Big Easy Temptation (2 page)

“What do you mean? I’m not asking for a commitment, just dinner. Maybe a movie. I
want to spend time with you.”

Holland shook her head and brushed past him to open the door. Dax scrambled back and
blocked her.

She sighed at him. “Look, your lifestyle is not one I would choose.”

“What lifestyle? I’m a sailor. I know you’ve heard some crazy stories about me, but
they’re not true.”

That judgmental brow rose again. “Really? So you didn’t nearly cause an international
incident because you slept with the daughter of a South American dictator.”

The things he did in Vegas. “I didn’t know who she was, but I was also twenty-three
at the time and I didn’t really care. Besides, that whole thing was really exaggerated
by the press.”

“Sure it was. Spencer, I’m the daughter of an enlisted man. The rest of my family
are cops. I’m blue collar. You’re American royalty.”

“Do you know what I like about the Navy? I’m not royalty there. No one gives a crap
that my family has money. No one cares what my last name is. I work hard and I’ll
continue to do so.”

“You’re naive if you think your last name doesn’t open doors,” she said almost sadly.
“I admit I’m attracted. Absolutely one hundred percent drawn to you. I also really
crave chocolate. That doesn’t mean I’m going to indulge.”

She didn’t wait for his reply, just shouldered her way past him. If he let her leave
now, Dax feared he wouldn’t get another chance. He couldn’t let her walk out the door
without a fight.

Dax wrapped gentle but firm fingers around her wrist. “So you’ll never even try a
taste?”

She looked down at her wrist until he released her, holding up his hands. “I’m fairly
sure that a taste will only make me want more. Besides, I’m leaving San Diego in a
few weeks. NCIS made me an offer, so I’ll be working in New Orleans. I still have
family there. Since my father passed, I’ve decided I’d like to be with them.”

New Orleans. His family lived in New Orleans. “Give me a chance. Kiss me once and
see if you can walk away, because I don’t think I’ll be able to. Distance doesn’t
mean anything if two people want to be together. Give me a shot to prove I’m not the
man you think I am.”

They stood so close and yet weren’t touching at all. Still, he could practically feel
her skin against his.

Holland looked torn. “I don’t want to be another conquest for you.”

That was easy. Honesty, in this case, was definitely his friend. “I haven’t slept
with anyone in almost a year. I’ve been on assignment. Then I met you. I had a colorful
youth; I won’t deny that. But now I want something more, something deeper. The man
you’ve read about, he isn’t real. I am. Kiss me and let me show you.”

God, he wanted to. Ached to. He wished like hell he could wrap his arms around her
and show her everything he had to offer, but rushing her would be a mistake. He had
to wait for Holland. Whatever happened between them needed be her choice.

She hesitated and for a moment, Dax thought she would leave for good. She met his
stare as though taking his measure. After a moment’s silent perusal, she stepped closer,
her skirt gently swishing against her graceful legs, bringing her so near. His heart
revved.

She skimmed her fingertips along his jawline. “You want me to kiss you, Commander?
That might be dangerous.”

He knew it was, because there was no way they’d end up in bed tonight. Dax would be
in a world of hurt no matter which way this went. He was startled to realize he didn’t
want to be just another conquest for her, either.

“It could be,” he admitted. “I’m willing to take the chance. I know you won’t believe
me, but I like you. Really like you. I enjoy talking to you, being around you, hearing
you laugh. I’m not looking for a one-night stand or some easy hookup. I’m pretty sure
I’m looking for something more.”

She stared at him as if she tried to memorize his face. An openness, almost an intimacy,
in her expression gave the moment gravity. The way she looked at him went beyond anything
sexual. Dax set about memorizing her, too. He drank in the delicate angles of her
face, the tiny scar that ran across her cheekbone, the way her bottom lip plumped
out. A light dusting of freckles sprinkled across her nose. She was beautiful, yes,
but Holland was way more than a pretty face.

“I think that’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever said to me, Commander. I am going
to kiss you—once—but when it’s over I’ll still vote to save my sanity and walk away.”
She rose onto her toes and lightly pressed her lips against his.

Damn, she felt soft and warm and sweet—all the things he loved about women. But he
savored her so much more. This simple kiss packed heat. It flashed through his system,
sizzled down his spine. He wanted to revel in this moment and make it last.

