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JETT DRUMMED HIS FINGERS on the conference table, frowning. “This doesn’t look good, boss,” Nick said, eyeing the surveillance footage from outside the DOD building. They watched as a man looked left and right, seemingly trying to determine if anyone was around. He clutched the messenger bag he was carrying tightly, then turned and hurried toward the parking lot in the distance.
“Not at all,” Sam drawled. “What the hell is that guy doing snooping around the perimeter? Doesn’t he realize there are cameras all over the place?”
“He’s young and dumb,” Gray said. “Of course, that works to our advantage.”
Jett shook his head, pausing the video. He clicked on the computer, pulling up the picture of a DOD badge with a photo and name. “Peter Susco is a contractor with DOD. He’s worked in the Boston office for two years but has recently fallen on financial troubles. He has a high-level clearance, granting him access to Top Secret, compartmented information. While my contact at DOD has a list of people with access to the materials that have been leaked online, Peter Susco’s recent activity has aroused suspicions.”
“He’s hidden his tracks fairly well,” West said. “His electronic trail, at any rate. The IT staff said it looked like everyone in Susco’s branch was pulling all the files in question. He was able to alter the records showing who accessed the data. It looked like everyone on his team accessed the documents every hour. Potentially, it would incriminate everyone.”
“And you have a solution for this?” Jett asked.
“I just need to get on his actual machine. If he’s involved in leaking the classified information like we suspect, I’ll be able to prove it to the Feds.”
“And wrap up this case in a neat little package,” Jett quipped.
“What about everyone else in his branch?” Nick asked. “They’ll wonder why you’re on his machine and no one else’s.”
“We’ll swap them out,” West said. “I’ll have the IT staff put a new stack of CPUs at Peter Susco’s workstation.”
“How many computers does the guy have?” Ford asked in confusion.
“He has access to multiple networks,” West explained. “Each one has a separate CPU for security. He’s logging in with his credentials. Many of those government cubicles are set up the same way. Anyone with access can log in to any workstation under their own ID and password.”
“I don’t know,” Nick said, frowning. “You’d think this would make him suspicious. If he’s a computer guy, he’d probably realize the actual computers are different.”
“Which is why you’ll be there with a cover story,” Jett said. “Both of you are TDY to that office. Get a feel for what’s going on. We’ll have IT set up a temporary workstation for Nick. They’ll be moving equipment around, so he won’t have reason to question it. Then maybe West can show the technical staff there a new trick or two so we can nail this asshole down.”
“He’s good,” West said. “I’m not surprised they were having trouble figuring it out. I think I know what he did though, I just need to get onto his machine to prove it.”
“He might be good with computers, but apparently he’s lacking common sense,” Gray said, glancing at a picture on the screen. “Stealthy, he’s not. He’s sneaking around the building like he didn’t know he was being watched.”
Jett shook his head. “It appears that he’s one of those book smart, not street smart type of guys. He’d make a piss poor operator.”
“I doubt he’d pass bootcamp, boss,” Sam said with a smirk.
“So was he taking physical or electronic copies from the building?” Nick asked. “The way he’s looking around makes me wonder what’s in that messenger bag.”
“Both, which is another problem,” Jett said. “The IT staff should’ve been notified right away if he attached hardware to his computer or inserted a flash drive. It never should’ve gotten to this point.”
“He’s managed to fly under the radar, disguising his actions, but I’ll get him,” West said.
“And I’ll get a feel for what’s going on in that office to make sure no one else is involved,” Nick said.
“Looks like he did himself in with that surveillance footage,” Gray said.
“That tipped off security. He and the others in his branch were already under suspicion for the leaked materials. He’s the only one with financial troubles, however. We’ll get in there and wrap this case up.” Jett clapped his hands together and rose from the table, moving to grab a stack of files. “Now that we’ve discussed Boston, let’s look at Sudan. The rest of the team may be moving in soon to clean up that mess.”
***
HOURS LATER, JETT ENTERED the code to disable the alarm of his home and turned the doorknob, walking into his foyer. Anna had been home all day with the baby, but she’d texted him to say he was down for the night. Or for a few hours at least, Jett thought wryly. Brody certainly hadn’t started sleeping through the night yet.
His eyes tracked to the living room, and he smiled as he saw the Christmas tree lighting up the otherwise formal space. Anna had gone overboard with decorating, with garland and mistletoe throughout the home and multiple trees, but that was just her. She was exuberant and over-the-top. Fun. Life with her had been an adventure from day one, and he’d missed her today when stuck in back-to-back briefings at headquarters.
“Hey baby,” Anna said as he walked into the kitchen. She was washing baby bottles at the sink, and he did a double-take as he set his things down on the table. The scene was so damn domestic yet somehow suited her. Anna was a natural at everything—running a home, being a new mom, keeping things operating smoothly at the office. Even her old firm had begged her to return when she’d left her job on Wall Street. She was an asset to anything she did.
