“How does he know you?” Wyatt asked. “How does my best friend from high school know it’s you?”

“I can explain.” Charley held out her hands as she stood. “I’d like to change out of these clothes first.”

James and Cael entered and split up-one to the bathroom, one to Stuart. They pulled each man from his stupor.

“What is there to explain? How does he know?”

Charley tried to move past Wyatt, but he blocked her way. “Let me by, Wyatt.”

“Let her by, man.” James’s warning came as he sat Kevin in a chair.

Wyatt moved enough to let her by but so that she’d have to rub her entire body against his to do so. Once past, she strode into the room where Lily waited.

“How much do I tell him?”

Lily pointed to her ear.

Damn!

Wyatt walked in, fury burned his eyes. “Tell me how much of what?”

“Everything,” Lily mouthed and moved to the opposite room.

Charley knew they’d listen to every word. She paced as she thought. The size of the room prevented the extension of her full stride as Candie. What does he really want to know? She bristled at the lack of space.

“Sit down, Wyatt.” Charley motioned to the bed where Candie slept.

He stood, arms crossed, and didn’t budge.

“Okay.” He’s not going to make this easy.

She ran her hands through her hair. When she touched the lens of the hidden camera, she followed its path down the back of her head and detached it.

“Now only I can see you.” She laid it on the table.

“How do you know Stuart?”

“We worked together.” Not a lie.

“When?”

Too soon after I left you. “A number of years ago.”

“Why?”

“Same as you. Help. Information.” She shrugged. To save his life.

“How did he know you aren’t Candie?”

The question lay in front of her like a red-hot branding iron. How much did she risk? How far did she have to go? “I let him kiss me.” She looked down at the floor.

“So a kiss tells someone who you are?” His voice rose. “Is that all it takes? A simple kiss on the lips?” Wyatt stepped toward her.

Charley took a step back, bumped into the table. “Wyatt-”

“Don’t ‘Wyatt’ me.” He threw his arms out like an umpire calling a runner safe. “How does he know, dammit? You said you showed him.” Wyatt’s tone turned venomous as he batted the sides of his head with his palms. “It’s nearly midnight, Charley; I’m tired and frustrated, and this new information isn’t going to help.”

“I told you.” Charley dropped her voice to a whisper.

“Like this?” Wyatt’s lips met hers with a fiery passion.

Her arms hung limp at her sides, like drapes above a window. As Wyatt pressed his lips to hers, memory took hold. She wanted to tear into him; she wanted to cry.

Control your emotions Charley, or he’s going to discover the truth.

Wyatt pushed the kiss farther.

Charley’s hands regained their function, and she dove into him, dug through his suit, and moved her fingers up to his hair, where she pressed as he shifted and adjusted. Their lips sizzled with an intensity she’d known only with one other man-rather, the man he used to be.

She pulled her lips from his but kept a secure hold on him. “I was in South America.” Though it wasn’t the first time we met or the last. “We were on an assignment for the Army. Stuart was a private in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Go on.” He pushed but laid his head against her forehead.

“Like this operation, he walked into the middle of it. To save his life I had to reveal a bit of my cover, so to speak.” She took a deep breath. “In the process, we ended up entangled within each others’ arms and walked out unharmed. But-” She moved her hands up to hold on to Wyatt’s lapels. “-I still had work to do, and he might see me again. We needed a signal to ensure if we found ourselves in the same situation, we’d both know.”

“That doesn’t sound so farfetched. Why didn’t you just say something?”

“He’s undercover, Wyatt. He’s not a part of this group you’re searching for. If he’s here, in that role, he’s fighting the same battle. He signaled me, I signaled him. We both knew.” More than you.

“Who does he work for?”

“That I can’t say.” Or not exactly-same group as you.

Relief flooded into her as Charley realized Wyatt’s concern lent itself more to their cover than her revelations. He tried to turn, but Charley held him close.

“As far as I know, he’s not on our side. I haven’t seen him since high school, so I really don’t know anything about him.”

“I thought you were best friends?”

When he met her eyes again, she worried she’d said more than she should know. He’d said that earlier, hadn’t he? Dammit!

Sadness clouded the green of his iris. “We were. We had a falling out a long time ago.”

“Good friends are hard to come by.” She ran her hands up his chest. Almost eye to eye without the stilettos, she could see deep into his.