When she circled her arms around his waist and her lips brushed sensually over his,
Dax couldn’t hold back anymore. He cupped her face in his hands and deepened the connection.
He explored her lips, slowly, deeply. Restlessly, she slid against him, coming even
closer. He could feel her breasts crushed against his chest. His head spun. He went
in for more, filtering his fingers through her hair and groaning into their kiss.

She pulled away, her breathing not quite steady.

“Holland . . .” That couldn’t be it. That taste had only made him hunger for more.
His whole body felt alive, every nerve focused on her.

“That’s what I was afraid of.” She crashed against him once more. This time when she
kissed him, her mouth flowered open, inviting him inside.

His tongue slid against hers in a velvet caress as she moved in, sliding her hands
up his chest until she wrapped them around his neck.

Dax devoured her. So hungry. She was the source of his every craving and, until he’d
taken her in his arms, he’d only suspected how utterly she could thrill and satisfy
him. Now he knew.

Holland felt perfect against him as their tongues mated. The rest of the world fell
away as he lost himself in her teasing scent and silken touch. He gripped her tightly,
wishing he could strip her dress off. He definitely had to rethink not wooing her
into bed.

He drew her closer still, needing her in a way he’d never needed a woman before.

Then the door swung open behind him, banging against the wall, startling them apart.

“Please, Admiral. You’re the only one who can help me,” a woman tearfully implored.

Fuck. He held on to Holland, terrified she would walk out if he didn’t. He looked
over his shoulder to find his father following Zack’s mother into the room.

“Oh, no.” Holland sounded anxious. “Joy and Zack worried about this. Constance has
been drinking all day.”

His father caught sight of him and Holland. His eyes flared wide for a brief moment.
“I’m sorry. She was creating a scene. I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“I’ll go get Zack.” Holland pulled away, then spared him one last glance. “I’m leaving
for New Orleans soon. Have a good life, Commander.”

Dax didn’t want to let her go, but Zack’s mom burst into noisy tears, and he knew
he had to get this situation under control. Frustrated and feeling helpless, he watched
Holland stride out of his life.

If he looked her up next time he visited home, would she speak to him?

“They’re going to kill me,” Constance shrieked. “And that poor girl.
She doesn’t know the truth. How can I tell her? How can I tell anyone? It was an accident.
I didn’t mean to do it.” She fell on the couch and wrapped her arms around her knees,
sobbing.

Dax zipped a confused stare over to his dad.

The older Spencer shrugged. “She’s been talking like that for ten minutes, son.”

With a sigh, Dax sat beside his buddy’s mom and tried his best to calm her.

He didn’t see Holland again for years.

Washington, D.C.

Present Day

“You’re sure you want to do this?”

Connor’s question brought Dax out of his memories. He’d been thinking of that day
with Holland, the day he’d first kissed her. He liked that memory much better than
the later ones. A chill went through him. The wind in D.C. was cold this time of year.
He stood outside the condo Connor shared with Lara, his wife, and prepared for the
long ride home.

“I have to find out whatever I can.” Dax set his helmet on the seat of his bike and
pulled his gloves on. “My father’s name was on that list.”

Only days before they’d tracked down the mysterious Natalia Kuilikov. She was a Russian
woman connected to the Hayes family when Zack’s father had been the U.S. ambassador
to the Soviet Union, before the fall of the Wall. She’d written a diary people had
died for, including his dear friend Maddox Crawford. All clues led to the
Bratva
, the Russian mob, being responsible for the murder. Connor and Lara had recently
spoken to the older woman. Moments after a bullet ripped through her forehead, they’d
discovered Kuilikov’s handwritten notes in Cyrillic.

The translation had come back as a dead pool—a list of assassination targets.

Joy Hayes had been on that list, as had Constance, Zack’s mother.

Admiral Harold Spencer had been on that list, as well. They were all dead. Dax damn
sure wanted answers.

His father had been gone for three years. His death had been declared a suicide. Dax
hated to think about any of it—not the scandal that had come before his father’s death,
nor the horrible time after it, and definitely not the investigation that ended with
him losing Holland Kirk forever.

Until he’d seen that translation, he’d never intended to set eyes on her again. She’d
betrayed him in the cruelest fashion possible by closing her investigation after giving
it as much thought as someone opening an umbrella on a rainy day. In the blink of
an eye, she’d made a judgment call that gave the press free license to vilify his
father. Hell, she’d even had him believing his father was guilty at one point. She’d
torn down his family to further her career. Oh, he’d paid her back. Now nothing lay
between them but anger and regret.

