Pandora's Box (18 page)

“Any suggestions?” she asked breathlessly.
 

Being this close to a man, even a man as gorgeous as
Tyler
shouldn’t have such a profound affect on her, but it did.
 
The closer he got, the faster her heart beat.
 
At the moment she was more frightened of her growing attraction to him than she was of the three suits headed their way.
 

“Kiss me,”
Tyler
said.

“What?”
 
Had she heard him right?

“Kiss me like you haven’t seen me in months.”

Tyler
’s mouth covered hers, parting her lips with ease.
 
His hands continued to cover both sides of her face.
 
In a strategic move he insinuated himself between her and the wall and turned her head in his direction.
 
If the men glanced their way, they would only see a redhead kissing her lover.

She forgot why they were kissing.

He deepened the kiss until she couldn’t breathe or think.
 
He wiped her mind clean with his skill.
 
Their bodies turned to molten desire, fusing them together.
 
It wouldn’t be possible for them to get closer, not with clothes on.
 
His hands roughly moved down the arch of her back, molding every curve and his tongue darted between her parted lips, sending a shockwave of emotion throughout her entire body.

Oh she wanted more.

An electric current pulsed from head to toe, tingling, transforming her idea of what a kiss could be.
 
She pushed against him with her mouth and tugged at him with her hands, craving harder, deeper, longer.
 
The men in suits were forgotten in a blissful moment of shared heat.
 

If this was the way he kissed a woman after a short separation, his future wife would need to travel frequently.

Tyler
tore his mouth free.
 
They both gasped for needed oxygen.
 
Her hands continued to cling to his powerful arms.
 
She couldn’t let go if her life depended on it.
 
Her legs felt weak and her head spun in dizzy, crazy circles.
 
This couldn’t be happening to her.
 
Madison Grey did not shiver or shake for any man.
 

“There’s another one headed this way,” he said.
 
“We can’t fool them forever.
 
We need disguises quick.”

Madison
bit the inside of her lower lip, still numb from the kiss, and forced her mind back into professional mode.
 
Her father had almost killed the president and there were people who believed that meant she was a traitor, too.
 
Only cold hard evidence would change their minds.

“We need to split up,” she said abruptly.
 
“Find a disguise and meet me on the plane.
 
If I don’t make it, proceed without me.
 
If I get arrested, I’ll need you more than ever.”
 
She gazed into his stormy green eyes, praying he wouldn’t let her down.
 
“And if you don’t make it, I’ll leave without you.
 
Don’t mistake me for the sentimental type.”

Tyler
nodded curtly.

They walked in separate directions without a glance at each other.
 
Madison
ducked her head low.
 
Unfortunately she hadn’t had time to tell
Tyler
that she’d been prepared for this.
 
In her line of work it was important to be paranoid and have something set aside for emergencies.

She stopped at a wall of airport lockers and swiftly opened a combination lock on number 362.
 
A familiar black leather bag waited for her inside.
 
Grabbing it, she headed for the nearest restroom.
 
Her eyes darted around, taking in everyone’s appearance and their positions should they choose to rush at her.
 
No one even seemed to notice her.

Madison
slipped into an empty stall in the bathroom and opened her bag.
 
With a self-satisfied smile she gazed at the contents.
 
No one would recognize her in this thing.

******

“I’m so glad to see you on this plane, Sister.”
 
A middle-aged woman smiled down at
Madison
as she maneuvered her way down the plane’s narrow aisle in an attempt to reach her seat.
 
The woman walked sideways, a friendly smile on her face and a bulky carry-on in her hand.
 
She admitted, “I’m usually afraid to fly, but I know this plane isn’t going down, not with a nun on board.”

I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
 
“God bless you, dear.”
 
Madison
smiled easily, hoping God had a sense of humor and wouldn’t hold her playing a nun against her.

The woman moved on and
Madison
adjusted her habit, pulling the black and white headpiece over a bigger portion of her exposed, cosmetic free face.
 
She opened a small bible in her lap.
 
Instead of reading it,
Madison
took inventory of the other passengers from beneath lowered eyelashes.
 
No one seemed to be watching her.
 
That was a good sign.

However, the seat next to her remained empty.
 
Where was
Tyler
?
 
Fearing he’d been caught,
Madison
held her breath, waiting for the plane to take off.
 
Any second the men in suits could sweep down the aisle and arrest her for treason.
 
Or whatever other unfounded charge they could dream up.
 

Finally the plane began to move slowly away from the building, and she released her pent-up breath.
 
They taxied down the runway, picking up speed, and
Madison
tried to relax.
 
She settled back in her seat.
 
Her hands clenched the unused bible.
 
She swallowed the lump in her throat as she felt the G-force push against her chest.
 

