rolling heat that trickled through her limbs with every inch of skin revealed.
Narrow waist, roped muscles, broad bare shoulders and golden brown skin from hours in the sun. She drew in a sharp breath and reached out to see if he was as soft as she remembered.
“That bad?” Pete asked, angling his head over his shoulder to get a look himself.
Kat flinched at his words and stopped millimeters from touching him. Embarrassed that she’d almost forgotten what she’d set out to do, she dropped her hand and quickly rifled through the first-aid kit for the supplies she needed. “No, it’s fine. Just a few cuts. They look like they’re already starting to scab over.”
In silence she used an antiseptic wipe to clean the few cuts, then gently applied a topical antibiotic just to be safe. Since the wounds didn’t need bandages, she blew on them gently to air-dry the antibiotic.
Pete’s back arched. Goose bumps broke out on his flesh. And something between a gasp and a moan slipped from his lips, a sound that kicked Kat’s pulse up at least two notches. Though he hadn’t flinched or reacted at all when she’d touched the cuts with her fingertips, the sensation of her breath against his skin had obviously affected him.
And her, too.
Oh, boy. She was playing with fire here.
“There. Um, you’re done.” She held up the tube of antibiotic cream with fingers she tried to keep from shaking as he turned to face forward. “You might need more of this later, though.”
“Thanks.” Pete pulled the plain black tee over his head, and Kat caught a quick glimpse of rock-hard abs, chiseled pecs and a body she’d once kissed and licked just about every inch of.
Lord, she didn’t need that image in her head. She ran a hand over her brow.
Oblivious to what he was doing to her, Pete repositioned himself in his seat, but his voice was hard when he spoke. “If you need to use the phone, make it quick. I want to get back on the road.”
Kat quickly opened the car door, thankful for the chance to get away from him. “I got a few things, in case you’re hungry.” She headed for the pay phone as he turned to look in the backseat.
She dialed the number Marty had given her, careful not to look back. The line rang twice before a male voice answered and asked for her by name.
Confusion rushed through her, but then she remembered Marty had probably called ahead.
“Are you being followed?” he asked.
The man was direct and to the point, which for some reason calmed her. She turned to look around the sparse parking lot. “No, not that I’m aware, Agent…”
“Just David. Technically I’m retired, and if anyone but Marty had called, I’d have said no to this little meeting.”
“I see.” Though she really didn’t. She wasn’t even sure which agency this David worked for. She knew Marty was CIA. In the short time she’d dated him and through the course of their lasting friendship, though, he’d never talked about his colleagues or connections, and certainly hadn’t ever mentioned this man to her in their brief conversations.
“You’re sure it was Busir last night?” he asked.
Like she could ever forget that face. “Yes. Absolutely.”
“Describe the other one.”
She went through Busir’s accomplice’s description. Keys clicked in the background.
“Minyawi,” he finally said. “Has to be. His involvement with Busir is new, and interesting. Busir disappeared from radar about two weeks ago. Intel’s been monitoring his location for some time. The fact he’s with Minyawi can’t be good.”
She wanted to ask Intel from where? but bit her tongue. That kind of question could get her into trouble. And she already had enough trouble to last a lifetime.
“There were more.” She told him about what had happened at Marty’s farm.
“Well, now,” he muttered in a surprised tone. “You’re one popular woman, Ms. Meyer. This is about more than tracking down one measly female witness to a decade-old crime, isn’t it?”
Kat didn’t answer as she glanced backward at Pete, who was watching her carefully through the windshield. Marty may trust Halloway, but her instincts screamed not to reveal too much to this man too soon. Especially not over the phone. And she wasn’t entirely sure where this would all lead. It wasn’t just her safety on the line here.
“You could say that.”
Computer keys clicked again. “We’ll meet at Fairmount Park, Lincoln Parking Area. There’s a footpath that leads out from the parking lot. Follow that. I’ll be waiting at