“Hi sweetness,” he said, moving across the room. She had on leggings with a white tee shirt, and as Anna glanced over at him, he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her nipples pressing against the soft cotton was an erotic sight. Even in casual clothes, Anna was a knockout. Sexy and sweet at the same time. His cock twitched, and he moved closer to give her a gentle kiss. Her hands were still in the soapy water, and he wrapped his hands around her hips, holding her in place as his lips moved leisurely over hers.
“Mmmm,” she murmured as the kiss grew heated, one of his hands tangling in her hair. She turned and lifted her soapy hands to his face, cupping it with a smile. He rubbed the scruff of his jaw against her soapy hands, and her eyes danced with amusement. “Did you miss me?” she asked as Jett pulled back, chuckling.
He grabbed a towel from the counter, scrubbing it over his face. “All day. I had nonstop meetings, but I was tempted to sneak out early.”
“Whatever for?” she teased with a wink.
“Just anxious to see my fiancée,” he said, his eyes raking over her again. Anna’s nipples had pebbled with their heated kiss, and he moved closer, nipping at her neck, one hand lightly grazing her breast through the cotton of her shirt.
“What’s in the bag?” she asked, catching sight of it as he nuzzled against her soft skin.
“Just some Christmas things,” he said, his lips at her ear. “No peeking,” he chastised as she tried to move toward it. Jett caught her in his arms, smirking. “If you can keep surprises, then so can I. I saw Lena was here earlier.”
“Checking the security cameras, were you? Well, no worries. She stopped by to visit when running some errands, but I have her sworn to secrecy.”
“She’s on my payroll,” Jett said dryly.
Anna scoffed and turned back to the sink, quickly rinsing the remaining bottles. “You wouldn’t dare try to get it out of her. Besides, us women know how to stick together. You should know that by now.”
“Learned it from the best,” he quipped.
Anna looked over her shoulder, the amusement clear on her face. “That you did. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Jett tried to choke back his laughter as Anna’s phone began buzzing on the counter. Although he was fifteen years older than her, their age difference had never been an issue. She was young. Vibrant. And Anna had captured his interest like no woman ever had before.
“It’s Ashleigh,” Jett said as he glanced at Anna’s phone.
“Oh, put it on speaker!” Anna replied, swishing the water around in the last bottle before dumping it out.
“Hey hun!” Anna said as Jett set the phone near her on the counter. “I’m just getting ready to sterilize some bottles. Jett’s here,” she quickly added.
“Hi Jett! How’s the whole saving the world thing going? Do you miss me yet?”
“Hi Ashleigh,” he said, resisting the urge to smile. “Of course, I miss all of Anna’s friends. You should come up from the city one weekend.” Anna frequently put her friends on speakerphone when she was talking with them. It was amusing to listen in on their conversations. He’d even offered some advice once or twice, although her friends sometimes found it hard to believe that impulsive, headstrong Anna was the one who’d settled down first. “How’s life in Brooklyn?” he asked.
“Good. Just working on another book that I’m publishing next year.”
“Ah, of course. A writer’s gotta write.”
“Something like that,” Ashleigh said with a laugh. “If I’m not reading, I’m writing. Or trying to understand Anna’s cryptic texts.”
Anna quickly reached over and snatched the phone, taking it off speaker. She shooed Jett away, moving out onto the back deck. He watched her in amusement from inside the kitchen. Apparently Slate, Ashleigh, and Lena all knew Anna’s Christmas surprise. He shook his head. His woman was something else. He could listen to the outside security camera feed if he really wanted to find out what was going on, but Jett wasn’t about to go that far. Anna seemed to enjoy the idea of surprising him. If he teased it out of her in other ways, so be it. He wouldn’t snoop on her electronically.
She shivered slightly as she spoke on the phone, and he grabbed the coat he’d tossed on the kitchen table. The moonlight shone down on her, the deck and patio area lit up from the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree outside. He wasn’t exactly a romantic, but something about her out there seemed magical. Jett grabbed the baby monitor and opened the doors to the deck, smirking as she quickly ended the call.
Jett shut the door behind him as she set down her phone, his eyes heating as he looked at her. “You looked cold,” he murmured.
“So you brought the baby monitor out here to warm me up?” she joked.
Jett set the monitor on the table and wrapped his coat around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she shivered. “I brought myself out here to warm you up. Is all this cloak and dagger really necessary?” he asked, eyeing her phone.
“Absolutely. You’ll just have to learn to be patient,” she said.
“That’s tough around you. It’s safe for you to use the hot tub now, right?” he asked. Normally Jett was a man of action, used to taking charge, but he’d found himself uncertain more than once during her pregnancy. He wanted his hands and mouth all over her, making her cry out his name, but he wanted to soothe and care for her, too. Tend to all her needs.
Her eyes lit up at the mention of the hot tub. “Yes, but only for ten minutes or so. You’ll have to be quick,” she teased. “Think you’re up for the challenge?” she asked lightly.
