Pawn

  PAWN

  An Ellora’s Cave Publication, May 2005

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

  1337 Commerce Drive, #13

  Stow, OH 44224

  ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-4199-0247-4

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

  PAWN Copyright © 2005 KIT TUNSTALL

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Edited by Shannon Combs.

  Cover art by Syneca.

  Warning:

  The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. Pawn has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers.

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).

  S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.

  E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature.

  X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

  Pawn

  Kit Tunstall

  Chapter One

  Julie entered the foyer of her apartment building, struggling to juggle the box in her arms while digging for her key ring in the disaster that was her handbag. The day couldn’t get any worse, what with finding her first gray hair that morning, and then losing her job that afternoon. Preoccupied, she walked toward the stairs, bypassing the broken elevator. Attention focused on the task of finding her keys, she didn’t realize she was on a collision course until hands grasped her arms, keeping her from running into the man standing in front of her.

  Surprised, she looked up, her heart stuttering with reaction. Her nostrils flared at the spicy, masculine scent of his cologne when it wafted to her—a subtle fragrance hinting at nights spent on silk sheets.

  Blinking away the erotically disturbing thought, she assessed the man who had prevented her from stumbling into him, a frown marring her forehead. He looked familiar, though she couldn’t place from where. In his mid- to late-forties, creases mapped his face in such a way as to give him an air of sexy ruggedness, with blondish-brown hair falling forward onto his forehead. She shouldn’t have been able to forget him if they had met. His green eyes, as brilliant as emeralds, should have made it impossible to not recall where they had met. Fringed by thick brown lashes, they studied her intently, seeming to size her up.

  “Julie?”

  Her stomach rolled at the confirmation that they had met before. Racking her brain to try to remember where, she forced a smile. “Hello.”

  “Wow.” His eyes widened appreciatively as they raked over her, lingering a shade longer than necessary at her breasts, though they weren’t displayed to best advantage in the modest white dress she had worn to work. “You’ve certainly changed.”

  “And you’re…exactly the same.” Please let that be the right thing to say.

  A laugh escaped him, parting his firm lips to reveal sparkling white teeth. “Not really, but I wouldn’t expect you to remember. The last time I saw you was when you were thirteen.”

  “Fifteen years ago?” Brow furrowed, Julie tried to remember him from that long ago, but drew a blank. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.”

  “That’s fine.”

  It wasn’t until he released his grip on her arms to offer his hand that she realized he had been holding her the entire time. She shifted the box to free a hand to accept his, shivering at the darts racing from his skin to hers at the light contact.

  “I’m Declan Poe. Your father and I worked together.” His voice had dropped to a low whisper, and his eyes scanned the foyer almost constantly.

  A genuine smile crossed her mouth, and she shook his hand enthusiastically. “Of course, Mr. Poe. I remember you now.” He had been her father’s partner long ago, though she hadn’t known what business they engaged in back then. Julie remembered him as a younger version of himself—one of her first crushes— a man who had never been rude to her or treated her like a child when she hovered around him. Usually, it had fallen to her father to shoo her away when Declan was over.

  “Declan, please.” Once again, he examined the foyer. “May we speak in private?”

  “Of course. Could you…?” She passed off the box to Declan so she could find her keys, having them in hand in seconds. “My roommate is in London this week, so we’ll be undisturbed.” Casting a rueful glance at the elevator, she added, “I hope you don’t mind stairs.”

  “Of course not.”

  When she tried to take back the box, he shook his head. With a shrug, Julie walked to the stairs, climbing quickly even in the chunky heels encasing her feet. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up in reaction to his scrutiny—she could practically feel his eyes boring into her as he ascended behind her. It was a relief to reach the third floor and be able to walk beside him instead of in front. His gaze disturbed her for a reason she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, define.

  At her apartment, she unlocked the door and indicated he should precede her. Immediately Clovis came to investigate, his feline nose twitching as he glared up at the interloper. When Declan set down the box beside the entertainment center, the cat hissed at him.

  With a shushing sound, Julie scooped up Clovis, grimacing at the black hair he would leave behind on her white dress. “Have a seat, please.” She gestured to the couch while walking to the recliner, sitting as gracefully as she could manage while maintaining an iron grip on the cat to keep him from assaulting their guest.

  Declan settled on the corner closest to her, his spine incredibly straight. Her eyes skimmed his body in the expertly tailored charcoal suit, finding nothing to complain about. In fact, his narrow waist and broad shoulders were more likely to make her drool.

  Embarrassed by her thoughts and reactions, she looked up quickly, still feeling like the gauche thirteen-year-old who followed him around. She did her best to meet his eyes, trying to ignore the speculative gleam in them. “What can I do for you, Declan?”

