"Tanner's here already," Blair said excitedly, leaning across Cam to look out the side window of the Suburban.

Cam rubbed her hand along the center of Blair's spine, not yet believing that they were actually able to touch. They'd left the hospital and flown directly into Boston, where Felicia and Valerie awaited them with a Suburban borrowed from the local FBI field office. Hara was behind the wheel now with Wozinski riding shotgun. Felicia and Valerie sat across from them. Cam ducked her head to follow Blair's line of sight and brushed her lips over the rim of Blair's ear in passing.

"Careful," Blair murmured, squeezing Cam's leg just above her knee. "We have company."

"Missed you," Cam whispered, but she dutifully postponed the next kiss until they were alone. Even as part of her mind was absorbed with the feel of Blair against her body and the hint of honey that lingered from her shampoo, she scanned the large homes set well back from the narrow road on expansive, wooded lots, assessing the security of then-new base of operations. "She chose well."

"Last house on a cul-de-sac," Blair noted. "Situated on the high ground with the ocean behind. Limits the approach points and gives us a three hundred and sixty degree view."

"Very good. You'd make an excellent agent, Ms. Powell." When Blair snorted, Cam laughed and took her hand. "And according to the layout Tanner faxed us, the guesthouse where Felicia and Valerie will be staying is between the main house and the beach. We can secure the perimeter with our ordinary complement of agents."

"I'm so glad you approve, Commander." Blair quickly kissed Cam's cheek and jumped from the car almost before the Suburban had come to a halt.

Cam swore at the security breach and vaulted after her with Felicia and Valerie close behind. By the time they caught up to their charge and stationed themselves in a triangle with her in the middle, Blair had her arms wrapped around a black-haired, tightly muscled woman in a white T-shirt and khakis and was spinning her in a mad circle. Cam met Tanner Whitley's laughing dark eyes when Blair finally set her down. "Place looks good, Tanner."

Tanner, the heir to a corporate dynasty and the owner of Whitley Point, slung an arm around Blair's shoulder and grinned. "I had a feeling this would be the kind of place you needed. All the other houses on this lane are vacation homes, and this time of year they're unoccupied. You should have this corner of the island to yourselves."

"I appreciate it," Cam replied. Were it not for the gold wedding band on Tanner's left hand, her sensuous good looks and confident manner would have suggested she was still the playgirl she had long been reputed to be. Cam, however, had met her partner, Navy Captain Adrienne Pierce, and knew otherwise. While they talked, the other agents parked the vehicle beneath the carport on the side of the two-story cecfar beach house and moved off into the scrub to survey the surrounding dunes.

"I can have my team set up with yours, if you'd like," Tanner said, referring to the private security force she employed. The men and women on her personal detail had been with her company for many years, and each had passed a rigorous background check.

"I might take you up on that. For now, though, why don't you have them swing through the general area four or five times a day and report anything that appears unusual to me."

"Will do."

Blair squeezed Tanner's waist affectionately. "Thanks for doing this. I didn't expect to be gate-crashing again so soon." Barely a week before, she had fled the chaos in Manhattan to Whitley Point and the safety of her old school friend's private island. They had stayed less than twenty-four hours before a contingent of Marines had arrived by helicopter to transport her directly to the White House.

"It's no problem," Tanner said seriously. "I'm always glad to see you. And Adrienne will be happy to have a chance to talk to you this time too." Her angular features settled into a frown. "If things ease up at the base any time soon. They're still on high alert status. She hasn't been home much."

"This time we'll be staying for a while," Blair said with a sad smile. She was back, and—this time—homeless. Tanner had always been the kind of friend who never asked questions. She and Diane had been Blair's closest confidantes in prep school and had offered her their unconditional support ever since. When she had called Tanner and told her what she needed in terms of a place to stay, Tanner had simply said she'd take care of it. And she had. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Hey. I'll take any excuse to get you out here." Tanner gave Blair's cheek a light kiss. "Come on. Let me show you around inside."

Cam watched the two women climb the stairs, arm in arm, and disappear inside after Tanner unlocked the door. Valerie joined her at the foot of the flagstone path that led to the house while Felicia left to unload gear from the Suburban.

"It looks like a good location," Valerie noted.

"I agree."

"Blair looks well. A little thin, perhaps."

"So far all the tests have been normal." Cam sighed. "Fazio has cutaneous lesions, though."

"Yes, I know." Valerie had read the update just that morning in the Central Intelligence Report—a summary of all pertinent intelligence data gathered by the CIA, FBI, NSA, and other agencies in the previous twenty-four hours. Of course, she had no way to determine just what data each organization volunteered—or held back—but any intel was better than nothing. "He had the most exposure, correct?"

"Yeah, and razor burns on his face, which was probably the route of infection. Captain Andrews says he'll probably make a full recovery. We got lucky."

"But you're still worried about Blair."

Cam said nothing.

"She's a very capable woman, Cameron. From what I hear, before you came along, she made eluding her security forces an art form. And nothing has ever happened to her."

"Someone almost gunned her down last week," Cam said, her eyes fixed on the door through which Blair had disappeared.

"But they didn't, and every other attempt has failed as well. You have a very good team here, and we're not going to let anything happen to her."

Cam looked away from the house and into Valerie's eyes. "Is that why you're here? To help protect Blair?"

Valerie smiled ruefully. "No, but since I am here, I intend to."

"Did you come straight up from Virginia?"

"Yes, why?" Valerie asked warily.

