurry to find out what we're doing," Cam said dryly.

"There's a great deal of maneuvering going on down here between the various agencies. No one knows who's going to come out on top in the scramble to reorganize the security network, and everyone is afraid of being cut out."

"I can't be worried about egos and personalities. Everyone on my team has to be willing to take orders from me."

"You have my word on that."

"Thank you," Cam said, knowing that was the best assurance she could have. Still, she knew that this new agent would be reporting whatever intelligence they uncovered to her own superiors. Cam would have to keep a very close watch on the flow of information, because she had no idea whom she could trust.

"And, Cam," Lucinda said, "I wasn't given a choice about this. Be vigilant."

"Yes, ma'am. I always am." Cam disconnected and tossed the phone onto the bed. "Son of a bitch."

"What did she say?" Blair asked.

Cam made a conscious effort to rein in her temper. She stroked Blair's shoulder and back, waiting for her irritation to fade. "We're a go for Whitley Point."

"Oh, good. God, I'm glad. Can we go today?"

"Yes." Cam kissed Blair and drew her more closely into her embrace. "As soon as you collect your canvases and Stark gets the team together."

"What else did she say? What upset you?"

Cam shrugged. "Oh, just the usual bureaucratic bullshit. It's nothing."

Blair pushed herself up on her elbow, sweeping her hair out of her face with an irritated gesture as she fixed Cam with a hard stare. "Don't give me that crap. I heard your voice. You were furious. What did she say?"

"I'm getting another agent foisted on me from somewhere. FBI, NSA, who the hell knows. Probably someone being put in place to report on anything we turn up."

"You mean like.. .a snitch?"

Cam laughed. "Christ, that's a good word for it. I believe, though, they would be considered a counterintelligence agent. Someone whose job it is to gather intelligence about possible threats to national security. It's a very vaunted position."

"Well I'm sure it is, but we don't need them spying on us."

"I'm surprised Lucinda couldn't block it." Cam confessed. "Someone with a lot of power behind them wanted this to happen."

Blair relaxed against Cam's shoulder, aimlessly smoothing her hand up and down Cam's stomach. "I'm sure you can handle it."

"Your faith in me is inspiring," Cam said in a lighter tone. "I should get up. Our new team member is due here in half an hour."

"They were certainly eager to get him on board."

"Her."

"Oh really?" Blair's hand stopped moving. "You know, I seem to be surrounded by an inordinate number of female spies."

Cam laughed. "Baby, we're not spies."

"Oh, all right then, spooks." Blair began stroking again, her fingertips brushing back and forth through the curls at the base of Cam's belly. "Still, I wonder what that's about."

"Probably coincidence." Or maybe someone thinks you'll be more open around women. They don't know you very well. Cam covered Blair's hand and guided it lower. "I have to get up in two minutes."

Blair bit Cam's shoulder once more and slipped her fingers slowly inside her. "Make it five."

Cam lifted her hips to take her deeper and instantly felt her clitoris surge back to life. "Don't think so."

"Try," Blair murmured as she rose above her, angling her arm to claim her more fully. "And don't close your eyes."

"Christ," Cam muttered, her vision wavering, "you're tough."

Aware only of Blair inside her, somewhere beyond the boundaries of her flesh and blood, she climaxed to the beautiful sound of Blair's laughter.

Chapter Fourteen

Saturday, September 15

B lair found Diane entertaining Stark, Patrice Kara, and Greg Wozinski with stories of their youthful indiscretions over coffee and croissants in the living room. Fortunately, they seemed to be getting the G-rated version.

"Diane," Blair said mildly as she reached for the coffee carafe, "I prefer that you not educate them in all my techniques for eluding surveillance."

All three Secret Service agents laughed, although Hara and Wozinski cast obvious sidelong glances at each other. Blair caught the looks and surmised that they had heard of her tendency to ditch her assigned protectors with regularity. Laughing, she said to Stark, "I see you've briefed them thoroughly."

Stark answered with a deadpan expression. "Of course. That's standard operating procedure,"

"Where's Cam?" Diane inquired.

"She'll be right out. She's... "Blair had been about to say arranging a briefing with Savard when it occurred to her that Cam might not want to disclose the nature of her special investigation to Stark or the other Secret Service agents. "She's on the phone."

"Here," Diane said, holding out a cup of coffee. "Why don't you take this to her in case she's going to be a while. She's probably ready for it by now."

"Thanks." Blair accepted the mug and turned toward the hallway, but at that moment, Cam walked in.

"Is that for me?"

Blair held it out. "Compliments of Diane."

"Thank you," Cam said before taking a sip. She looked at Stark and said, "Can I see you for two minutes, Chief?"

Stark quickly set her cup aside and bounded up. "Sure thing, Commander."

They walked to the other side of the room and stood facing the balcony. Cam kept her voice low when she spoke. "I'm expecting an agent to meet me here in the next few minutes, so you might alert your ground team. Then I'm going to head over to your apartment for a quick briefing with Savard and Davis. I imagine Blair will want to go to the loft as soon as possible."

"I've got the vehicles standing by, and I called in two extra people from the swing shift," Stark said. "We're covered."

"I'd prefer it if you could wait for me, but I know she's not going to want to. I'll have to meet you there." Cam looked once in Blair's direction and saw that she was deep in conversation with Patrice Hara. "Make sure you check the high ground, Stark, before you let her exit the vehicle."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And send in an advance team to secure the lobby before she enters the building."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And the elevators...Don't forget she gets off last and that you need—" Cam stopped abruptly. "Christ. Sorry."

Stark's eyes never left Cam's face. "I understand, Commander. It never hurts to run through procedures again."

Cam let out a long breath. "I know you know the job, Stark. I, uh...she's just..."

"Yes, ma'am. She is."

"Savard told you about our investigation?" Cam asked, changing the subject with relief.

"Uh..."

"Don't worry—there's no problem there. I advised her to. There's no way we can run an operation of this magnitude without Blair's security team being aware of it. Hell, we're all going to be working and probably living in close proximity for the next few weeks, if not months." She inclined her head toward Patrice and Greg. "They don't need to know the details, but the basics will be apparent. We have to assume that Justice looked at the new team members thoroughly, but I still don't want to take anyone into complete confidence on this except you."