  “Have you spoken to your father lately?” The rich timbre of his voice betrayed a hint of concern.

  A sharp laugh escaped her, one she cut off abruptly. “No. I haven’t spoken to him in three years, and it’s been even longer since I’ve seen him.” She couldn’t remember the last time her father had sought her out—not since her mother had divorced him when she was fifteen. They had moved just across town, but it might as well have been across the country as infrequently as she had seen him after that. Not that he had been around much when her parents were still married.

  “He’s in trouble.” Declan tapped his fingers lightly on the arm of the couch. “I don’t know how much you know about your father’s work.”

  “He’s an operative with the CIA.” Seeing his surprised look, Julie shrugged. “My mother told me a long time ago. The funny thing is, I thought she was just making it up to spare my feelings because he never came to visit me. I didn’t believe it until he told me himself a few years ago.”

  Declan arched a brow. “Did he tell you anything about what he does?”

  She shook her head, glad he had left her in the dark about his work for the most part. While she wasn’t close to her father, she still worried about him, and having him provide too many details would have given her that much more to fear.

  “Lee does most of his work in Europe. Once upon a time he was involved with Cold War policies, but when the dynamics shifted he took up a new assignment.” Declan seemed reluctant to share the information but must have decided he didn’t have a choice, for whatever reason. “Antiterrorism to be specific.”

  Her chest seized, making it difficult to draw in a deep breath for a long second. When the spell passed she somehow managed a calm tone. “What’s happened?”

  “He’s had to go underground to protect something.”

  “What?”

  With a shake of his head, he said, “That’s classified. The pertinent information for you is that this is highly sought after. The people he took it from want it back badly and they’ll use any means necessary to force him out of hiding.”

  A dart of apprehension shot through Julie when she got an inkling of why Declan was here. “You don’t think I’m in danger?” At his nod, she said, “It’s impossible. We aren’t close, so why would anyone try to use me to get to my father? That makes no sense.”

  Leaning forward, Declan put his hand on hers, brushing off Clovis’ perturbed reaction. “You’re still his child. Regardless of the state of your relationship, we don’t believe he would ignore the situation if you were in danger.” A long sigh escaped him. “What he’s guarding can’t fall back into enemy hands, Julie. The best thing to do is protect you, just to be on the safe side.”

 
Julie wanted to resist, dreading the idea of agents taking over her life, milling about her small apartment and controlling her every move. On the other hand, she didn’t want to endanger herself, her father, or national security. “I don’t think it’s necessary, but I guess you could give me an operative for protection.”

  “I had something else in mind.”

  Her mouth firmed. “If we do this, it’s my way. I don’t want a troop of people tearing apart my house, interfering with my life.”

  “Agreed.” Declan inclined his head. “This should be a subtle operation. That’s why I want you to come stay with me for a while.”

  “What? I can’t do that.”

  His thumb began rubbing lightly across the back of her hand. “I know it’s inconvenient, but I really think it’s the best way.”

  “I—” Was it getting hot in the apartment? Julie resisted the urge to fan herself even as heat spread through her body, emanating from where he was stroking her hand. Knowing he was doing it to manipulate her didn’t lessen the impact of the light caress, which shouldn’t have affected her at all.

  “Please, for me? I don’t want you hurt.”

  His soft, coaxing tone penetrated into her marrow, igniting her senses. When he increased the pace of his strokes just slightly, her heart rate sped up and her nipples hardened in the confines of her cotton bra. Although she wanted to protest, Julie found herself crumbling. “I…guess it couldn’t hurt.”

  Declan nodded just once, appearing satisfied. “Excellent. There’s a car downstairs to take us to McCarran.”

  Julie blinked. “The airport? Why?”

  He withdrew his hand from hers to look at his watch. “There’s a private jet waiting to fly us to D.C.” Looking up, he said, “That’s where I live.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t go to D.C. for however long. My life is here in Vegas.” Arms crossed over her chest, she kept her tone firm. “I appreciate your concern but this is just too much. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  Declan’s mouth tightened. “I understand it’s an inconvenience, but you can’t allow yourself to be used to manipulate your father into turning over the weapon to these people. You must come with me.”

  “What about—” She broke off, casting a glance at the box of possessions accrued during her three-year tenure as head of the HR department at her company. Her job was the only thing she couldn’t have abandoned for any length of time, but that wasn’t a problem now thanks to downsizing due to the economy. Her roommate, a flight attendant, wouldn’t miss her presence for the next few days and she hadn’t been to the nation’s capital since she was a little girl.

  “Okay.” The corners of her mouth turned up as she cast a glance at Clovis. “Of course, I can’t go without my cat.”