"I was wondering if you stopped in Manhattan."

"I'm afraid my schedule didn't leave room for side trips. And if it had, that would be personal." Valerie's voice held a distinct warning.

"Sorry, that was out of line." Cam puffed out a breath. "Everyone's just a little bit off balance, including me. Diane is Blair's best friend, and—"

"Cameron, I don't want to discuss Diane Bleeker."

Cam regarded Valerie thoughtfully, surprised at the faint tremor she'd heard in her voice, even though her beautiful face remained remote. "Okay. Like I said, I was out of line. Sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"As soon as I get Blair settled in, you, Felicia, and I need to debrief. I'll meet you in your quarters as soon as I can."

"We've got a lot of equipment to set up. I'm sure we'll have plenty to do." Valerie started along the narrow path that wound around the side of the house in the direction Felicia had taken to the guesthouse.

"Valerie."

Valerie looked over her shoulder, a question in her eyes.

"Thanks for the assist with Blair's security."

"Don't mention it." With a soft smile, Valerie turned and walked away.

Cam watched until she disappeared, then climbed the wide wooden stairs to the house and went inside. "Blair?" She walked through the house to the kitchen. Hara stood on the rear deck. "All clear?"

"Tight and tidy," Hara replied. "It's a good site. Easy to cover."

"Good. Put Wozinski out front, and the second team can relieve you at eight."

"Already done, Commander."

"I know I'm not official at this point, but,.."

Hara shook her head. "We know who you are, Commander. Everyone in the Service does. We're happy to follow your orders."

Cam knew that Hara was referring to the fact that she'd taken a bullet meant for Blair, the ultimate act for a Secret Service agent. Others considered her a hero. She just considered herself damn lucky that Blair had not been hurt. "Thank you. I'll be with Ms. Powell."

"Yes, ma'am."

On her way upstairs, Cam passed Tanner coming down. "Thanks again."

Tanner grinned. "Don't mention it. Oh, and Blair told me to tell you to get your ass upstairs."

"Aha. Message received, then," Cam replied, taking the rest of the stairs two at a time. As she searched out her missing lover, she heard the front door close downstairs. She opened the only closed door on the ocean side of the house and stepped through into a spacious bedroom. Out of habit, she quickly swept the room, fixing the location of the windows and doors in her mind. The room was appointed with a king-sized bed, matching Mission oak dressers and bedside tables, and a reading chair and lamp. A wide cedar deck was visible through double sliding glass doors on the opposite side of the room. She redirected her survey to the bed. Blair reclined against the pillows, a crisp, snow-white sheet angled diagonally across her waist. She appeared to be naked. "I understand you were looking for me."

"I understand that you're a Secret Service agent."

Cam reached behind her and flipped the lock with one hand. Her eyes on Blair's, she shrugged out of her jacket as she crossed with slow, deliberate strides to the side of the bed. "That's right."

"And exactly what does service imply?"

"Well now," Cam whispered, setting her weapon harness on the bedside table and kicking off her shoes, "that would be a secret, wouldn't it?"

"I'll never tell." Blair flicked the sheet aside and slid to the edge of the bed, where she extended a hand and grasped Cam's belt. "Stand still."

Cam looked down, watching through heavy lids as Blair deftly unbuckled her belt and pulled it through her belt loops in one swift motion. She sucked in air as Blair's fingers curved inside her waistband and released the button, then pulled down her fly. When Blair tugged her shirt free and leaned forward to put her mouth against Cam's stomach, Cam tilted her head back and groaned. Eyes closed, she spread her fingers in Blair's hair. "Baby. I've missed you."

"Take off your shirt," Blair murmured against Cam's skin, licking her way upward. "And get rid of these pants."

With trembling hands, Cam hurried to comply, stumbling on quickly weakening legs when Blair circled her navel. She put her hand to the back of Blair's head, stopping her dangerous explorations. "Jesus. Give me a minute here, will you?"

"Oh, I don't think so. It's been days." The instant Cam was naked, Blair wrapped both arms around Cam's hips and jerked her down into her arms. She nipped at Cam's neck with her teeth while insinuating one calf tightly around the back of Cam's thighs. "I'm ready to come right now."

Groaning, Cam kissed her throat, her jaw, her mouth. Tasting her after so many days of fear and worry was like finding a crystal pool in the heart of the desert. She drank, feasting, her hands roaming Blair's body, brushing over the peaks of her breasts, smoothing down her abdomen to dance along the inside of her thighs. She lingered inside her mouth, breathing her in, filling the dark places inside with her light. She pushed up until she could look into Blair's eyes. "I love you."

"These last few days—I thought I would scream if you didn't touch me soon." Blair's eyes were already hazy beneath trembling lids. "Don't let me come yet,"

"Let me up then, baby," Cam murmured, pulling away.

"Nooo," Blair protested, both hands on Cam's hips, pressing her sex hard against Cam's rigid thigh. The pressure against her hot, hard center tore a cry from her.

"You're going to come if you keep doing that," Cam warned halfheartedly. She wanted her to come. She slid two fingers around one tight nipple and squeezed.

Blair shuddered and groped blindly for Cam's hand, dragging it down her body and pushing it between her thighs. "Fuck me. God, Cam, fuck me now."

Cam curled an arm behind Blair's shoulders and pulled her tight against her body as she pushed inside her, knowing what would follow. Blair jolted in the circle of her arms, her head snapping back as she crashed into orgasm.