Logan watched Olivia doze, happy to see her finally relaxed. He could tell from the dark circles under her eyes she hadn’t been sleeping well, and he hoped this nap helped. Based on what she’d told him about her work in Colombia, she wasn’t going to get much rest after they arrived.
He scanned through the questionnaire again, pausing here and there to linger over some of her answers. He’d practically memorized her responses, but the repetition gave him something to do. Besides, it was important he remained vigilant. If he let himself relax on this assignment it could mean the death of a lot of innocent people. So he read and reread her words, burning them into his brain. It seemed like a lot of effort for a random collection of facts, but it was easy to dismiss the risk from the safety of the airplane. Once they were on site, knowing exactly how Olivia took her coffee could be the difference between success or failure.
She was very precise in her answers, he noted. Her favorite color wasn’t just blue, it was the blue of a cloudless summer sky. Her favorite drink was mint tea sweetened with honey and poured over ice. She didn’t take sugar in her coffee, but instead added cream until it was the color of a brown paper bag. He smiled to himself, enjoying the images her descriptions evoked. It was a good thing she’d been so forthcoming in her replies, as it made his job a lot easier.
And it was a job, he reminded himself. Even though he found her incredibly attractive, even though the more he learned about her personally, the more he wanted to know, even though she was in danger and he instinctively wanted to protect her, he couldn’t afford to lose sight of the fact that once they returned to the US, they would go back to being neighbors who were too busy to really connect. It was a disappointing thought, but it was better to acknowledge the truth now than be surprised by it later. He wasn’t going to let a woman hurt him again.
Except... Olivia seemed different. There was no artifice in her gaze, no hint of falseness. Emma, on the other hand, had been a master of manipulation. He’d once marveled at her ability to work a crowd. She worked for an animal rescue charity, and once upon a time he’d been proud to watch her schmooze money out of donors, thinking she was a true believer in the goodness of her cause. She could charm the birds from the trees, and his mistake had been thinking her machinations didn’t extend to their relationship. He’d been so naive. Emma’s work made her a socially acceptable con artist. Sure, she didn’t rob people outright, but she played on their sympathies to separate them from their money, often lying to their faces if it meant getting a bigger check. He’d finally realized she enjoyed her job not because she was making a difference, but because she viewed it as a game. She got a rush from tricking people, and there had been no end to her capacity for deception. She’d seen everyone as a potential mark, and he’d been the biggest fool of all.
Looking back, he could see all the warning signs he’d missed before. But that was the point of hindsight, wasn’t it? Recognizing what you’d done wrong so you didn’t do it again. Except in his case, all his hard-learned lessons were fading from his mind as he spent more time with the woman next to him.
Olivia shifted in her seat, then settled into a new position with a sigh. It was a small, intimate noise, the kind a woman made in the middle of the night while lying in bed. It had been a long time since he’d been privy to such private sounds, and hearing one now triggered a wave of longing so intense it made him ache. What he wouldn’t give for the touch of a hand on his body! But he knew from experience that meaningless sex was not the solution to his problem. Scratching a physical itch did nothing to ease the loneliness in his soul, and he always walked away from the encounter feeling emptier. It was why he’d given up dating in the wake of Emma’s betrayal—until he was ready to really trust another woman, being with someone just made him feel worse.
He glanced out the window, but the cotton-candy clouds obscured most of his view. This was going to be a difficult assignment, but he’d never backed down from a challenge before. He wasn’t about to start now, especially under these circumstances. His team had been tracking cartel activity for the past several years, doing its best to cut off the supply chain in the United States. They’d had some successes, but the satisfaction that came from intercepting a few thousand kilos of dope was tempered by the knowledge that there was a seemingly endless supply waiting in the wings. If they could cripple Fantasmas del Mal, it would go a long way to reducing the amount of cocaine entering the country. They’d never been able to get close to the cartel’s operations before, but now...
He slid another glance at Olivia, tracing the delicate lines of her brow and cheekbones with his gaze. He hadn’t really talked about just how important this operation was because he didn’t want to put any added pressure on her. She was under enough stress already, worrying about the lives of her friends. But if the DEA could confirm the location of one of the cartel’s jungle super-labs? It would be a huge coup for them. The Colombians could shut the operation down, which would cause the cartel some major pain. Furthermore, the lab itself was most likely an intelligence gold mine.
He let his mind wander, imagining how one bust would lead to another, and another... If they played their cards right, they might even be able to bring down the whole organization. The power vacuum wouldn’t last long, but they could do a lot of good in the interim and it would send a message to the other cartels that the DEA never gave up.
Olivia shifted again and Logan tucked his daydreams away. He couldn’t let himself get caught up in that imagined future, or else he’d miss what had to be done in the present. As much as he wanted to be the one to lead the charge, his job on this operation was to gather the necessary intelligence so they could mount a successful takedown. It was vital to find out as much as possible now so there were no surprises later. Normally, this part of the job went smoothly.
But then again, he normally didn’t have to worry about protecting a civilian.
