Loose Ends Read online

  * * *

  Amber Quill Press

  www.amberquill.com

  Copyright ©2007 by Catherine Snodgrass

  * * *

  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

  * * *

  LOOSE ENDS

  By

  CAITLYN WILLOWS

  * * * *

  ISBN 978-1-60272-023-7

  Amber Quill Press, LLC

  www.amberquill.com

  Also By Caitlyn Willows

  All Four One

  Bad Seed

  Body Double

  Bring Me To Life

  Caitlyn's Kisses, Volumes I, II & III

  The Dating Pool

  Do Or Die

  Forbidden Fruit

  Graduation Day

  The Heir

  Her Bounty

  High Roller

  Hired Hand

  Hotel California

  I Am For You

  Inside Man

  Laying Low

  A Little D.A.B.

  Love Potion #9

  Match To Flame

  My Salvation

  No Strings

  One Touch

  Our One True Love

  Playtime

  Showtime

  The Star Series, Books I-V

  Teacher's Pet

  Thief Of Hearts

  Treasure Hunters

  Undercover Lover

  Warrior Princess

  White Lies

  CHAPTER 1

  Matt Oliver glanced at the woman in the window seat next to him. Even asleep she could give him a hard-on like nobody's business, and this was after forty-eight hours of killer sex.

  He'd never met a woman quite like Allie Quinn. Not only was she hot as hell and great in bed, but she had a dedication to her job that matched his. Add every superlative a man could think of, and it all came down to one word—perfection. He wished they'd hooked up years ago, both professionally and personally. Now that they were a team, Matt was going to do everything in his power to see they stayed one.

  They'd spent the hours preceding this first leg of their extended journey home discussing every aspect of the Sumner investigation he could remember. It was a pity she couldn't review the full case file and subsequent information they'd acquired on the target. But all that was safely tucked away at the FBI offices in New York City. Neither of them had secure computer access to have it forwarded. They'd been on vacation, never anticipating Matt would be called back to continue his undercover assignment so soon.

  At least he wasn't going in alone this time. Allie would be backing him all the way. Other special agents had filtered in and out of his life during his two years with Brian Sumner. Matt had dealt with them cautiously, never knowing what to expect. It wasn't as if you could come right out and ask if they were FBI, and just because they were didn't mean they were all that reliable. After all, it was his life and his investigation at stake. He hadn't put two years into this undercover assignment only to see some jerk screw it all up. The one before Allie was a prime example. The agent was all right, but his loose cannon of an ex-wife had come close to getting both herself and her ex-husband killed, and jeopardized everything in the process. Had she been successful, it would have been a cold day in hell before the FBI ever got near Brian Sumner again, not that Matt would have lived long enough to see them try.

  Allie had been different from the instant they'd met, when she'd slinked into Sumner's circle to retrieve the flash drive of data he'd collected. Matt and Allie had meshed with each other as if they'd done it a thousand times. Their instincts were synchronous. Something like that happened once in ... hell, the odds were too high to measure. And to have them click on a personal level, too? At the risk of sounding cliché, it was priceless.

  He'd be the first to admit he was more than hesitant about going back under. Matt had successfully maintained his cover throughout the investigation. He'd even managed to avoid arrest and slipped away incognito when Sumner and the men with him were taken into custody. Proof of his success came from Sumner himself when the man tried to contact Matt's alter-ego, Matteo Lombardi. He was circling the wagons he had remaining, and Matt was one of those few he trusted. God only knew where it would lead this time, or how much more information he'd be able to gather. They'd only scuffed the surface of Sumner's corruption and that of his associates. Getting to those associates while keeping Sumner's trust had been impossible. This could be the chance they'd been looking for. The bigger question for Matt was ... could he continue to maintain his façade?

  His diligence and wariness had paid off the first time around. But even Matt realized that he'd grown tenser with each passing day he'd had to weigh every word and action. Two years was a hell of a long time to be undercover. He'd started to wonder if his breaking point was near. And then Allie Quinn had walked into his life. Disguised as call girl Samantha Shaw, she'd provided the perfect distraction, helping to bring about the beginning of the end of Sumner's reign.

  It had been Matt's idea for her to go back under with him. He'd like to have said he'd asked for professional reasons—an agent would be stupid not to want someone of her caliber at his back. But he'd been initially driven by personal needs. After two years of isolation, Matt didn't want to be alone any more. After having Allie in his life, he didn't want her out of it ... not for one second. No matter how work-oriented he was, Matt knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but her if she wasn't with him. He couldn't do his job if he was constantly worried about when and if he'd ever see her again.

  Then the Special Agent Oliver part of him—as Allie called him—kicked in. Having her there made sense. She already had a cover. Sumner thought she was a call girl Matteo had hooked up with. They could easily slip back in with those identities. She was sharp and quick, knew Matt's mind the second he did. And, like him, Allie would do whatever it took to stay alive and get the job done.

