Page 64 of Unintended Love

She found the light switch and laughed even harder. The heart-shaped bed had a red velvet bedspread that matched the drapes. Where the footboard should have been were two matching, heart-shaped footstools. Of course, the headboard was a red padded heart. At the other end of the room was a pink heart-shaped bathtub. The more she stared at it, the more she could see jets, so it was actually a hot tub. No way in hell could she seek Clint lounging in it.

“Do you have an eye mask I can wear?” Clint looked at her in desperation. “I don’t know if I can go to sleep in this room.”

Still laughing, Ashley looked up at him and promised, “I’ll wear you out so you can fall asleep quickly.” She wandered past Clint, who was frozen in the doorway, and into the room in search of the bathroom. Since she’d been flying, she couldn’t leave and use the one on the plane. Thankfully, the bathroom wasn’t quite so over-the-top. Quite. A huge red heart was tiled into the shower. Hearts surrounded the hot and cold-water faucets and the spigot. The pink toilet seat had a red heart in the middle. She was thankful that the toilet itself was white. Clint would appreciate that. As she sat down to use the facility, her gaze dropped to the floor, tiled in red, white, and pink one-inch squares.

Ashlin had never been a girly girl, so pink had never been in her color spectrum, especially with her auburn hair.

When she was finished, she washed her hands in a pink heart-shaped sink. She stepped out to find Clint exactly where she’d left him, heavy duffel bags still in his hands.

Ashlin put her hand over his eyes and instructed, “Close them. Don’t move.” She lifted her hand and grabbed his bags, placing them next to hers. She walked back to the door, took his hand, and led him to stand by the bed. “Keep your eyes closed.” She stripped him out of his clothes, threw back the covers, and told him to sit. After gently pushing him down, she picked up his legs and pulled the covers over him, hand and all.

“These sheets feel really soft,” he said as he stroked them.

“That’s because they’re satin,” she explained. “Give me a minute, I’ll be right there in bed with you. I’m sorry, but I need to sleep.” She stripped, then turned out the lights and crawled into the weird-shaped bed next to him. “We might get lucky, and it’s only for tonight.”

She kissed him, and he took it deeper. “I love you,” he whispered, their heads under the covers, before she rolled onto her side and fell asleep.

Chapter 25

Clint and Kayla stood at the front of the dining room, facing the team, sitting at two ten-person modern tables made of slabs of ragged wood set in red-rivered acrylic. Surprisingly comfortable red padded wooden chairs lined each side. If this was what honeymoon hotels looked like, he was glad he’d never taken Ashlin on a honeymoon. They really needed to go on one, just not at a place like this. Maybe Tahiti, where the cabanas looked like huts in a lagoon over the crystal-clear blue water.

At two o’clock sharp, the large flatscreen they had moved from the living room came to life with the Homeland Security shield, soon replaced by the Section 7 logo.

Katlin Callahan Wolf appeared on the screen. “Since you were already prepared for the takedown of a terrorist camp, I have moved your mission to this encampment very close to the Arizona and New Mexico state line, deep in the Gila National Forest. You have already prepped for a mission. The geography is very similar to the one in Montana that was found empty. The latest satellite maps are five minutes away. Study them. Mission parameters are still the same: capture, not kill, unless a team member’s life is in danger. Kayla will contact me with any operational changes. Speaking of our Operations Center, they are monitoring every communication to and from your location.”

She glared through the screen. “Somebody on your team is the reason the Montana camp was empty when you arrived. We will find you. I will personally take joy in watching you suffer the consequences of your treason.”

She silently stared for a full minute before she finally said, “DS7 out.”

Clint and Kayla did not look at the screen while Katlin spoke, especially the last few sentences. As ordered, they watched Clint’s men for any sign of recognition, fear, or satisfaction. He found none, not even a micro twitch. He’d have to wait to talk to Kayla later to get her opinion.

The doorbell rang. Clint signaled he’d answer it while Kayla took questions. He opened the door and an Air Force lieutenant handed him a tube, over three foot long, and a package about the size of a shoebox. The airman stood back and took a picture of Clint holding the delivery.

“I believe this is what we’ve been waiting for.” He popped open the end of the hard brown tube and pulled out a dozen satellite photos. “Let’s see if plan A is going to work.”

For the next three hours, Clint watched his men more carefully than ever as they solidified a plan. “This is what we’re going with,” he announced. “Rest up. Supper will be served buffet style in the kitchen at six.”

He glanced at Kayla, as though throwing the ball into her court. “What he said. See you at supper.”

Clint grabbed Ashlin’s hand, and they followed Kayla to her room, which, except for a few red silk throw pillows, looked nothing like theirs. Once inside with the door closed, Kayla admitted, “I didn’t see his single thing. Not a sliver of emotion on any man.”

“Me neither,” admitted Ashlin. “And I was looking hard. If it is somebody on your team,” her gaze was pinned on him, “he’s extremely well-trained.”

“I didn’t see anything suspicious, either.” Clint shrugged. “I hate the thought that one of my men has betrayed this team and America. All I can do is hope that Homeland finds out somebody else did this.”

“Agreed.” Kayla changed the subject. “What do you think about our plan?”

Ashlin summed it up. “My only concern is it’s a big airplane, but Van has assured us that we can jump from the side doors.”

She pointed to Kayla. “Your Alpha will leave this house at twenty-two hundred hours and go in the new helicopter to scope the camp with thermal and report back to Clint. If there are still people in camp, and there are supposed to be twelve to fifteen, you’ll notify Bravo Team.” With her arm already around Clint’s waist, she pulled him into her.

“We’ll be ready for takeoff from Holloman. Same positions as last time.” She smiled. “I’ll be up there on top of that hill, covering your ass.” She smacked Clint’s ass. “At least it won’t be as cold as it was in Montana.”

“Homeland and ICE agents will be on standby in Albuquerque to take control of the prisoners,” Clint finished. “I think we’re ready.”

Kayla yawned. “I’m going to kick you two out of here. I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m going to try to get another hour or more in before supper.”

In the hallway, Clint pleaded, “Do we have to go back to that room?”