But he couldn’t let this case rest in peace anymore. Things had changed.
He
had changed. Armed with new evidence, Dax intended to personally make sure Holland
opened the investigation again—and gave the facts the due process they deserved.

“Yes, his name was on the list,” Connor agreed in that tone that let Dax know he was
being handled with care. “I’ll look into it. Lara will help. You know we can do a
lot. You don’t have to go back to New Orleans. Zack pulled strings and got you placed
on a special assignment here in D.C. When we’re done, you can decide if you want to
go back to the Navy or not. You can spend the next couple of months with me and I’ll
help you sort it all out.”

Connor knew damn well what was waiting for him in New Orleans. Or rather, who. “Thanks,
buddy. But I think I’ll spend the time I have left with her.”

Connor grimaced. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m trying to avoid. You two will only
tear each other up. You’ve done some stupid shit over that woman.”

Like waking up after a bender to find himself married to someone
else? Connor had a point; some of the worst moments of his life had been because of
Holland Kirk.

Dax shook that reality off. “I’ll be fine. I’m certainly not going to drink myself
into oblivion and marry whatever woman happens to be next to me.”

“Her best friend. You married her best friend,” Connor pointed out. “Don’t expect
her to be helpful. Hell, I half expect her to bite your head off.”

“Yeah? Well, I expect her to finally give me the truth.” He picked up the helmet before
pulling his best friend into a manly hug. “I’ll call you if I need anything. I’m going
to get to the bottom of this. For my dad. For Mad. For Zack.”

Someone was playing a dangerous game with his friend, the president. Unfortunately
for whoever it was, Zack was one of Dax’s inner circle. They’d already lost Mad to
this nasty business. Dax refused to lose anyone else.

Holland Kirk was either a pawn or a power player. He would damn sure find out which.

With a nod to Lara on the balcony above, he hopped on his bike and revved the engine.
He headed southwest, toward New Orleans and the only woman he’d ever loved. As the
miles rolled, the past flowed over him like a tidal wave . . .

THEN

New Orleans, Louisiana

Three years ago

H
olland Kirk sighed as she packed up her laptop. Another case closed. She liked the
simple ones. Two enlisted sailors had gotten into a bar fight over a local and one
of them had waited two days before deciding to jump his opponent back on base. He’d
nearly gutted the other man. Luckily, she’d found a witness and now the seaman was
sitting in a jail cell.

If only all her cases were so easy.

She stood and stretched, trying not to think about the news she’d heard earlier today.
Courtney had waltzed in with two chicken salad sandwiches and the latest gossip.

Captain Dax Spencer had taken a one-month training assignment right here in New Orleans.
Could Holland believe it? One of the Perfect Gentlemen here in their backyard. Courtney
had been star struck.

Holland kind of wanted to hide.

Her cell phone trilled and she looked down to find a text from Courtney.

He’s even hotter than I imagined. I’m the writer assigned to him for this project!
Squee! I need an entirely new wardrobe. And a mani pedi.

A flurry of emoticons followed, all conveying her excitement. Holland wasn’t sure
what a couple of them were, but they definitely looked happy. Courtney knew she’d
met Spencer at some point, but had no idea he was basically the man of her dreams.
And now she meant to avoid him at all costs.

Sounds good! Hope you two have fun.

She sent the text, trying not to admit that her stomach dropped at the thought of
pretty, curvy Courtney with Dax. Courtney looked like a swimsuit model. She was exactly
the type of woman Holland would expect on the arm of one of the infamous Perfect Gentlemen.

Absolutely not her. Never Holland.

It had been years since she’d spoken to the gorgeous Dax Spencer, but she dreamed
of him often. It wasn’t like she hadn’t dated, but she ended up comparing every single
man who came into her life to Dax, and they always came up short.

She’d seen him at his father’s funeral. She’d shown up quietly and sat in the back.
It had been a travesty how few people had been in attendance. Admiral Harold Spencer’s
exemplary reputation had been washed away with one indiscretion.

“Hey, I’ve heard we’re going to have trouble.” Jim Kellison leaned against the door
to her office, his dark eyes grim. “Your friend was telling everyone Captain Spencer
has come back to town for a while.”

She was certain that had a couple of special agents thinking about
early retirement, including the one in front of her. “Apparently he’s agreed to help
write the documentation on the new training procedures. He’s been testing them on
his ship.”

“Sure. That’s what every captain dreams of,” Jim shot back. “Spending several weeks
writing training manuals. I’ve heard a rumor you run in his circle.”

