Page 20 of False Flag

“If I have my weapon, I can help with that. It’s not far. I promise.” She glanced back over her shoulder and gave him a wicked smile. “I’ll make helping me worth your while. Promise.”

There was a slight lilt to her voice, and he was intrigued enough to want to fall for whatever she was planning.

She dropped to her knees and crawled through a small opening. He was impressed she’d found the blind; it was well concealed. The opening was only visible at ground level.

Plenty of light shone through the leaves and branches, and he could see the blind was big enough for two people, three if you were willing to get very cozy.

At the back was Anastacia’s weapon, just like she’d said. She pulled off her headgear and turned, blocking his path forward as she sat back, her weight resting on her elbows. “Welcome to my hidey hole.”

“I uh, can’t move forward with you blocking the way.”

She grinned and said in a breathy voice, “Yes, you can.” She reached out and flipped up his face shield, then tugged off his helmet.

He was absolutely suspicious about her change in tune, but damn if he wouldn’t see how far she was willing to go. He crawled forward until his knees were between her spread thighs and his fists held him above her, planted on either side of her narrow waist. His face was just above hers.

“Is this where you want me?” he asked.

“Almost. Come in a little deeper.”

“You’re killing me.”

She cupped his face, running the pad of her thumbs over his cheekbones while her palms stroked his stubbled jaw. “Maybe eventually, but right now, I just want this.” She pulled his face forward as she scooted an inch in his direction.

Their lips met, and damn, she opened wide and took him into her mouth with abandon. Stroking, sucking, she held nothing back. His brain went blank.

“Anastacia,” he murmured as he kissed her back, licking, exploring, tasting.

“Call me Staci.”

“Yesterday, you said you’re Staci only to your friends.”

She kissed him again, then whispered. “I didn’t say only. No one uses my full name.”

“It was implied. And why not use your full name? It’s beautiful.” He ran his lips over hers as he whispered, “Anastacia.”

Her mouth opened beneath his, inviting another deep kiss. Her fingers threaded through his hair. Whatever her reason for initiating the kiss, she was as into it as he was.

After a long interval, he raised his head. “Please, can I call you Anastacia?”

She ran her fingers over his jaw, her thumb touching his lower lip, while her other hand slid lower, down over his chest, then along his side, where the padded vest wasn’t in the way. “I don’t know…hearing you say it… It—it makes me want to lose control a little bit.”

He grinned. “So I’ll only say it when we’re alone.” He kissed her again and said firmly, “Anastacia.”

She pressed her hips upward, grinding against him. “Jacob.” His name was followed by a groan as his erection teased her center.

He twisted his arm to allow the Falcon artifact to pop free of the band. It dropped to the ground beside them so he could press closer to her as they kissed. Without the barrier of the plastic falcon, he felt the hard outline of a gun at the edge of her padded vest.

She had a pistol?

Did traffickers get extra weapons?

He kept kissing her, not giving any sign he’d noticed something wasn’t right. He moved all his weight to his unbanded arm, leaving his slightly bound hand free to stroke the side of her breast.

He wanted to pull up her top and push aside both the protective padding and her bra and take her nipple into his mouth, but instead, he caught the hand that had slowly inched the pistol from beneath the vest and into firing position as she distracted him with kisses.

He didn’t stop kissing her as he turned the gun in her hand and pointed it at her side. He kissed her even as he slid a finger over hers on the trigger and ever so gently squeezed.

Chapter Seven