Baiting Trouble (Sinful Business Book 2) Read online

  “Your Jake—Jake Morrissey. Or have you forgotten about him already?”

  Ally nearly dropped her tablet. “Jake’s here?” She looked up and indeed saw Jake standing with a group of men in black suits. They were all wearing hard hats—leave it to Jake to look hot even with that ugly, plastic thing on his head—and discussing something intently. Jake seemed completely at ease—you’d think he came down to the plant every day. If he had noticed her, he gave no sign of it—he was completely engrossed in the conversation. Her heart raced and her breath quickened as a myriad of emotions rushed through her: happiness, excitement, but also alarm. Why hadn’t Jake told her that he was coming? If the agency sent him in, did that mean that she and Delilah had failed to do their jobs? Or maybe the situation was heating up without their realizing it, which again meant that they’d messed up.

  “I think those are the consultants from McKeenly,” Delilah whispered. “Should we go talk to them?”

  “No, let’s just get out of here.” Ally pulled down her hard hat, turning toward the exit.

  They were almost near the exit when they came face to face with Brad Weiss. “Good morning,” he greeted them. “I see you’re hard at work already. I like your dedication.”

  “Good morning, Mr. Weiss,” Ally muttered. “We were just leaving.”

  “Good thing I ran into you then. I’d like you to meet consultants from McKeenly.” Weiss pointed in the direction of the men with Jake.

  “Oh, we really wouldn’t want to intrude,” Ally said. “I’m sure you have very important matters to discuss.”

  “Nonsense. Like I said, you never know where the next big idea is going to come from. You girls are sharp—I bet you could teach those suits a thing or two.” Making it clear that he wasn’t taking no for an answer, Weiss walked toward the group with Delilah and Ally following him.

  At the sight of Weiss approaching, the men in the group straightened their backs and flashed bright corporate smiles as they proceeded to introduce themselves. Ally stood back a few steps, hoping that Jake wouldn’t be too shocked by seeing her and Delilah. If he was, he didn’t show it. He was pure calm and professionalism as he shook hands with Weiss.

  “Gentlemen, it’s a pleasure to meet you all,” Weiss said. “I know you’ve got quite a task before you and I look forward to the results of your work. I’m sure that by now you’ve all heard of Orion’s culture. We’re all for learning and innovation here. No matter how busy my day may get, I’m never too busy for coaching a new employee, and I hope you’ll embrace our company spirit during your time here. With that said, I’d like to introduce you to our interns.” Weiss turned around and motioned for Ally and Delilah to come up closer. “Katherine McGee and Beatrice Johnson.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, gentlemen,” Delilah managed. Ally merely nodded—she was so nervous that her tongue literally stuck to her throat.

  “Katherine and Beatrice are engineering majors and they just completed their junior year at NYU. Prior to interning at Orion they’ve had on the job experience at several manufacturing conglomerates, and now we’re fortunate to have them here with us. They are conducting a study of Orion’s plants. I believe we may find some synergies between the two projects. I expect you gentlemen to show full cooperation should Katherine and Beatrice have any questions for you.”

  Ally couldn’t help wondering about the motivation behind Weiss’s words. Company culture or no culture, it was still bizarre that he was paying such attention to two lowly interns. McKeenly consultants must have thought the same thing because they looked slightly bewildered, but managed a few polite phrases and bright smiles nonetheless.

  Only Jake remained as cool as ice. “But of course, Mr. Weiss,” he said crisply. “This business is all about innovation, and I’m sure that both Katherine and Beatrice will have valuable input for us. I’m Jeff Olson, by the way. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  ***

  When Ally got home after work she abandoned her usual tidiness and threw her purse on the floor. She’d spent the day waiting for Jake to contact her. Half a dozen times she’d almost picked up the phone to call him, but decided against it every time for fear of breaking his cover. She had no idea what the environment at McKeenly was or what his day there was like. He could be surrounded by people at all times, and she didn’t want to set off alarms by calling him at an inopportune time. Jake was going to contact her, she was sure of it. Except he hadn’t, not yet at any rate. She knew it sounded pathetic, but she wanted to lock herself in with her cell phone until Jake gave her some sort of sign. Delilah must’ve sensed her unease because she accepted a dinner invitation from Mark and this time Ally didn’t object. She needed peace and quiet while she waited for Jake.

