"Agent McMillan, I think you will make an excellent liaison."
Marlena pursed her lips. She hated men.
"What are you mad about now? I saved your cute little a.s.s again. I"m losing count."
Stash reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Marlena"s ear. He couldn"t help it. He loved touching her. Loved teasing her. And she was prime for teasing right now. The woman obviously didn"t like the way she was being handled at the moment.
He had to admire that man, though. Smooth and tough at the same time. And totally focused on the kill. He had a feeling that Alex Diamond fought that way physically, too. His whole body language betrayed training and a mental alertness that he recognized in his SEAL brothers. It was that trait that made him decide that if he didn"t interrupt soon his darling mermaid was going to be spending a lot of time with Diamond. Right now he wasn"t getting the grat.i.tude he deserved, that was for sure, since Marlena was glaring back at him.
"You just gave him what he wanted! And you didn"t consult me."
"Sweetheart, you were digging yourself deeper every time you opened your mouth. I"ve never seen you lose so badly. He"s d.a.m.n good. What"s this group he"s in?"
Marlena waved away his question impatiently. "I wouldn"t have told him anything."
"That"s right," Steve agreed with resigned tolerance. He was hoping for more Venus whatever time, but that appeared unlikely in the near future. "That"s why I did what I did."
"T. doesn"t want to see him!"
"How do you know?"
"Because she told me he dumped her!"
"Lena, if he dumped her, why is he looking for her?"
"Because she doesn"t want to see him!"
Steve sighed. He really couldn"t understand female logic. "Let"s start again," he said. "You said Alex dumped her. Since he"s looking for her, maybe he wants to undump her. Maybe that"s what T. wants."
Marlena snorted. "T. obviously didn"t want anything to do with him again or she wouldn"t have snuck in a transfer on him."
"So she dumped him?"
Marlena frowned. "No, he dumped her. I"m pretty sure he dumped her."
"Before or after she dumped him with a sneak transfer?" Marlena punched his arm. Steve shrugged. "I was just trying to help."
"Well, Mr. Helpful, what am I going to say to T. when I call her for debriefing? She helped you out and what did you do? Tell the guy who dumped her where to find her."
"I didn"t tell him a d.a.m.n thing and you and she know it." Steve felt his own impatience rising. "Lena, I didn"t want you leaving with him to G.o.d knows where. I didn"t want you with him in some hotel room pretending to be Mrs. Barinsky, or whatever fake name he uses, okay? I know you and hotel rooms, and I don"t want you sharing room service with him."
Marlena studied him for a few seconds, then sighed and drawled, "You"re right. If I see him naked, T. will kill me."
Just like that, jealousy swarmed him. The gleam in her eyes told him that she was just exacting punishment, but it still unsettled him how possessive he was with her, and h.e.l.l, he had never been possessive about anything or anybody in his life. Man, he sounded like Alex with his T. "Then I"ll have to kill him," he told her half seriously.
She shook her head, a smile curving that s.e.xy mouth. "A vicious cycle, darling. Then T. will come after you, and then I"ll have to kill T." She stood on her toes and gave him a soft kiss, the tip of her tongue teasing the corner of his lips. It sent a jolt through him, and he leaned down for a more satisfying one, but she eluded him. "Think about that till later."
"Where are you going?"
"Shopping."
"Shopping?" Dread replaced l.u.s.t like a snap of the fingers. "What for?"
She laughed. "Darling, remember your payoff to Cam? We need new clothes to go to the opera. You, me, and all your sea mammal buddies. Pierre sent comp tickets to cover us all."
Oh no. No, no, no. He wasn"t going to go and tell Hawk and his men that they had to go shopping. He opened his mouth. She gave him a sultry look that promised him all kinds of things Hawk and his men couldn"t do. They might just kill him, but they couldn"t do what she could. He shut his mouth.
As he watched her saunter off, her hips swaying suggestively, he thought about Alex and his single-minded pursuit of T. His T., he had called her.
Steve plucked his lower lip. My M. Mine. He kind of liked the way that sounded.
Marlena decided to let T. handle her own problem. She was sure if T. wanted to, she could disappear from Alex again. So she gave her report, omitting Alex"s name, and told her mentor that Stash was shaping up as an excellent liaison. T. had immediately a.s.sumed it was Jed who had interviewed Stash and her, and had replied with her usual tart humor.
"I knew Stash would find this new job won"t lack adventure."
Marlena smiled wryly. "Oh, I think Stash found his niche."
"So have you decided to keep him, then, darling? You know I wouldn"t mind having him work in New York. I"ll welcome him with open arms."
That sealed T."s fate, as far as Marlena was concerned. She hoped Alex would tie her up and keep her away from...She smiled again. Suddenly she didn"t feel so bad about betraying her friend. T. was lonely. She loved Alex. For more than two years she had dreamed of and loved that man, so there was nothing wrong in sending her another chance to work things out.
Skipping their usual sarcastic exchange, she softly said, "I"ll see you real soon."
Marlena hung up and thoughtfully considered her next problem...dressing five very reluctant men with great bodies in Valentino. Or Armani. Hmm. Not every woman had such a delicious task at hand. Maybe she didn"t hate men that much after all.
