JoshuasMistake (9 page)

Only the rhythm of her hips guided her. He nipped the side
of her neck, slid his hand under her shirt and bathing suit and pinched the
distended nipple until she cried his name.

The muscles of her pussy pulsed and gripped at nothing and
he felt every moment of her ecstasy. His cock swelled and his balls tightened.
It took all of his will not to come in the wash of her orgasm as it flowed over
and through him. Pressing his fingers hard against her clit, he waited for the
rapture to subside.

He was about to suggest they go back to Will’s and make use
of the dojo. Still befuddled by the passing frenzy he was surprised when Tessa
dropped to her knees and pulled his shorts open, freeing his cock with her
tender touch. He imagined his eyes were wide until her warm mouth slowly slid
over his hard shaft, he tipped his head back and his eyes closed of their own
accord.

Her tongue glided over him. Nothing had ever felt as
glorious as that sweet mouth on his cock. She took him deep into her throat and
sucked as he slid out. Her tongue swirled around the swollen head, teased the
small slit before drawing him back inside.

His fingers threaded through her hair without guiding her
actions. There was no reason to force her forward or back, she knew exactly
what he wanted and needed. His body was rigid with the building orgasm. Her
excitement niggled at the back of his consciousness, pushing him higher. Her
mouth moved faster as her hands skimmed the back of his thighs to his ass.
Gripping him tight and pulling his hips in close, she gave his shorts a swift
tug and let them fall to the floor.

She never lost the rhythm while her fingers skimmed the
crack of his ass, down his bare leg and up again until she gently tickled his
tight balls. His body hummed and pulsed before the released shattered around
him.

A deep grunt rose from his chest and echoed around the small
room. His hips jutted forward again and again and he instinctively gripped her
head. Her excitement thrummed stronger against his mind.

Gathering himself, he looked down as his cock slid from her
mouth. Not a drop of juice dripped from her lips.

“Dear God, Tessa.”

She smiled as he helped her up from her knees. Then he
pulled his shorts up and pulled himself together. As he slipped out of her mind
he noted all the other complicated thoughts rushing back. She might have been
single-minded when it came to sex, but she was otherwise a very complicated
woman.

Her eyes were glassy. “That was fantastic.”

She fastened her shorts and brushed the dust off her knees.

“Is it always going to be this way with us?” he asked.

Her head cocked. “What do you mean? Didn’t you have a good
time?”

“You know I did.”

“Then what did you mean by ‘this way’?”

He put the floor back in place and returned the bench to its
spot over the top of his hiding place. “Sex with you is the most intense of my
life. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

She kissed his cheek. “Me too. Now let’s try not to get
ourselves killed in the next few days.”

“I’m not really used to other people in my life being so
sensible. I’m usually the practical one.”

“Something else we have in common.” She winked.

In the car she turned in her seat to look at him. He could
see her out of the corner of his eye. “What?”

“Am I allowed to ask questions now?”

Hoping she wanted to ask about the situation they were in or
why he kept a safe house in Key West, he nodded. “What do you want to know?”

“Where did you grow up?”

He groaned inwardly. If it was anyone else asking he would
have told them to mind their own business. But this was Tessa and she had told
him about herself. Still, his answer was short. “In a psi training camp.”

“How old were you when you went there?”

“Seven.” His memory of being yanked away from his little
brother still wounded him as if someone were twisting a knife in his gut. Kane’s
big, crying eyes watching him go haunted his nights more often than not.

“And before that?”

He took a deep breath. “Kane and I were orphaned when he was
just a baby. They put us in a state home for a few years. Kane stayed there
when I was collected by the FBI. Eventually he ended up a psi bounty hunter and
had no memory of me.”

“Wow. How did you find each other?” Sympathy laced her
words.

He shrugged. “He was on one of his early cases. I’d been an
agent for a few years. He was assigned to pick up a guy who the agency had
surveillance on. I recognized him immediately.”

“Really, after all that time? Hadn’t he changed?”

