Carnal Innocence

“You said this was top secret. Does that mean I can’t tell anyone where I’m going or what I’m doing? Not even my family?”

“Not a soul.”

Dad and Ethan and Travis would never know what sweet little Caitlin was up to.

Caitlin was tempted. Oh, Lordy, she was tempted. But how could she be sure this wasn’t really just some sick way to pick up women? Could she trust Cassie’s judgment about the man? Her roommate had been willing to go. Until a better offer came along.

But this was likely to be the best—most exciting—offer Caitlin was ever going to get.

“Listen, I know you don’t know if you can trust me. But you’ve got about two seconds to make a decision. Maine is a long way from here.” Sean shifted uncomfortably on his feet, the first real sign of any emotion beyond anger and impatience. “I don’t ask for favors from many people, Miss McCormick, because I don’t like to be disappointed. But I’m asking you to help me now. For your country.”

“I’m the only one who can help?” He didn’t answer her. But the steely set of his jaw told her he hadn’t found it easy to ask for her assistance. Caitlin finally set down the vacuum hose.

He expected her to be one of those people who disappointed him.

He expected her to say no.

She decided to act strictly on impulse. It was a liberating feeling. She didn’t know if it was the McCormick in her—ready to do her patriotic duty—or the good girl in her, anxious to please those around her. Maybe it was the dreamer who had waited far too long to crash out of her sheltered life and have a real adventure.

It might even have been her woman’s heart deciding. The heart that wanted to rekindle Sean Maddox’s faith in the world.

“I’ll go with you on two conditions, Agent Maddox.”

He rolled his shoulders back, giving the false appearance that he was relaxing his stance. His eyes still refused to show hope. “What are they?”

“That my father never finds out where I am this weekend.” She shrugged, hoping she wouldn’t regret this impulse, hoping Agent Maddox wouldn’t regret it, either. “And that we stop by a post office somewhere on the way to Maine so I can mail my rent check.”

“Done.” Caitlin barely had time to grab the rent envelope and her purse before he pulled her out the door.

4

“SORRY WE COULDN’T TAKE more time, but we’ll be driving straight through the night as it is just to make the ferry connection tomorrow evening at five.” As Sean spoke, he steered his car down the D.C. exit out of Alexandria, Virginia, and pulled into the northeast flow of traffic on the interstate.

While he wasn’t ready to admit that his luck with women had changed, his mood, at least, had improved. He had a date. It had been a long time since he’d had a date, and even though this one was on behalf of the government, he was glad to know he could still get a woman to say yes to his rusty charms.

Even if it was a woman as unpredictable as Caitlin McCormick.

According to Thomas’s documentation in the little black book, Cassie was pretty much a known quantity. She’d do some flirting. Indulge in friendly chatter. She wouldn’t be afraid of a few public displays of affection.

But Caitlin was an unknown factor. For some reason she’d said yes to his outlandish invitation. She was either a real patriot or a woman who took foolish chances. He’d like to think she was the former. He could appreciate that kind of dedication to a cause.

But she might be just plain crazy. After all, she talked to furniture and threatened men with vacuum cleaners.

Maybe it was a good thing he’d chosen to drive to Maine and avoid the security checks and flight delays of air travel. He’d need the extended time together to get to know her and establish a predictable working relationship with her.

“You doing okay back there?” he asked.

Sean peeked into his rearview mirror and saw the reflection of one long female leg thrust up into the air from his back seat. The leg was long and tanned and showed off sleek curves of muscle along the calf and thigh. He was definitely enjoying this part of the getting-to-know-each-other process.

The leather interior of his Porsche 911 Targa had never been used as a dressing room before, but the idea took on a definite appeal when a second leg—equally long and curved and perfect—thrust up into the air beside the first one moments before a swatch of denim swept over them. Sean squashed down his body’s responding tension and turned his focus back to the road.

She was only a couple years older than his sister. A kid in comparison to his lifetime of experience. If Sabrina had agreed to gallivant halfway across the country with a stranger she’d just met—even if he did flash a badge—Sean would have her hide. Correction. He’d have the bastard’s hide.