She shook her head. “God, no. I’m friends with his sister. I was very close to the
wife of one of his friends.”

Joy Hayes. It was hard to believe she was really gone, the victim of a single bullet
from a lone shooter. Tears threatened. They did every single time she thought about
the day Joy died. How could she ever forget it? Some TV news show rolled the video
of her friend dying at least once a week.

Joy had been killed by a man who’d wanted to assassinate her husband. The news stories
claimed the assassin was a mentally ill man who hated Zack and couldn’t stand the
thought of him in the White House. Three days later, Zack Hayes had been elected president.

Six weeks after that, the terrible scandal involving Admiral Spencer had blown up.
In the thick of the gossip and media speculation, he’d killed himself. Holland could
only imagine how dark those days had been for Dax.

So much pain in a short amount of time.

She would love Zack Hayes to the end of her days because while everyone else had abandoned
the Spencer family, the man with the most political capital to lose had sat beside
Dax in the church for the admiral’s funeral that day. All of the Perfect Gentlemen
had been there—Crawford, Bond, the scary one, Hayes, and Calder. They’d deflected
the press from Dax and protected their friend.

She might not always understand the ties that bound those men together, but she sometimes
envied them.

Jim nodded sympathetically. “Yes, Mrs. Hayes was a gracious lady. We all mourn her
loss.”

More tears burned her eyes. She blinked them back. “Has Captain Spencer been in touch
with you? You and Bill closed the case on his father, if I recall.”

That was an understatement. She knew exactly who had worked the case, but she’d tried
to stay far from it. Being close to Augustine Spencer, Dax’s sister, meant recusing
herself from participating in the admiral’s open investigation. She hadn’t even read
the file. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Harold Spencer, upright family man and Naval officer, a beacon of New Orleans society,
had been caught on camera in bed with an underage prostitute. She’d heard that a witnesses
close to the admiral told NCIS the man had been a pedophile for a very long time.
Rumors had spread like a bad virus and the jackals had shown up to drag the Spencer
family through the mud.

And then, before he could be court-martialed, he’d been found with a bullet in his
brain.

“We closed the case, but the captain made it very clear how unhappy he was about it.”
Jim huffed. “We did a thorough investigation.”

Jim was one of the finest investigators she knew. He’d been a special agent for more
than fifteen years. “I’m sure you did your best. These kinds of cases are always hard.
There was a lot of media scrutiny.”

The press had been like a pack of wolves. The office had been inundated with their
calls. Once the salacious story hit the tabloids, reporters had written article after
article speculating on the lurid details of the admiral’s organized sex parties and
the supposed ways in which he’d defrauded taxpayers to host them.

NCIS had been forced to investigate each and every rumor. All of them had been proven
false, except the original allegation.

God, she hoped the admiral hadn’t known the girl’s true age. Amber Taylor had been
fifteen, but on camera she’d looked at least a half dozen years older.

“I have gray hair from that case,” Jim acknowledged. “And I swear Bill went bald after
that last press conference. I’ve never seen a man
look so terrified on camera. There’s a reason he didn’t go into the entertainment
field.”

It was probably for the best since Bill had a brilliant mind but a potbelly that wouldn’t
look great on screen. “I remember. So I guess you’re afraid Captain Spencer’s return
will mean more media attention? If it’s any consolation, I don’t think he liked the
press coverage any more than we did.”

“I’m not worried about the press.” Jim ran a hand over his hair. “I’m worried about
him
. I don’t need his harassment again. He was like a dog with a bone, Kirk. He called
ten times a day, sent so many e-mails I couldn’t keep up with them, and I won’t even
go into all the times I could have arrested him for interfering with an investigation.
I didn’t, because I like his mother and sister. I thought they’d been through enough,
but I won’t put up with that crap again.”

Holland had stayed away. She’d actually taken a couple of weeks off and gone to visit
some friends because the temptation to interfere had been so great. But she’d heard
stories of Captain Spencer causing trouble. He’d apparently been particularly angry
when his father’s death had been ruled a suicide.

It would be a hard truth for a man like Dax to take.

Still, according to Gus, her brother was trying to move on. Holland liked Augustine
Spencer. She was wild and smart and larger than life. She also worked at the White
House and had been close to Joy. The three had formed a special friendship, and she
still cherished the time Gus spent in New Orleans.

“Maybe the captain simply took the assignment to be close to his mother for a while,”
Holland suggested. “I know this mess has been hard on her.”