Chapter Twenty-six.
I t was a not-for-doc.u.mentary of navy SEALs being tortured. That was Marlena"s description, not his. Steve squeezed the bridge of his nose and tried to stop a laugh. The scene in front of him was far more chaotic than the rescue operation a day ago.
It had taken a bit of quiet negotiation on his part, out of Lena"s hearing, to get all the men"s cooperation. He had called on all the favors he had ever done for Hawk for this one-time deal, and that was because he wanted the night to be perfect for Lena and him.
"You"d better get what you"re after," Hawk had warned, eyes narrowed into slits, "because my men and I will bust your a.s.s if you fail."
So today Steve could say he had seen it all. It was quite a sight, five reluctant commandos dragging their feet and following the leather-clad Miss M. around a men"s store. The few people in the exclusive boutique stopped and stared at their entourage. Who could help it? The rambunctious crew looked as in place in D.C. as aliens pretending to blend in with humans. He smirked again. A team of SEAL commandos in a men"s boutique. Hoo-yah.
Marlena was enjoying herself immensely, and Steve got a kick out of witnessing the pained looks on his cousin"s and his men"s faces. h.e.l.l, they had it easy. She had only made them suffer for a couple of hours before deciding on this one store.
Dirk and Mink were donning all the name-brand shades as they circled the place, pretending they were from the Mafia. Hawk had the biggest scowl on his face, but of all people, his cousin was the last person Steve had expected to allow a woman to groom him. Of course, one should never underestimate the power of persuasion from any GEM operative, and Steve was smart enough not to mention to the guys the fitting business coming up.
That was where Cuc.u.mber drew the line. He was so tall that they couldn"t find pants the right length that fit, and the store tailor approached him, tape in hand. Steve watched in antic.i.p.ated amus.e.m.e.nt as the man patted on the long-suffering Cuc.u.mber without explaining what he was about to do. Within seconds Cuc.u.mber roared and pulled the tailor off his feet by the collar, looking like he was going to murder the guy.
"Mr.... Mr...." The poor man"s gasps were shrill with panic.
No one went to his aid. Steve leaned his hip against a counter as he watched Marlena sigh, roll her eyes, and tap the big commando on the arm. "Let him down, you big bully."
"He had his tape measure between my legs." Cuc.u.mber glared at the culprit as he lifted him a few inches higher.
"He was just measuring your inseam. You know, you guys have got to cool it, or I"m going to have to go to another store. You don"t want to do that now, do you, boys?"
There was a collective groan from the others. Steve understood their pain. Dirk said from behind his sungla.s.ses, in a pseudo Sicilian accent. "c.u.mber, put him down, man. Let him measure you. I promise we"ll kill him if he shorts you of an inch." He leaned closer to the man whose feet were still dangling off the ground. "You"ll measure him right, won"t you?"
"Yes! Yes, Mr.... Mr...."
Cuc.u.mber lowered him back on his feet. "It"s Mr. Cuc.u.mber."
Marlena laughed and pressed a tip into the poor tailor"s trembling hand. "Don"t mind them. I"ll protect you if they misbehave again." She sidled a little closer to Cuc.u.mber. "See, I"ll hold his hand so he won"t grab you again."
Steve couldn"t keep his eyes off her as she soothed the men around her, from the enraged and nervous store tailor to the equally enraged and nervous Cuc.u.mber. He liked watching her when she was relaxed like this, having her little fun. He didn"t mind this side of her at all. He had a feeling that she didn"t often tease people she didn"t like. Beside him, Hawk turned and asked softly, "You"re thoroughly head-over-heels, aren"t you?"
Steve didn"t hesitate. "Head-over-heels and under deep water."
"No hope?"
"None whatsoever."
"You"re gonna keep her?"
He darted a sharp glance at his cousin. He remembered that kiss. "What do you think?"
Hawk"s light brown eyes were amused at his quick anger. "I think I like it, although Stash is still a wuss name. So, have you told her about Kat? What about your mom?"
"Lena knows about Kat. Her health problems don"t seem to bother her. She hardly reacted at the hospital bills. As for Mom, you know how she is. She"d want to talk to Lena for hours over the phone. No way. She"ll scare her off."
Hawk glanced at Marlena. "She doesn"t seem to be afraid of anything to me."
Steve sniffed. "Yeah, well, that woman is more commitment-shy than you, cousin Hawk. I"ve had to practically force myself on her." He grinned. "But she"s worth every minute of it. I"ve been looking for someone like her for a long time."
"Looks like you lucked out, then," Hawk said. "I think she"s a fine woman."
Their little talk was interrupted by Marlena calling Hawk over for his turn to be fitted. Steve smirked as Hawk shook his head.
"I know my measurements, thank you," he said.
"But I don"t. Come here, Steve, and let me see. Bet Stash"s inseam is bigger." Marlena pointedly never called Hawk anything but Steve to his face. Her smile was openly devious.
Steve"s grin became wider. Hawk could never resist a challenge. Ever. His cousin bared his teeth for a moment, then he strode toward Marlena. "See whether I"m ever going to answer one of your calls again, Stash."