  He quickly concealed his pained expression but hadn’t entirely hidden his reaction, making it difficult for her not to grin. “Of course. He’ll be welcome.”

  Clovis’ hiss was as unfriendly as Declan’s grudging tone, indicating he wasn’t any happier about the idea. As Julie rose to pack, a surprising sense of well-being filled her and a spark of excitement lightened her step. She was looking forward to this, she realized. Why? Was it the idea of going to D.C. or was it merely the thought of being close to Declan for a few days? Maybe she’d finally get that kiss she’d fantasized about as a girl.

  Casting a look over her shoulder before entering her bedroom, she sized him up, watching each muscle flex as he paced the confines of the small living area. Maybe she would get a lot more than a kiss—things she hadn’t dared dream about as a teenager. Her stomach clenched at the thought, and she hurried to enter her room, closing the door behind her to conceal the flush on her face.

  Chapter Two

  Julie stared out the window of the bedroom Declan had shown her to upon their arrival to his apartment off Dupont Circle

  . As an endless stream of traffic circled the loop, she turned from the window to survey the room again. Wandering around, touching priceless antiques at random, she wondered what she was doing here. The luxurious condo seemed a million miles away from the modest apartment she shared with Rochelle in Vegas.

  Her feet sank into the plush carpet as she walked to the bed to begin the process of unpacking her suitcases. Clovis had been liberated from his carrier and was recovering from the ordeal of travel by resting on the satin comforter, its lavender shade a regal backdrop for the rich black of his fur. She sank onto the bed, wriggling her fingers at the cat to entice him to move toward her as her mind speculated how good Declan would look sprawled across the comforter—with her on top of him.

  A sigh left her as Clovis stretched forward, accepting a light stroke across his muzzle before returning to the ball that had previously engrossed him. She should chastise herself for these thoughts. It was crazy to be thinking about seducing a man twenty years older than she simply because she hadn’t completely gotten over a schoolgirl infatuation.

  Grinning, Julie lay back across the bed, forgetting the idea of unpacking. It wasn’t as if she had pined for Declan all these years. She hadn’t thought of him in ages and had barely remembered him before he introduced himself. That disproved the remnants of a crush notion. No, this was an adult sexual attraction.

  Why not indulge? It couldn’t do any harm. There was nothing else to occupy their time for the next few days. He had already mentioned on the flight he would be sticking close to her until the situation with her father was resolved. Declan might as well stay really close she decided, voicing a wicked laugh.

  Jumping at a tap on the door, Julie sat up, smoothing her dress while wishing she had taken time to change into something more comfortable—and sexier—before leaving her apartment. “Come in,” she said, as her eyes slid to her bags packed with a mix of practical and seductive clothing. She had thrown in the latter selections on a whim and was now thankful she had. Maybe the idea of seducing him had been buried in the back of her mind the entire time.

  Declan leaned his head in. “I was about to fix dinner. Do you have any preferences?”

  Julie shook her head. “Not really. Need help?”

  He nodded, leaving the door open as he stepped back into the hallway. “That’d be great.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  As Declan departed, Julie rushed to the nearest suitcase, digging frantically through it to find something sexy that wouldn’t too obviously reveal her intentions. She wanted to look accidentally desirable, not appear to be a blatant temptress.

  The solution was a pair of silky harem pants and a matching tank top. The black accented her ivory skin, while also providing a stunning foil for her auburn hair.

  In record time, not bothering to close the door, she stripped off the white dress. A surge of disappointment overtook her when she stood naked without any sign of interruption by Declan. With a long sigh, she slipped on the harem-style lounger pants, moaning at the way the silk caressed her bare slit. Trying to force her attention from the pleasure she received with every step, she shimmied into the slinky black top. A quick brush of her hair to let the ringlets fall loose around her face and she was ready to assist him…right into bed.

  Julie found the kitchen easily enough due to the simple layout of the spacious apartment. It was a room filled with modern conveniences, decorated in black and chrome, giving it a sleek, modern feel that Declan seemed at home in. He looked up, his eyes widening as he gazed at her. She barely suppressed a grin when his eyes dropped back to the array of vegetables on the chopping board. He might be able to hide his expression, but he couldn’t disguise the flush of red tinting his cheeks. She seemed to have piqued his interest at the least.

  She sashayed into the room, trying to appear oblivious of the way the harem pants rode low on her hips. The tank top hugged her navel, leaving an ample expanse of creamy skin for his delectation, while baring the sapphire and silver ring in her belly button. “What can I do?”

  Declan cleared his throat, his eyes not straying from the task of aligning mushrooms. “I thought a stir-fry, if you’re willing?”