Fortunately, he didn’t think Olivia would be much of a burden. Sure, she had no operational training to speak of and didn’t know the first thing about gathering the type of information the DEA needed, but she was an intelligent woman who kept her cool under pressure. It was an important skill, one that not everyone possessed. In fact, in Logan’s opinion, it was the only thing that mattered. Everything else was trainable.
Not that they would have much time for that kind of thing. He might be able to teach her some basic self-defense moves, but that was about it. Certainly not enough so she could hold her own in a fight, if it came to that. All the more reason to stay close to her. The thought filled him with a perverse satisfaction that he didn’t want to examine too closely. Keep it superficial, he reminded himself.
It was a message he was going to have to keep repeating if he wanted it to sink in.
* * *
Olivia inhaled deeply, drawing the rich, loamy scent of the jungle into her lungs. The air was thick with humidity, but it still felt refreshing after spending so much time in the cold, stale air of the plane. She slid a glance at Logan to gauge his reaction and hid a smile as he mopped at his brow. Hopefully it wouldn’t take him too long to adjust to the climate—she didn’t want him to be uncomfortable the entire trip.
The Jeep hit a divot in the road so hard it made her teeth clack together painfully. She grabbed the door for support and tightened her grip on the backpack at her feet. The cartel’s money lined the bottom of the bag, and while she had managed to put it out of her mind on the plane, now that they were in Colombia she was acutely aware of the risk she was taking. If the bag was lost or stolen, it would mean the death of her friends.
Fortunately, Logan was here to help her keep an eye on it.
He laid his hand on her arm and squeezed, the gesture a sweet reassurance that she wasn’t alone. “You can relax,” he said softly. “It’s not going anywhere.”
She nodded, acknowledging his point. Besides, if she didn’t stop worrying, she was going to drive herself mad. She let go of the bag and put her hand back in her lap.
Logan reached over and threaded his fingers through hers. A thrill shot through her at the contact, but she tamped it down. It was part of the act, she reminded herself. They had to maintain a consistent image now that they were in Colombia—there was no way to know who was spying for the cartel.
She turned and smiled at him, scooting closer until their legs touched. He draped his arm around her shoulders, holding her in place as the Jeep bounced along the road.
“How much longer?”
She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe half an hour. It depends on the road quality.”
He grimaced. “You call this a road? Looks more like an overgrown deer trail to me.”
“You’re in the jungle,” she replied simply. “What did you expect?”
“Fair enough.” He was quiet a moment. “It really is beautiful, though.”
Her heart warmed at his words. She’d fallen in love with the lush growth of the rain forest on her first visit to Colombia as a child. Her grandmother’s home had backed up to a section of the forest, and she’d taken many walks among the trees with her parents, marveling at the exotic plants and animals, so different from anything she’d seen in Virginia. The fact that Logan seemed to appreciate it as well made her happy and also a tiny bit proud. Even though she’d grown up in the United States, her parents had been raised in Colombia and the country had always held a special place in her heart.
The Jeep slowed to navigate a particularly tricky curve. Logan leaned over to peer out the window. “Are those monkeys in the trees?” He sounded incredulous and a little bit excited.
Olivia leaned over, as well. “Yep,” she confirmed, seeing the familiar auburn shapes. “Howlers. You’ll hear them in the morning—that’s when they’re really chatty.”
A look of wonder crossed his face. “That’s so cool.”
She laughed. “You think that now. But trust me, they’re like an alarm clock you can’t turn off.”
The driver, having evidently picked up on their conversation, chose that moment to let out a loud wail that was a halfway decent impersonation of the monkey’s famous cry. Logan and Olivia both jumped, and the man grinned at them in the rearview mirror.
“Bulla, sí?” he asked with a wink.
Olivia nodded. “Sí,” she replied, then turned to Logan. “He said they’re noisy.”
“So I gathered,” he replied drily. “My Spanish isn’t that bad, you know.”
“If I were you, I’d keep that to myself,” she advised quietly. “People tend to be freer with their words if they think you can’t understand them, and since you are a stereotypical gringo, you just might overhear something interesting.”
“Good idea,” he said, leaning over to press a quick kiss against her temple. “We might make an agent out of you yet,” he whispered.
His breath was hot in her ear and the intimacy of it made her shudder slightly. Logan felt the tremor of her body, but apparently mistook its meaning. “Don’t worry,” he teased. “I’ll still be your backup.”
“That’s good,” she said, striving to keep her tone light. “I need all the help I can get.”
They spent the rest of the drive making small talk and marveling at the plants and wildlife visible from the Jeep as they bumped along the road. As they got closer to the village, Olivia’s anticipation grew, fizzing in her stomach and making her feel a little giddy. She looked forward to this trip all year long, and she was determined not to let Carlos and the specter of the cartel steal her joy. Even though they were making her do an evil thing, she was here to changes lives for the better. It was a humbling task, but one she was proud and grateful to take on.
The density of the jungle began to thin, and eventually they entered a clearing in the thick growth. Their driver slowed as they approached the village, and a group of children who had been playing nearby abandoned their game to run after them as they entered the village proper.
“It’s bigger than I expected,” Logan remarked, leaning over to get a better look out the window.