  Matt checked his watch. It was almost time to wake her. They'd agreed to split the five-hour flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles—one sleeping while the other one kept watch. He'd let her have the first shift. Maybe they were being over-cautious. The red-eye flight was far from crowded. People had spread apart as much as they could once the 757 was airborne. The seat between them was vacant as were the rows across, in front, and behind. They probably could have both slept for the entire flight. But neither of them had gotten where they were by letting his or her guard down. They kept to what they knew would keep them alive.

  He'd scanned the passengers during a quick trip to the lavatory, while the flight attendants were trying to sell headsets for the in-flight movie. From what he could tell, most people were bedded down. No one had budged since then. He'd spent his time reading a romance novel Allie had bought for beach-time ... and shamelessly enjoying it.

  Matt breathed in the sight of her once more. She had the airline blanket tucked under her chin, cocooned against the chill in the plane. One strand of her gold-brown hair curled around her breast, like it was seeking her nipple beneath the covering. Scooting into the seat between them, he combed the hair over her shoulder.

  Allie stretched, turning a lazy smile his way. “Quiet?” she asked.

  "Not a creature was stirring.” He loved the way she looked when she woke up. If they were in a bed right now ... He smiled and slipped his hand under the blanket. She wore comfortable, lightweight pants with a T-shirt. The loose material now allowed him easy access to give her a
proper wake up.

  Her eyes widened when he shoved his hand beneath the elastic waistbands in pants and panties, straight to the moist heat in her pussy.

  "Matt,” she whispered, flashing a quick look around them, “you wouldn't."

  Despite the half-hearted protest, she fisted the blanket and parted her thighs. Matt crossed his legs to quell the ache in his cock. It didn't help.

  "Shhh,” he spoke softly against her ear, then indulged himself with a lick around the shell.

  Allie sighed, lips pressed tight against any sound. Using his middle finger, Matt dipped juices from the well of her crotch up to her hard clitoris. It felt like it kissed him, thanking him for attention. He circled around it, marveling at the pulsing heat. Her breath quickened. More moisture surged forward. His erection throbbed, protesting its lack of participation. He'd never met a woman more daring, more ready for anything. But they weren't foolish enough to go all out. Still, the thought of ripping off her clothes and yanking her astride his lap sent fire skidding along his skin.

  He drew lazy circles around her clit. “My baby likes that, doesn't she?"

  She swallowed hard with her nod.

  He shoved his fingers into her core and rubbed his palm against her. Allie's eyes flashed open.

  "Too much?” he asked on a grin and pulled back to her clit.

  She sagged down farther. He wanted to tease her, to make her cry out, but he also didn't want to get them arrested. Slow circles pulled the tension up. He tugged the edge of the blanket over his lap and squeezed his cock. It refused to subside and demanded stroking. He felt her fingers drift over his thigh, aiming right where he needed.

  Matt clutched her hand in place. “I don't want to have to explain a cum stain on my jeans, sweetheart."

  She nestled her cheek into his bicep. “I'm going to take you in the lavatory, wrap my lips around...” She sucked in a sharp breath when he pinched her clit. It was in self-defense—to keep her words from making him come. His cock reacted anyway, threatening to spill jism everywhere at the sight of her lost in pleasure.

  He toyed with her clit, making it slicker, harder, hotter. Her body tensed. Her jaw clenched from the effort to keep quiet. Then she froze. His cock beat in time to her pussy's orgasmic contractions. She melted into the seat as her climax waned. He slowly pulled his hand free.

  Allie laced her fingers through his the second they cleared her pants. “Lavatory ... now."

  She didn't have to give the order twice. Getting there was the tricky part. His cock ridged his jeans very prominently. If any of the passengers woke up and noticed, they'd have more than a clue what he and Allie were getting ready to do.

  She picked her way down the aisle, keeping directly in front of him, pausing from time to time as if she were sick and having trouble. As they reached the miniscule bathrooms in the back, the blond flight attendant, whose nametag identified her as Nikki, stopped perusing her magazine and glanced up from her jump seat, questioning their actions with a single look.

  "She's a little queasy and needs my help,” Matt said quickly.

  Her gaze dropped to his erection. A barely perceptible smile lifted one corner of her mouth as she returned to her reading.

  Allie sat on the commode, parting her knees to allow him access to the tiny space. He'd barely slid the latch closed when her fingers flicked his belt open. The leather sighed as she freed it. One slice and the zipper was open. She curled her fingers around his waistband and tugged jeans and boxers down. His cock sprang free, right to her waiting mouth. Hands braced on the ceiling, Matt arched into a thrust as her tongue feathered around him.

  She cupped his sac, gently kneading his aching balls. Her other hand wandered up and down the crack of his ass, reminding him of all she could do to him if only there were room. The thought of her fingers delving into his ass quivered through him. Allie could definitely give as good as she got.

  Fighting each groan back, he watched her through lust-clouded eyes as she took him deeper with every suck. His hips pivoted of their own volition. He grabbed the back of her head, sinking his fingers into her silky hair as he tried to fuck her mouth. A hard pinch to his ass shot fire from his balls to the tip of his cock. She looped her tongue around and around from root to crown over and over. Then she found that oh-so-sensitive spot just behind his balls. Deep circles against it took his breath away. Heat pooled at his lower back. She sucked him deeper. His cock head nudged the back of her throat. Another hard suck yanked the orgasm out of him. Matt thrust forward as hot jets of cum spurted from him.