Marlena met his eyes over Hawk"s shoulder and winked. And the rest of the day, he thought of the future.
The next night, Steve scanned around discreetly in the middle of act one of the sold-out Turandot. They were in some of the most expensive seats in the house, and after Marlena"s efforts, everyone looked like fashion plates. He grinned. He supposed there were things worse than having five reluctant SEALs in an opera. Actually, they had been behaving themselves. His promise of a five-star dinner afterward helped.
He slid a quick glance down the row just to see how they were doing. Cuc.u.mber was wearing Dirk"s new shades. He was sitting upright, looking straight at the singers on stage, but Steve knew a sleeping soldier when he saw one. Not that he feared the big man would clap at the wrong time or start to snore. A trained commando could catch a nap and yet stay alert.
At the other end, Hawk was listening attentively. He had somehow made friends with the two women next to him, and of course the one sitting closer already had one elegant hand curled in his. Steve settled back into his seat with a smile. He should have known Hawk would find a way to entertain himself.
He himself was surprised to find that he was enjoying the show, very much so. Marlena sat to his right, holding his hand. She was running her nails lightly against his palm in rhythm to the beat of the orchestra, and he wanted to pull her closer and kiss her. But then, if he did that, he would forget to watch the stage. Kissing Lena was far more absorbing than a princess who executed all her suitors. He remembered that opera stories were mostly tragic, with the lovers dying. He tightened his hold on Lena"s hand. Not what he was planning on.
To her right were Cam and Patty Ostler. They were in a world of their own. Cam had arrived in his new penguin suit with a breathtaking and breathless Patty by his side. Breathtaking because of the daring dress she and Marlena picked out when they had gone shopping by themselves. Breathless from how that dress had probably driven poor Cam to forget what time it was. He had apologized charmingly for their tardiness while she blushed and squeezed her velvet red handbag into a wad. It was obvious Patty Ostler hated to be late and wasn"t comfortable being the center of attention. She still brushed off Cam"s attentions with a cold shoulder in public, but Steve now understood that she was, in fact, more shy than aloof, and therein lay Cam"s fascination with her.
Steve returned his attention to the action on stage. Everything, unlike the poor prince on stage who was getting the thumbs-down from the ice-cold princess, was simply perfect.
"I have to thank Marlena for this and for the shopping trip, man," Cam said later, in the men"s room. He pressed the soap dispenser. "Doesn"t Patty look gorgeous in that dress? It doesn"t have any back! You know what that means, don"t you?"
"Nope." Steve zipped up his pants and went to join Cam at the washbasin.
Cam waggled his eyebrows at him in the mirror, a devilish smile forming. "No bra," he said, voice laden with male meaning. He toyed around with the paper towels.
"Did I hear something about a bra?" Cuc.u.mber asked, looming up from behind. He took off his shades and studied their reflection sleepily. He raked a hand through his dark wavy hair. "Is that part of the next act? I might stay up for that."
"Yeah, the princess is going to parade up and down the stage on six-inch stilettos in some hot girlie outfit, c.u.mber," Hawk chipped in from the other side of the wall. He tucked in his shirt before b.u.t.toning the front of his pants.
Cuc.u.mber eyed the whole counter of men"s toiletries, shook his head in disbelief, and gave a big yawn. "Wake me up when that scene comes up," he told them as he tried to stretch. He looked disgusted when his brand-new jacket impeded his long arms.
"It"s not that bad a show," Hawk said.
"How do you know?" challenged Dirk. "Everyone who"s wide awake got a girl with him. Steve"s got Marlena. Cam has his girlfriend. You"ve got that blond chick hanging all over you. Us three here are playing third wheels to you all."
"Yeah," Mink agreed, coming up to stand by Dirk and Cuc.u.mber. The three of them donned their new sungla.s.ses in one fluid, practiced motion, then turned to face the urinals.
Steve laughed as Cuc.u.mber, Dirk, and Mink made a big show of their lack of female companionship, making leering remarks as they lined up side-by-side to do their business, and then giving hangdog looks. They went into an impromptu satire of the three court jesters who provided the comic relief in the opera.
"Can"t be the size."
"What, are you crazy? We"ve got c.u.mber on our side. We can beat those three with just his alone."
"Can"t be the nuts, either. We have equal proportion in that category."
"You must be blind behind those shades. Or wishful. One of mine"s equal to all of yours." That one came from Cuc.u.mber.
"Can"t be the looks," Dirk jibed. "We"re all dressed up like penguins. They look just as bad as we do."
"So what do they have that we don"t?" Mink asked in a mock-forlorn voice.
Steve and Cam were laughing too hard to answer. Some of the other men in there were just as amused by the whole routine.
Dirk and Mink looked at each other, then said loudly, "It"s got to be the shoes." And all three of them looked down at the same time.
"If you clowns are done bleeding your lizards," Hawk interrupted dryly, "the rest of us have to get back to our ladies. You three better behave when we have dinner. We don"t want Steve to blame us if Marlena refuses to marry him."
"Yes, sir," the trio answered dejectedly in unison, as Steve and Cam left the men"s room, still chuckling hard.