The memory made the corners of his mouth turn up and he
realized he didn’t really mind telling her. “He looked different, but his eyes
were the same. But it wasn’t his looks I remembered. It was his aura, the
vibration of his energy. I would have recognized him in a stadium full of
people.”

“You can feel energy vibrations?”

“Yes.”

“Can you do this with everyone or only family?”

“Everyone.”

“Me?”

He stopped the truck, parking it alongside Will’s converted-hangar
house. The ocean stretched out beyond the runway as far as they could see.
Reaching across the bench seat, he skimmed his fingers across her soft cheek. “You
remind me of a perfectly tuned symphony. You scare the shit out of me.”

He might have said more. He certainly couldn’t tell her he
thought she was a perfect fit for him. Their relationship, if that was what it
was, was still being measured in hours. She’d think he was out of his mind. It
was too soon. The problem of how much to say was taken out of his hands when
Will’s smiling face appeared an inch from the driver’s side window.

A row of cars were parked next to the house. Joshua smiled
and got out of the car. “What’s going on, Will?”

“Well Wanda’s here and she’s brought a small psychic army
with her. I was able to call in a few favors and I have some news of Banta.”

“What news?” Tessa asked as she rounded the car.

“I confirmed he’s no longer in prison.”

“Do you know how he got out?” Joshua asked.

“I thought I’d just tell the whole thing to everyone at once.”

“I haven’t decided what to tell them yet.”

Will’s frown was so unnatural he looked odd to Joshua who
had known him for years.

“I think you have to tell them. They should know what they’re
getting into,” Tessa said.

“I agree,” Will said.

“They may all walk right back out the door once they know
Banta is the enemy.”

Will shrugged, but Tessa just watched him with her eyes
narrowed.

Joshua sighed. “Fine.”

He ignored the look that passed between Tessa and Will and
went toward the house. His focus on Tessa seemed to shield the outside barrage
he normally dealt with. As soon as he exited the car and severed his connection
with her he could sense the varying energies inside the house.

Wanda sat on the couch, drinking a glass of wine. Four men
and one woman sat with her. None of them were drinking and they all stood when
Joshua walked in. He knew two of the men, but the other two and the woman were
strangers to him. Wanda must have gotten them to come just based on the
Lakeland reputation.

Will trotted over and refilled Wanda’s glass.

“Thank you, Will. Always such a gentleman,” Wanda said. She
didn’t stand up. “Glad you finally got here, Josh. I couldn’t locate the others
on the island. I’m sure they know I’m looking for them, but if an agent doesn’t
want to be found you know how that goes.”

Joshua nodded.

Wanda continued. “You know Jess and Parker.”

Joshua said his hellos to the two men he’d worked with in
the past. Parker Phillips was a good by-the-book agent with considerable
intuition. He always knew what was coming. Jess McMean was multitalented. He
was also a loose cannon. He didn’t always play by the rules though that might
be just what this war needed.

Wanda said, “This is Brady Cummings, Lon Granger and Piper
Martin.”

“Nice to meet you all.” He shook each one’s hand. “This is
Tessa Clark and when you hear the full story you may not want to stay.”

As soon as he mentioned Tessa’s name the room brimmed with
both intrigue and trepidation. Joshua immediately noticed the intense stare
coming from Jess. A bubble of jealousy brimmed in Joshua’s gut. He was pretty
sure it was the first time he’d ever felt the emotion. He didn’t like it.

He also noticed Tessa had blocked her mind from the crowd.
Smart girl.

Joshua told them the entire story. He briefly explained what
had happened to Tessa’s team and then the events in New Jersey. Then he said it.
“I have to tell you Troth Banta appears to be behind all of this.”

“Are you out of your mind?” This from Brady Cummings. “That
guy is crazy. He’ll kill you both. I’m out.”

Cummings started toward the door. Parker and Lon were both
getting up to go with him. Jess narrowed his eyes at Joshua, but didn’t move a
muscle, while Piper pulled her dark hair back into a ponytail and leaned
against the fireplace mantle.

Joshua didn’t know her, but he liked her already. He also
noticed Will never looked away from the slim brunette. He’d have to ask his
friend about that when there was more time.