  He heaved in deep breaths, struggling to stay upright while his legs felt like rubber. Allie dotted kisses along his penis as it grew flaccid.

  "Ready for that nap now?"

  "A little too ready,” he managed to say. “You might have to carry me. I'm not sure I can move a muscle."

  She helped him tug his clothing into place. “It might be more of a drag than a carry, but I'd do it."

  Matt had no doubt. He was beginning to wonder how he'd managed without her all these years.

  Nikki didn't spare them a glance as they vacated the lavatory. Her legs were crossed, one slowly scissoring over the other seeming to indicate she wasn't as disinterested as she appeared.

  Back at their row, Matt took the window, while Allie guarded him from the aisle seat. In seconds he drifted off, secure in the knowledge that, for the first time in a long time on the job, he could rest and Allie would have his back completely.

  CHAPTER 2

  Agreeing to team up with Matt for this job might not have been such a good idea. Normally, Allie was one hundred percent focused on what she had to do and was cool and collected going in. Right now she was neither. Shortly after Matt dozed off, nerves plagued her. She'd never been one to freak out over air travel. After all, it was part of life, not to mention her job. And it wasn't exactly that the long plane ride bothered her, it was...

  She tossed another magazine to the stack in the seat between them and rested her chin on the pedestal of her hand. Allie didn't know what was wrong. Something felt off. She felt off. It was all she could do to remain seated and not pace the length of the jet. Nervous energy? Being cooped up when she was anxious to get things moving? Fear?

  One glance at the gorgeous man sleeping next to her answered all those questions in an instant. Odd how a look could take her breath away after all they'd been through. At some point she recognized the feeling for what it was—her heart tumbling head-over-heels for the man. It wasn't an emotion Allie took for granted. Finding love wasn't an everyday occurrence. Finding a compatible mate, especially in her line of work, even rarer. Although she'd longed for this to be a forever-feeling, Allie wasn't ready to be picking out china patterns yet. They'd barely had time to bask in the wonder and newness of their relationship before Matt had been called back to work.

  There'd been no hesitation on her part when he'd asked her to join him. If he hadn't suggested it, she probably would have. Hell, she couldn't stand having one seat between them, much less miles.

  That thought made her smile. She loved how soft his brown hair felt when she rippled the strands through her fingers, how his hard body meshed with hers. Locked in passion or walking side by side, he made her feel like a woman, like nothing and no one existed but her. And yet there was also no denying he treated her as his equal. He valued her opinion, her skill, her intelligence. On top of all that was an adventurous spirit to match hers, be that in play, in exploration, or in work.

  All special agents knew they had to do anything and everything for the job, to stay alive. It was a given. But with Matt, Allie could trust he'd do exactly that. As a federal agent, she appreciated the worry that took off her shoulders. As a woman falling in love...

  Allie pulled in a deep sigh. She, too, would do whatever it took. Her biggest obstacle now was setting aside this burgeoning feeling and putting the job first. She had to continue to trust the instincts that had thrown them together in the first place. That's what would k
eep them alive. Putting love ahead of job, especially undercover, had to be the number one mistake a special agent could make. She refused to let her feelings make her sloppy. Matt's professionalism was what drew her to him initially—that and the fact he'd crawled under her skirt minutes before he'd fucked her up against the wall in front of God and everyone. She had to let him do his job, just as he had to let her do hers.

  It didn't matter that his smile had her tingling like a teenager. It didn't matter that one brush of his hand, one look, one kiss had her close to coming. It didn't matter that the thought of him made her smile. What mattered was staying alive so they could continue to enjoy it all.

  Allie snapped her wandering thoughts to a halt as the flight attendants hauled the service cart up the aisle. The scent of fresh brewed coffee stirred people awake. She glanced at her watch. Matt still had some snooze time available ... if he was still asleep. She'd bet he'd wakened with the first rattle of the cart and chosen to keep his eyes closed. It was a ploy she'd used in the past to surreptitiously gather information—amazing what a person found out when others thought you were asleep. It was also an excellent chance to hone one's other senses. Agents never knew when they'd literally be in the dark. Good use of touch, sound, and scent might be the difference between life and death.

  Lowering the center tray, she peaked out the window. Approaching sunrise lightened the sky. By the time they reached New York City, it'd be dark again. They hadn't been on Hawaiian time long enough to reset their biological clocks, so at least the time change wouldn't be too much of a killer. By this time day after tomorrow, they'd be ready to step into the world of Brian Sumner and his dirty dealings. She'd had a small sample of what being in the man's company was like and wasn't looking forward to repeating it. But she'd also be damned if she let Matt go back there alone.

  "Would you like something to drink?"

  Allie smiled up at the flight attendant as Nikki placed napkins and two granola bars on the tray. “Two black coffees, two waters with ice, please."