  This waiting around was excruciating. She decided to try fooling herself into not waiting and pretended to go about her evening. She left her phone in the living room and headed into the bathroom, thinking that a hot shower would relax her. She took her time to lather up and shaved her legs. Then she toweled off and blow-dried her hair. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on these tasks, the entire time her ears kept straining for the sound of the ringing phone. Finally she gave up and curled up on the couch in the living room. Her cell phone lay right there on the coffee table, taunting her with its silence. She was about to turn on the TV when she heard the cell phone vibrate. She quickly picked it up and saw an incoming message over the agency’s encrypted messaging system. It had to be from Jake—it had to. With trembling fingers she clicked the message open.

  “Atlantis Hotel, 8 p.m. room 405, S.W.” was all it said, but she instantly knew that the communication had come from Jake. S.W. stood for Scott Wilson—an alternative alias Jake frequently used. It made sense that he didn’t use the alias he had used that morning when introducing himself as a McKeenly employee.

  At first her heart soared and then it plummeted. After an entire day of waiting all she got was a measly line. No I missed you, can’t wait to see you, or I love you. She knew they were on the job, but it would have been nice to see at least an ounce of human emotion.

  Snap out of it, Ally thought, annoyed with herself. She was starting to get ridiculous, like a love-crazed teenager. This was work—they were two professionals who had to protect their identities. If Jake was keeping his communication brief, he had to have a reason for it and she had to keep her cool. She checked the directions for the Atlantis Hotel and saw it was about an hour and half drive away. If she left in twenty minutes she’d get there on time.

  Ally forced herself to be calm as she got dressed. She selected a practical outfit of jeans and a silk blouse that wouldn’t draw any attention. She kept her makeup minimal with a dusting of powder and a coating of mascara and tied her hair into a ponytail. The only indulgence she allowed herself was lacy underwear. After all, no one would see it except Jake. At least she hoped he was going to want to see it.

  ***

  Jake Morrissey gripped the car wheel and kept his eyes on the road. Today had been hell. Seeing Ally and not being able to say anything but a handful of impersonal corporate words to her tore at his heart. His mind told him that he couldn’t have handled the situation in any other way, but his heart told him otherwise. There were many things he could’ve done. For starters, he could’ve called her and told her he was coming. He could’ve arranged to meet her as soon as he landed in Newport, but he didn’t. Not because he didn’t want to see her—there was nothing in the world he wanted more—but because he dreaded what he had to tell her. He was a selfish coward, that’s what he was.

  Only earlier today did he realize his procrastination could’ve put Ally in jeopardy, not to mention cost him his cover. But then how was he supposed to know that McKeenly would drag him to Orion’s plant first thing Monday morning? He’d hoped for at least a day or two to get situated, to come to terms with his situation, and gather the courage to talk to Ally. Instead, he got dragged to the plant as soon as he set his foot in the offi
ce, and lo and behold, Ally and Delilah were right there. He had to give credit to them both—they didn’t even bat an eyelash. No one would suspect they’d ever met before. But now the cat was out of the bag and he had to tell Ally what had to be done.

  Jake pulled into the parking lot of the Atlantis Hotel and registered under an alias. He picked up his key and headed to his room. He checked his watch and was glad to see that he had time for a shower. He felt grimy and sweaty after the day he’d had and wanted to wash it all off. He turned on the cold water and forced himself under the icy stream of water, hoping that the cold would clear his mind.