Caitlin had hinted at having an overprotective father so, as an overprotective brother, he should be able to relate. He definitely wasn’t having brotherly thoughts right now, though.

Caitlin’s breathless voice came from behind him in the back seat. “I’m fine. I appreciate you running across to that discount store and buying me a dress while I was in the post office. I can’t very well show up at a posh resort in my cutoffs.” She grunted as she struggled with some piece of clothing. “What do I owe you for it?”

“Not a thing. The Bureau is paying for everything this weekend.” Sean’s gaze slid back to the mirror. She wasn’t making it easy to concentrate on good intentions. Her long-limbed build made it a struggle to change from her shorts into the black sundress he’d bought for her.

But it was an entertaining struggle to watch. With the car on cruise control, he tilted his head to get a better view down into the seat behind him. Caitlin was lying across the leather upholstery, scrunched down out of sight of passing motorists. She’d stripped down to her underwear, demure triangles of pink cotton that covered interesting places without really hiding them. Her small, pert nipples strained against the pink cloth as she pulled the dress over her head and shimmied it down the length of her body. Before she got things into place, he noted a wisp of darker gold hair peeking from beneath the cotton at the juncture of her thighs.

Innocent as her movements were, his body reacted as if the actions were part of a calculated seduction. In the close confines of the car, the earthy smell of the leather combined with the enticingly fresh scent of Caitlin herself. It was an erotic male-female stimulation of the senses that only intensified his imagination. He subtly tugged on the denim at his crotch and adjusted his position behind the wheel to ease the growing tightness in his groin. He could picture himself in the back seat with her, with those legs of hers high in the air and him in between them.

Get a grip, Sean. Sensing fatigue and frustration were fueling his randy thoughts, he politely turned away and changed lanes. But an inexplicable fascination soon had his gaze focused back in the mirror.

Now she was on her knees in a crouching position. Her sweet round rump bobbed up and down as she fought to work the zipper up her back. Oh man. He spread his knees a little farther apart.

“Need some help?” The offer was out of his mouth before common sense could stop his hormones.

Caitlin’s head popped up in the rearview mirror. Her honey-gold hair bounced around her head in wanton disarray as if he had been in the back seat with her. But her cheeks were rosy pink and her eyes wide and startled. Their gazes locked in the mirror before he could look away.

But if she was embarrassed to learn he’d been watching her, she didn’t say so. Instead, she tossed her white canvas deck shoes onto the floor in front of the passenger seat. “Sure. I can’t get this danged zipper up. There’s not much room to maneuver back here.”

Bracing a hand against each bucket seat backrest, she stretched one leg between them and climbed forward. In the process the gentle swell of one breast rubbed across his upper arm.

With sight and scent already providing the tinder, the actual press of female flesh provided the spark that zapped Sean’s fantasy into a reality. His fingers clenched around the wheel as his primed body jerked in response. “Watch it!”

“Sean!”

The car swerved to the left. Caitlin toppled onto him. Suddenly he was cradled from ear to cheek in the softness of her breasts. Her tangy, fresh-air scent surrounded him, and the warmth of her body pressing against his consumed him.

In the next instant, he took control of the car and his wayward reactions. He righted the wheel, steered them safely into the passing lane and pushed against Caitlin’s thigh, forcing her down into her seat. She landed with a plop on her bottom, as a flush of color raced across her skin.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she answered breathlessly. Keeping her gaze fixed on the dashboard, she dropped her feet to the floor, slipped into the shoes and buckled her seat belt. Only after she was breathing more evenly did he see her big gray eyes dart his way. “Sorry.”

“No harm.” He kept his gaze on the last dregs of rush-hour traffic and concentrated on his driving instead of on the gangly beauty beside him.

They’d passed the next mile marker before she angled her face toward him with a wry frown. “Not a very auspicious start to my secret-agent career.”

Oh, no. Miss McCormick needed a quick reality check. “I’m the secret agent. You’re on vacation.”

“But I want to help.”

“You are, just by coming with me.”

That answer seemed to disappoint her. “What will I be doing while you’re investigating the island?”