He dropped his head and shook it, tried to turn from her but she held tight again.

“Why won’t you let me go?” His expression teased.

She sensed diffused rage. “Why should I?”

Wyatt moved his arms to her waist and pulled her into him again. Their eyes locked, emotion passing from one to the other. Charley withheld her moan as pleasure filled her. Wyatt tilted his head, and with a deliberate and gentle touch, eased his lips to hers again. The kiss burned into her psyche and ignited fires long since dampened.

Wyatt shifted as Charley did. They moved together as if they’d known each other forever. Their tongues teased, breath escaped and bodies pulsed-heartbeats in sync.

Charley closed her eyes as Wyatt relaxed in her arms. Her fingers tickled the back of his neck-a place she’d found he loved before.

He’s the same.

He shivered under her touch.

Recognition?

Charley pulled her lips from his. “There’s more, though.” She kept her gaze on his. Oh, so much more.

“Yeah, I guess since he knows about us, none of our interrogation can be in Kevin’s presence.”

Fear kept truth hidden. “I’m not sure what he knows, but I promised we would keep his cover.” Charley didn’t move away.

“We will, but will he keep ours?”

He always has.

“It’ll help if I’m not Candie when we talk.” Her body trembled. “Wait.” She stopped, confused. “I thought none of them would remember.”

“They won’t if we inject them, but I’m not sure I can do that to a fellow American, or agent, if that’s what he is.”

“Then I will,” Charley said. And everyone can forget it all.

Wyatt pushed her hair behind her shoulder. His finger caressed the side of her neck. Charley let the sensation run through her-as memorable as if she’d been the eighteen-year-old he’d once known.

“Thank you,” Wyatt said.

“For what?”

“For opening up. For being honest. For telling me stuff you were probably sworn to keep confidential and for trusting me.”

Ouch. Charley held her smile in place.

Wyatt dropped her hand as she pulled away from him.

“Shall we get your information, then?” She turned to the door as Lily entered. Her sniff and tears sent panic through her. “Lily?” She pushed past Wyatt. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s… Chase…” She sputtered as James and Cael came in behind her. “He’s missing!”


***

“Who’s Chase?” Wyatt asked.

Charley didn’t respond. She moved to stand directly in front of James. “What do you mean?” Her entire body shook, hands clenched at her sides as if about to boil.

James leaned down to her as Lily wailed into Cael’s arms.

Who is Chase?

Cael firmed his lips while James’s quivered, but he drew his gaze to Wyatt’s. “Chase is our son.”

A child? Wyatt’s expressions must have been clear as shock ran through him. Whose? Charley’s? With James? His mind ran through the gamut of questions.

“Where is he?” As Candie, she stood toe to toe with him. Her fingers gripped his forearms. “Where is he?” Her voice broke.

“They don’t know.”

Unsure of his role but still aware of her impact on him moments before, Wyatt opted to leave logic behind. He put his hands on Charley’s shoulders.

She sucked in a breath. “What about Sophie?”

“Sophie is missing, too,” James said.

Charley shook her head, turned to Wyatt, grabbed his jacket and leaned her forehead against him. She breathed in deep again and released air. Lily’s sniffles continued.

“Tell me he ran away. This is a joke. Some stupid ploy.” Charley whispered with a pain so clear the hair on Wyatt’s arms stood on end.

Memories of long ago-the one time in his life he’d had the same emotion-a time he’d buried and ensured he’d never go through again.

James shook his head.

“This cannot be happening.” Her voice hitched, and she pulled at her hair. “Sophie was there to take care of him.” She whipped a hand out.

“They don’t know anything, Charley.” Even James struggled with the words, his voice cracking with each answer.

“I can make some calls,” Wyatt said

Charley’s voice broke. “Don’t leave me.” She clung to him-a lifeline that would break if he let go.

“I won’t leave.” He held her with one hand while he fished in his pocket for his cell. Her pain disconcerted him. Wyatt wanted to comfort but didn’t know how much he could, or should, offer. She’d become a part of his life through an investigation that she’d completed. If he could offer her some consolation, he would, but they’d part ways. She’d agreed and done more than he should have asked. He’d do the same.

“They could be wrong,” he said, though the scowl James made told him otherwise.