Undercover Texas - By Robin Perini Page 0,47

I got my G.E.D. and signed up. At least it was a steady paycheck. I found out I was good at it. The guys became my family. They had my back.”

“Like Logan. And Doc.”

“And General Miller. He hand-selected me. No one made me feel like I was really worth something until he did. He taught me I could do anything.”

“My parents gave me that gift before they died.”

With a look that bored into her soul, Hunter captured her gaze. “We’ve both lost. We’ve both overcome. I hadn’t realized.” Hunter rose and Brandon snuggled into his chest. “I assumed we were so different. From the moment we met on Santorini I wanted you, but I also recognized you were from a different stratosphere than me.”

Openmouthed, Erin couldn’t comprehend his words. “When you walked up to me, I thought you’d made the mistake.”

Hunter stepped toward her and cupped her cheek. “I didn’t make a mistake, Erin. You brought light into my life like I’d never known.”

Brandon’s heavy eyelids blinked again and again, then closed, despite just waking up. Her son was clearly exhausted.

“Let me get him ready for bed.”

While Hunter washed the dishes, she slipped Brandon into his pajamas and settled him into the playpen that Amanda had brought. Soon enough, their son was snoring away.

She bent over the side and pushed a lock of black hair from his forehead. “Good night, cutie. Mommy loves you.”

She stood, and a warm heat caressed her back. Hunter’s hands rested on her shoulders. He turned her into his arms and stared down at her.

“I probably shouldn’t kiss you,” he said. “We both know nothing can come of it.”

His eyes seduced her like molten chocolate, and she was so very tempted. She lifted her fingers to his lips. They parted under her touch. “You hurt me,” she said. “You shredded my heart when you left me alone. If I give in to these feelings, what will be left of me?”

He clasped her hand in his. “I can’t answer that. All I can tell you is I’ve been wanting to hold you since I left you in Santorini. Will you let me, Erin? Will you let me love you even though you know we’ll have to say goodbye?”

His hands rubbed her shoulders, and all of the scientific logic Erin had counted on all her life left her. For the first time since that island paradise, she let her heart rule her head.

She wrapped her arms around Hunter’s neck and pulled him down to her. “Love me, Hunter. I’m tired of denying what I feel. Until we have to say goodbye, love me.”

* * *

LEONA WALKED INTO TRACE Padgett’s office and threw down the latest watch list on his desk. “What’s the meaning of this?” She stabbed her finger at Hunter’s name. “A risk to national security? Suspect mental state. Who ordered this?”

“Ma’am—”

The patronization in his voice annoyed her to no end. “Don’t ma’am me, Trace. Explain yourself.”

“Terence Mahew remembered something else, ma’am. He said the man who contacted him said something about knowing Erin Jamison. I discovered Clay Griffin and Erin Jamison had an affair more than a year ago. Someone within this office tried to cover up the relationship.”

Leona closed her eyes. The jig was up. She’d hoped she’d plugged all the holes. Clearly she’d failed.

“So he slept with her. So what?”

She had to find out how much Padgett knew. And how much Kent knew.

“Hunter Graham has a lot of contacts. Erin Jamison began development of her prototype several years ago.” Trace pulled out his notebook. “Graham has made several trips to Florida over the past fourteen months. I think he’s been working on a payoff since he met her. If we don’t find him, Erin Jamison could end up dead, and her prototype in terrorists’ hands.”

Leona stood and tapped her finger to her forehead. Trace Padgett was very, very good. Too good.

“Where do you think Graham has gone?”

“The chatter is quiet. If I were Hunter, I wouldn’t stay in Florida. If I were going to do a meet, I’d go to Mexico. On the border of New Mexico or Arizona probably.”

“See what you can find out from border patrol. See if there’s any unusual activity.

Not bad, Trace. Not bad at all.

Leona left the room, her hands quivering.

This was not good.

Hunter was ignoring her calls. She had no idea where he was. The plans had gone to hell.

She picked up her secure phone and dialed a number. “We have a problem. Are the offshore accounts secure?”

“Of