Olivia thought back to her first trip here and how her stomach had quivered with a combination of excitement and fear when she’d caught sight of the white adobe buildings that lined the streets. The town was postcard-picture worthy with its cobblestone streets, clay tile roofs and brightly painted doors. But the beautiful facade hid a bone-crushing poverty that prevented many people from having access to health care. And although she was only one woman, she was able to change dozens of lives in the time she spent here every year. It never felt like enough, but it was better than nothing.
“The medical charity chose this town as our home base because it has a fairly stable connection to the power grid.”
“That makes sense. I imagine it’s kind of hard to do surgery without electricity.”
She shuddered, thinking back to the operation she’d told him about before. “It’s definitely not my idea of a good time.”
“Do all your patients live here?”
“No. Some of them are local, but some of them come from miles away. I’ve been making this trip for several years now, so word has gotten out that I’m here during this time of year. There are always a few patients who have traveled long distances to get here, hoping I can help.”
“And do you?” There was no judgment in his tone, only curiosity.
“I try my best.” But there were some people she couldn’t help, and it always broke her heart. That was the downside of coming here—there were limits to her abilities, and she couldn’t save everyone.
They pulled up to the hospital, a large two-story building on the corner of a block. A bright blue stripe was painted along the bottom half of the walls and served to set the building apart from its surroundings. In case that didn’t make it distinctive enough, a large blue cross decorated each wall, proclaiming to all that this was a place of healing.
Olivia climbed out of the Jeep and stretched, enjoying the pleasant ache brought on by moving muscles that had been still for too long. She glanced over to find Logan doing the same thing and smiled. Due to his size the trip had probably been more uncomfortable for him, but he hadn’t complained once. She appreciated his stoicism. Nothing made a long trip seem even more endless than a whiny travel companion. Maybe I’ll share that chocolate after all...
A series of thumps made her turn, and she saw their driver was busy unloading their luggage onto the sidewalk. He appeared to be in a hurry, if his speed was anything to go by, and Olivia quickly walked over to intercede. Although she had mailed most of her supplies to the hospital well in advance, she had packed some things that were too fragile or too important to trust to the Colombian postal system. It would be a shame to make it here only to have them broken on the steps of the hospital.
She reached for a bag, grabbing it just before the driver. He gestured for her to hand it over, but she shook her head, smiling to soften her refusal. “This one is very fragile,” she explained.
He nodded. “As you wish.” A moment later, the rest of the luggage was on the pavement. “Do you need help getting everything inside?” the driver asked, his hand already on the door handle of the Jeep. It was clear he had somewhere else he’d rather be, and Olivia couldn’t help but wonder if he was one of the spies Carlos had mentioned. Was he running off to report they had arrived?
“No, thank you,” she said, tipping him for his service.
“Perhaps he can help you,” the man said, nodding his head at Logan. “He looks strong enough.”
Logan snorted softly but otherwise gave no indication he’d understood. Olivia smiled politely. “Thank you. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
The man climbed in and drove off without further comment, stirring up a faint cloud of dust in his wake. Olivia watched him go, frowning slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Logan asked, his voice low and close.
She turned to find him standing next to her, his expression pleasant but his eyes intense. “I just think it’s strange our driver was so quick to leave. In my experience, they’re usually all too happy to offer additional assistance in the hopes of raising their tip. Do you think he might be on their payroll?” She didn’t have to specify who “they” were—Logan knew the cartel was never far from her mind.
“It’s possible,” he said. “Or perhaps he had another fare to pick up.”
“Maybe.” But she couldn’t shake the feeling the man was more than he had seemed. “I don’t think we said anything revealing on the ride here...”
“We didn’t.” Logan’s confidence washed over her and she felt her muscles relax a bit. “So even if the man does work for the bad guys, the only thing he can tell them is that we’re here. Not exactly newsworthy, if you ask me.”
“I suppose you’re right.” She offered him a halfhearted smile, feeling a little foolish for having overreacted. “I guess I’m just being overly paranoid.”
“That’s not a bad thing to be right now.” Logan squeezed her shoulder, triggering a wave of warmth down her arm. “Keep your eyes and ears open, but try not to let your vigilance get in the way of why you’re really here.” He nodded at the hospital. “You can’t help people if you’re afraid they’re going to betray you at the first opportunity.”
“That’s true,” she said, knowing he was right. She couldn’t give her patients the attention they deserved if half her brain was busy worrying that they were spies for the cartel.
“Let me be the one to handle the nasty business. You’ve got more important work to do.”
His offer was reassuring, and Olivia knew he meant what he said. Even though she hadn’t known him long, something told her he was more than capable of following through on his words, a fact that was even more encouraging.
“I’ll try to remember that,” she said. It would be difficult to let go of her fears, but she had to trust Logan. Just because Scott had turned out to be a disappointment didn’t mean all men were. Logan hadn’t done anything to deserve her doubt—not yet anyway. She had to stop thinking of him as a man she was attracted to and remember that he was her lifeline. The two of them had to function as a team if they wanted to survive.
It was their only chance.