The pilot, dressed in a crisp clean uniform, left the cockpit.
 
He casually walked the aisle.
 
Madison
wondered if he was making a last minute check on things.
 
Perhaps he needed to use the restroom.
 
She didn’t expect him to zero in on her.

He stopped next to her and spoke in an Irish accent.

“Will you be praying for us today, Sister?”

She had wanted to avoid looking directly at anyone, but he’d left her little choice.
 
Madison
glanced up, serene smile in place, ready to assure him that indeed she would be praying for a safe journey.
 
Her smile quickly died at the sight of
Tyler
in uniform.
 
He looked incredible, she’d give him that, but how did he think he was going to get away with impersonating an airline employee?

“What in the hell are you doing?”
 
She nearly knocked the bible from her lap in her startled state.

Several interested eyes snapped in their direction.
 
Most of them wide with shock, including the woman who’d spoken to her earlier.
 
For a moment she’d forgotten she was playing the part of a nun.
 
She clenched her jaw tight, unable to let go with the string of curses currently floating on her tongue like tiny germs.
 
Surely
Tyler
wasn’t going to attempt to fly the Boeing 727.
 

She lowered her voice and asked, “Are you crazy?
 
Where did you get that uniform?”

“I could ask the same of you.”
 

“What did you do with the real pilot?”

“He isn’t feeling well enough to fly, so I had to take over at the last minute.
 
Now I need to get back up front before the co-pilot takes over completely.”
 
Tyler
straightened his hat and winked at her.
 
“Enjoy your flight.
 
I’ll meet you in baggage when we land.”

In baggage?

Madison
stared after him, mouth agape.
 
He couldn’t be serious.
 
She expected him to turn around and settle in the seat beside her, joke over.
 
She leaned across the vacant seat, watched his polished shoes as they vanished behind the curtain.
 
Beyond yelling for them to let her off the damn plane, she didn’t know what to do.
 

The plane began to lift off the ground, and
Madison
cringed.
 
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
 
White-knuckled, her fingers dug into the arm rests.
 
Her stomach did a sickening somersault.
 
She hated airplanes, because she had to give up control, trust another human being with her life.
 

The plane reached cruising altitude and leveled off.

“Are you all right, Sister?”
 
The friendly stewardess beamed a smile at her, bending over the empty seat so she could speak in a low voice and not disturb anyone else.
 
“Is there anything I can get you?”

“Vodka.
 
Straight up.”
 
Madison
forced her hands off the arm rests.
 
She tried to regulate her breathing and somehow managed a small smile.
 
“Make it a double.”

The flight attendant’s own smile wavered.
 
She nodded slowly, giving
Madison
an odd look.
 
“Okay.”

After the woman walked away,
Madison
remembered she was in a nun’s habit.
 
It wasn’t like her to forget the part she’d assigned herself.
 
Oh well.
 
Give the stewardess something to gossip about at the end of a long day.
Madison
relaxed a bit.
 
She planned to get plastered before they reached their destination and had to land.
 
Her thoughts returned to
Tyler
.
 
Did the man have a pilot’s license?

 
A feminine hand, long slender fingers with silver-tipped manicured nails gave
Madison
the glass of vodka she’d ordered.
 
She looked up with a smile neatly in place, prepared to thank the flight attendant, but the words stuck in her throat.
 
The Blonde Assassin hovered over her.
 
Her ice blue eyes glittered with malice.

Madison
reached for her gun.
 
Nothing.
 
It took half a second for her to remember she didn’t have one with her.
 
Getting it past security would have been next to impossible.

The blonde settled in the seat next to
Madison
with a heavy sigh as if she’d been on her feet all day and finally had a chance to rest.
 

Madison
asked, “How long have you been following me?”

“Long enough to know you aren’t even close to the prize.
 
I have to admit I’m disappointed in you.
 
I expected more.
 
Yet here you are chasing a cold trail and you still have no idea what’s going on.”

“Why don’t you tell me then?”
 
Madison
turned sideways in her seat and pinned the other woman with a cold glare.
 
She set the drink down on the provided tray connected to the seat in front of her.

“And ruin the ending for you?
 
I don’t think so.
 
Watching you run in circles is amusing.”
 
She made a sound of disgust.
 
“Must suck having old friends hunting you down.
 
I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard the news bulletin.
 
The FBI didn’t waste any time.
 
Personally, I think your old buddies at the CIA are behind it.
 
All these years you’ve wasted, working your butt off, doing your duty, and they turn on you so willingly.”

“Why are you here?
 
What do you want?”

The assassin leaned close until they were shoulder to shoulder and she could whisper.
 
To the average eye they would look like two girlfriends enjoying a private conversation.
 
But on the inside,
Madison
was coiled like a snake.
 
She mentally prepared to defend herself if attacked.