He would have let them leave, but Tessa had other ideas. “He’s
gathering.”

The word
gathering
stopped the three men in their
tracks.

“What do you mean?” Parker asked.

“You know what she means,” Jess said.

Lon moved back into the room. “Are you telling us Banta is
stealing the psi abilities of other agents? Is that even possible?”

“I’ve seen him do it. He stole the aura of one of my men. I
didn’t know what he was doing at the time, but it’s the only explanation. He’s
learned to gather and he’s killing agents to gain their abilities. If we don’t
deal with him now we may not get another chance. He’ll be too powerful. You can
go if you want. I understand you’re afraid of Banta. Joshua and I are in his
sights. He’s after us. You can all stay off the radar at least for a while. No
one will blame you for running.”

Joshua couldn’t help the swell of pride he felt for Tessa.
She had played it perfectly. Everything she said was true, but she’d played on
their sense of honor and courage. Two things men in their positions were very
keen on.

All three moved back into the room though Lon looked as if he
might change his mind at any moment.

Jess smiled at Tessa. She blushed. Joshua felt his temper
getting away from him. Maybe they didn’t need McMean after all.

Jess said, “I thought Banta was in prison. Didn’t your
brother have an issue with him a while back?”

“Will?” Joshua said.

Will stepped forward, his eyes scanned the room, stopping
briefly in the direction of the fireplace and then moving on. “After Josh’s
sister-in-law bashed in Banta’s head…”

There were a few snickers.

Will continued, “He was taken to the Treadwell Federal
Penitentiary, maximum security. He remained there until about two months ago.”

“How long was his sentence?” Piper had a low, scratchy
voice.

“He was in for life without parole,” Joshua said.

Will said, “Two months ago someone signed Banta’s
conditional release.”

Joshua wanted to jump down Will’s throat. What was he
talking about? Everyone in the room must have sensed his energy changing. Tessa’s
hand was suddenly on his arm.

He reined in his temper. “Who signed the order?”

“That I couldn’t find out. Classified. And classified so
high none of my sources have access.”

“And the conditions of his release?” Jess asked.

“Also classified.”

“This is bad news,” Parker said.

Wanda put her glass down on the coffee table and stood up. “Bad
news for sure, but the fact still remains, Banta and his army will probably be
here within twenty-four hours and we’re going to have to stop him. Each of us
has a talent that might be very tempting for a madman. I for one am willing to
die, but I’m not willing to lose my soul to a monster.”

All the agents were nodding in agreement.

Joshua had full control of his emotions again. “I appreciate
the help. I think we should meet back here at dawn and wait for him to come to
us. No reason to go searching for him. The airport is away from the public and
defensible.”

The group agreed and Wanda moved to speak to Joshua. “A
word, Josh?”

“Sure, Wanda.” They moved to the side of the room.

“You’re going to have to go and talk to Trip.”

“I know. I’ll go tonight.”

“He won’t like it.”

“But he’ll come, won’t he?”

She shrugged. “You never know with Trip.”

“Did you find anything out about who ordered me to probe
Tessa?”

She shook her head. “I could get as far as Washington and
then I hit a dead end. Here’s what I do know. Since our existence went public
after the business with Oscar Thorn there have been three big opponents to the
Psi Agency.”

“And they are?”

“Walker, Breckenridge and Drury. All three have spoken out
publicly against the continued funding of what they consider an uncontrollable
force within the government.”

“I’ve met Drury, he hardly seems capable of any kind of
coup.”

“I agree, but either of the other two might like to make a
big show, maybe even a play for the big chair.”

Joshua’s attention kept flicking across the room toward
Tessa. He needed to focus. “Keep an eye on the other two and let me know if you
find anything that would indicate they might like to rid the United States of
Psi Agents.”

Wanda nodded.

A knot formed in Joshua’s stomach and it didn’t help that
once the meeting broke up, Jess made a beeline for Tessa. Joshua had never
really paid any attention to how good-looking Jess probably was to women. Dark
blond hair with blue eyes and dark eyebrows and eyelashes, it was an odd
combination. Joshua wanted to beat him senseless.