  Jake got out of the shower and toweled off. He put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt which he’d brought with him. He’d chosen the Atlantis Hotel for his meeting with Ally because he wanted to meet in a remote location where they wouldn’t be spotted by anyone from Orion. He could’ve picked a bar or a restaurant, but he wanted privacy for what he was going to tell her because he wasn’t sure how she was going to react. Jake took a seat on a couch and turned on the TV. He clasped his hands behind his head, not really paying attention to the screen as his mind searched for the right words for what he was going to tell Ally.

  Chapter 12

  Ally pulled her car into the parking lot of the Atlantis Hotel. Her heart was beating wildly. She was nervous like a school girl. She felt as though she was going on a first date. This is silly, she told herself. She was going to meet Jake, her Jake. In a few minutes he would have his hands around her, kissing her, holding her, telling her how much he missed her. Now that they were working on the same project, they would have to be careful about their relationship, but they’d find a way work things out. She could see the added secrecy as being almost fun, exciting.

  Ally got out of the car and headed for the reception desk. She gave the clerk Jake’s alias and the room number he was staying at and then took the elevator upstairs.

  Despite its somewhat exotic name the Atlantis Hotel was a replica of Holiday Inn, with the same type of generic three-star decor. Ally hardly noticed her surroundings, however, as her feet carried her down the carpeted hallway and past the beige walls. She reached Jake’s room and knocked on the door. She could hear footsteps walking toward the door, his footsteps. A few moments later the door opened and there was Jake.

  “Jake,” his name caught in her throat.

  “Ally.” He smiled and stepped aside for her to walk in.

  He leaned in to close the door behind her and she caught his familiar smell: a mixture of his cologne and pure Jake. She felt shivers from head to toe, her body heating up. He must’ve sensed it because he turned around to face her. Before either of them could utter a word, they were kissing, their bodies pressed together and their arms wrapped around each other.

  Ally savored the sensation of Jake’s hard, powerful body pressing against her. It felt as though there’d been an eternity since she felt his touch. Only now did she realize how much she’d missed him. The pent-up force of her longing mounted, making her moan with desire. Her hands wrapped around his neck as she pressed her mouth against his, their lips locking hungrily.

  Her hands moved down his torso, caressing his strong shoulders, his chest and his washboard stomach. He flung off his t-shirt. Her hand moved lower, to the fly of his jeans and she felt the force of his desire for her, which was as overwhelming as her own. His lips were on her neck, alternating kisses with sensual nibbling. His hands gripped her bottom and he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her to the bed. He put her on the bed and began to undress her. She arched her back with impatience, quickly slipping out of her clothes. He still had his jeans on and with one quick movement she undid the zipper of his fly. He pulled off his jeans and joined her on the bed, covering her body with his. She reached for him, unwilling to wait a moment longer for their bodies to unite. She groaned as she felt him inside her, filled with hunger that seemed impossible to sate.

  He began to move inside her with slow, measured thrusts. Each time she gripped his shoulders tighter, hungry for more of him. His movements grew more powerful and she joined him, her body moving in sync with his. She felt a wave of pleasure coming on, so intense and delicious that it seemed almost too much to bear. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she gripped his neck, her body linked with his as though it was a part of it. She uttered a loud moan as she came with abandon, clinging to him passionately. He halted for a few moments to let her catch her breath, and then he began again, his thrusts mounting with delicious intensity. She was surprised to find that that hunger that seemed sated moments ago had awakened in her with renewed force. “I want to be on top,” she murmured. She gripped his back tightly and they rolled over in unison. She began moving in deliberate, measured thrusts, savoring the intense pleasure of each movement. She could tell that he was enjoying it just as much as she was from the blazing passion in his eyes. There was a force of intensity between them, a pulsating field of their passion all gathered and wrapped together. His hands gripped her waist as he eyed her with longing, his eyes blazing with passion. She felt pleasure building inside her in waves, each one higher than the one before it. And then her pleasure climaxed as she arched her back and thrust herself into him, and he too joined her as they climaxed together. She curled herself next to him, her head resting on his chest as they lay together in utter bliss, their bodies spent with pleasure.