Gus had offered to turn down the job with the Hayes administration and Dax had offered
to leave the Navy, but Judith Spencer had insisted her children continue with their
lives. Their mother had been adamant. Still, Holland checked in on her from time to
time. She had to be lonely in that huge house.

“I don’t buy it.” Jim shook his head. “He’s been in the Gulf for six months. Lots
of action there.”

“Maybe he’s ready for a change.” Holland shrugged.

“Does Captain Spencer strike you as a desk-job sort of man?”

She frowned and bit her lip.

“You know I’m right. He’s not a man who likes peace and quiet. And he didn’t choose
a New Orleans training post for the gumbo.”

“You think he’s here to try to get the case reopened?” She really hoped not.

“I think he’s a son who loved his father and can’t handle knowing that the man who
raised him wasn’t who he thought. I wouldn’t want to believe it of my own father.
It’s got to be doubly hard on a man like the captain, who’s used to getting his way.
All that money must have made his life pretty cushy up until now.”

In an instant, Holland remembered him, so handsome and earnest, that day in the library.

Do you know what I like about the Navy? I’m not royalty there. No one gives a crap
that my family has money. No one cares what my last name is. I work hard and I’ll
continue to do so.

At the time she’d thought he was naive. Having worked NCIS for the last few years,
she’d figured out that for all of the captain’s connections, his father had been as
much of a negative as a positive. He’d had to work twice as hard to prove he wasn’t
moving up the ranks due to nepotism. During the war, he’d served his country valiantly
in the Persian Gulf. She’d read reports of his bravery and knew he’d earned his captaincy.

“The Spencer I knew was a hard worker despite the fact that he could have coasted
through,” she argued. “He’s honest and loyal. Just because he’s rich doesn’t make
him soft. He’s a good man, and you should treat him with respect when he shows up.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that, Holland.”

She stopped, her focus narrowing to that deep voice dredged up from the depths of
her memory. Dax Spencer had the sexiest accent, having been raised right here in New
Orleans. His father had been
career Navy, but Judith Spencer had insisted on a somewhat normal childhood for Dax
and Gus. They spent time with their father, but also lived in a big mansion in the
Garden District. Dax had gone off to Creighton Academy at the age of twelve, but he’d
never lost that thick, molasses-rich NOLA drawl. When he spoke, his tones deep and
dark, it did something to Holland she couldn’t explain.

“Speak of the devil. You could have knocked, Captain Spencer.” She turned, and the
sight of him was like a punch to the solar plexus. She breathed through the reaction,
trying to hide the fact that being this close to him already had her heart pounding.

Damn, but he looked good. The years had been kind to him, turning a beautiful boy
into a gorgeous, powerful man. He filled out his khakis in a way most sailors couldn’t.
Tall and broad and powerfully built, he was a glorious hunk of masculinity.

He gave her a lopsided grin that threatened to stop her heart. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Jim had gone a nice shade of red. “Captain Spencer, it’s good to see you again.”

Dax didn’t seem fazed at all that he’d overheard them talking about him, but then
he was likely used to it. He simply gave Jim a friendly grin. “Now I’m absolutely
sure that’s a lie. I’m sure I was a pain in the ass and the last couple of months
without me have likely been pleasant. How about I promise to be respectful this time
around. I wasn’t in a good place the last time we talked.”

“That’s understandable,” Jim allowed, holding out a hand. “Let me know if I can help
you, and welcome back to New Orleans.”

Dax shook his hand with a nod. “Thank you, Agent Kellison. I promise I’m not going
to make your life hell.” Jim left with a friendly wave, and Dax turned his attention
to Holland. “I called him a lowlife cocksucker who deserved to have his entrails eaten
by a gator. I might have been in a bad mood at the time.”

“It seems so.” Why did she sound so breathy? She wasn’t the vampy type.

“You look good, Holland,” he said. “Did I ever thank you for coming to my father’s
funeral?”

She shot him a startled glance. “I didn’t realize you’d seen me there.”

“Sweetheart, there were so few people I couldn’t have missed you. I truly appreciate
it. I know my momma and Gus did as well.”

As Holland’s heart continued to race, she thanked goodness the office door stood open
and she could see people moving out in the hallway. She wasn’t sure she could handle
being alone with him, knowing the last time she had been she’d kissed him. The press
of their bodies and lips had been the single most erotic moment of her life. She’d
slept with men and not felt as close to them as she had to Dax Spencer in that one
moment.