Jett’s gaze raked over her. Her breasts were pressed against the white cotton of her tee shirt, her nipples hard. Anna’s long, blonde hair blew gently in the night breeze, and he wanted to simply devour her. “That’s never a problem with you around. I’m hard all the time,” he said, his voice gravel. He pressed closer, his lips at her ear. “And you’re so sensitive, I can always make you come quickly. I’ll take my time later when I have you in bed.”
“Promise?”
He chuckled, moving in for a heated kiss before he guided her over to the hot tub, flipping on the jets. His gaze landed on the lounge chairs where he’d first held Anna a year ago, her naked body pinned against him as he made her come apart in his arms. She’d been responsive and enthusiastic even then, mere hours after they’d met in Manhattan.
And he’d spent the entire weekend making her his.
Jett grabbed towels from the outside storage cabinet, thankful he’d thought to put two plush robes there. Anna was already stripping, and his cock twitched. She’d never been shy around him, happy to have his gaze on her gorgeous body. Her breasts bounced enticingly as she lifted her shirt above her head, and then Jett was on her, palming her breasts and stripping off her leggings. He wanted to feast on her, tasting every delicious inch, but it was freezing outside. Jett helped her into the water, listening to her giggles. The contrast between the bite of the cold winter air and hot, bubbling water was always startling. Sensual. He loved nothing more than spending alone time with Anna out here.
Jett quickly shucked off his own clothes, ignoring the cold and instead watching as her body disappeared beneath the swirling water, a playful smile on her lips. Anna’s long, blonde hair floated around her, giving her an almost ethereal look. “You’re a siren,” he murmured. “Sexy and sweet and too damn tempting for me to ever resist.”
He stepped into the water, his cock already hard, watching as she teasingly moved away. Jett growled and pulled Anna onto his lap as she laughed, enjoying the feel of her wet, warm body against his own. He shifted her so she was straddling him, her full breasts pillowed against his chest, her ass nestled atop his stiff cock. Their lips clashed, hungry and desperate, and then his hands were everywhere—palming her breasts, teasing her nipples, sliding between her pussy lips to feel her silken arousal
“Jett,” she breathed, clinging to him as he toyed with her clit.
“You’re going to come for me, sweetness. Come on my fingers and then on my cock.” He shifted her higher, easing two fingers inside her molten core. Anna gasped as he urged her on, pinning her against him with one muscular arm. “That’s right, honey. Come for me.” His thumb slid over her clit, rubbing in circles.
“Jett,” she wailed, head falling onto his shoulder.
“You’re even more sensitive now,” he said, nipping at the softness of her neck. “Come on my fingers, sweet Anna. Give yourself to me.”
Anna’s entire body tightened, her pussy clenching tightly around him, and then as he worked his hand faster, rubbing her clit, she cried out his name, clinging to him in the cold winter night. Anna was still gasping and pleading as he eased her back down from her shuddering orgasm, her face flushed, her body ripe and ready for him. Jett shifted her once more, lining her pussy up with his thick erection. Her slender thighs were spread around him, her cleavage rising above the water, tempting him. “Are you ready to take me, sweetness?”
“Yes. I need you.”
He gripped her hips as she lined herself up, and then the head of his swollen cock notched at her entrance. She whimpered, the hot tub bubbling around them, and then Jett thrust into her in one quick movement. Anna gasped, her inner walls pulsing around him, and he held himself in place, trying to remain in control. “You feel so good,” he murmured. His hands slid to her ass, gripping, and her breasts rose above the bubbling water as she shifted up.
“Ride me,” he ordered. And then she was, Jett’s big hands squeezing her bottom possessively as Anna shifted her hips, taking what she needed. He ducked, sucking a pretty nipple into his mouth as she cried out at the new sensation. Her fingernails scratched his head, the bite of pain welcome. Jett loved nothing more than driving her out of her mind. His balls tightened as she squeezed him with her pussy, and then he took over, needing to make her come once more.
Jett’s hands wrapped around her hips and pulled Anna down as he thrust up. Anna’s cry came out of nowhere, her orgasm forcing his own. Her inner walls milked him, and Jett felt his balls tightening more before he exploded. “Anna!” he ground out, holding her to him as his cock twitched again, still buried deep inside her body. They were both breathing heavily as he kissed her sweetly, softer than before. “I love you,” he murmured.
“I love you too, baby.”
“Let’s get you back inside,” he said, reluctantly shifting her off him so he could grab a towel and robe for her. Ignoring the cold himself with only a quick, efficient toweling off, he wrapped her in a fluffy robe as she stepped out of the hot tub and lifted her into his arms.
“I can walk,” she teased as he carried her across the deck.
“But then I don’t get to hold you close,” he said. The cries of Brody on the baby monitor had both their eyes shifting to the table. “I’ll get him,” Jett said. “You go get warmed up and relax.”
“Have I mentioned that I love you?” she asked as he set her down carefully in the kitchen.
Jett’s lips quirked as he shut the back door, setting the alarm. “You might have, but I don’t mind hearing it again. Go,” he said, playfully nudging her toward their bedroom. “I’ll be in after I take care of baby Brody. I’m not done with you yet,” he added with a wink.