  A few minutes later Jake nudged her gently. “Ally, we need to talk.”

  “I know. There’s so many things I want to ask you—like what are you doing here and how come you didn’t tell me you were coming?” His expression looked pained and she regretted her words. “I’m only kidding. I’m sure you had your reasons.”

  “Yes. Just give me a minute—I’ll be right back.” Jake picked up his jeans from the floor and headed into the bathroom.

  Jake closed the bathroom door behind him. He was feeling like a complete cad. Instead of being honest and telling Ally what he planned to tell her, he gave into his lust and took advantage of her. Well, maybe not complete advantage, for one touch of her hot, sexy body was enough to tell him that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Still, he was older than her and should’ve been the more responsible party. Instead he gave in to his urges like a sex-crazed teenager. They weren’t just physical urges though. His feelings for her ran much deeper than that, which made what he was about to tell her that much more difficult.

  Jake splashed cold water on his face and took several deep breaths. Marion had been right. She had made it clear exactly what he needed to do. This assignment was dangerous. Tian Wang was not someone to toy with—he was the kind of man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. When involved in a case like this, every personal connection, every attachment became a liability, a potential chink on your armor. Jake trembled at the thought of the danger that Ally might be in if his cover was exposed, if Wang’s people were to find out how much she meant to him. If only she hadn’t been assigned to this damn case, but then a situation like this was bound to happen sooner or later—it was the nature of their job.

  Until Ally, Jake had never dated anyone from work. He had a few one night stands, but that was all they’d been—one night stands. Several of his friends at the agency had become involved with other agents, but their relationships had a disclaimer from the onset: we’re going to be in this while it’s fun and then we’ll go our separate ways. He’d never discussed anything of the kind with Ally. The idea was revolting to him. But now, in hindsight, he realized that although programmatic and callous on the surface, his friends had been more honest than him. At least they were realistic of the restrictions that their job had on all aspects of their lives.

  But what if there was no job? No more aliases, no more undercover operations. He considered walking away and turning his back on it all. Would Ally join him? And most importantly, would he be able to give her what it took for her to do so? As much as she meant to him, he still wasn’t sure if he’d be a
ble to make the leap.

  Ally had been the first woman he’d been truly committed to. Most would think it ridiculous that it took him almost until the age of thirty to find out what it was like to be in love with one person, but it did. Prior to that there’d been lots of women—gorgeous, stunning women. He’d enjoyed them immensely for the time being and then he moved on to the next toy. Many of these liaisons were work-related. Pillow talk was a very effective means of getting vital information. Until things went wrong and a woman, a source, died because of him. The agency told him that it wasn’t his fault, but he didn’t care. So he ran, his tail between his legs, hiding away as an instructor at the agency’s training academy. He probably would still be there today if he hadn’t met Ally. Even though he was the one with years of experience behind him, she was the one who saved him, the one who made him believe in himself again. He hadn’t even as much as looked at another woman since he met her, but old habits had a tendency of coming back. What if his old nature would rear its ugly head? He was scared of ruining what they had. As long as there was nothing tying them together, no guarantee to their relationship, he felt as though he had to win Ally’s heart each time, to earn the privilege of being with her. His biggest fear was that he’d forget how special what they had between them was, what a gift it was to be with her. That was why he hadn’t told her that he loved her—because if she told him that she loved him too, he was afraid he’d take her for granted. And that was why he was afraid to ask her to marry him. But of course these weren’t the only reasons. Deep down he was scared that she might turn him down. A girl like her could have any man she wanted—why should she settle for him? Their age difference didn’t seem like much of a difference at first, but it was still a difference—she was in her early twenties and he’d turned thirty. Thirties felt grave and somber, while twenties were full of yearning, anticipation, and endless horizons. Did he have what it took to give Ally the future she dreamed of? He wanted to believe he did, but the decision he’d made proved he didn’t. So now he had to walk away from the magic they had because he was too much of a coward to do what it would take to keep it.