Countermeasures Read online

It was an end unit, so no one would be passing his and Megan’s room to get to their own. There should be no one around at all. Just the way they needed it to be.

  Sawyer backed the nondescript car into the parking spot outside their room. He grabbed the backpacks out of the backseat and handed them to Megan, then grabbed the bags of supplies—real food and clothes—Evan had left for them. Sawyer took one last look around as he shut the car door. There seemed to be nothing around them in the darkness, except the Blue Ridge Mountains looming nearby. He led Megan to the room and opened it with the key Evan had left for them.

  Sawyer put down the bags and immediately looked around the room. It was actually two adjoining rooms; Megan would need all of one room to finish her work. The motel was definitely older, as evidenced by the actual metal key Sawyer had just used to get in, but clean and adequate for their needs. Plus there was a window in the back that could be used for emergency escape.

  Not that Sawyer really wanted to be trying to fit through any windows again.

  Sawyer pulled the blinds completely closed in both rooms, and locked and bolted both doors after placing the do-not-disturb sign on both doorknobs. This was it, their home for the next few days.

  Sawyer turned and found Megan standing exactly where he’d left her just inside the door. She still cradled both backpacks in her arms.

  She looked exhausted. She stood there, covered in dirt from their most recent brush with death, gazing at the motel room without really seeing it. Given everything that had happened to her over the past few days, Sawyer was amazed she had remained upright and functional this long.

  Sawyer walked over and took the bags from Megan’s unresisting arms and laid them down on the table.

  “Hey,” he whispered to her. “How about a hot shower? Get some of this grunge washed off you.” Sawyer led her to the bed and sat her down, then went and turned on the hot water in the shower. When he came out of the bathroom, she still sat exactly where he had left her.

  Concern flooded Sawyer. What Megan had been through over the past few days would be physically exhausting and emotionally draining for even the most seasoned agent. For a civilian with no experience in this sort of work at all? Sawyer could barely imagine the toll it was taking.

  And then to ask her to tackle the countermeasure development on top of all that had happened? Sawyer wasn’t even sure it was possible for her, but he had to try.

  He crouched beside where she sat on the bed. “Megan, let’s get you in the shower, okay? It will help you feel better.”

  Megan turned to look at him, but seemed uncomprehending of what he wanted. “Shower,” he told her again slowly.

  “Sawyer, I don’t think I know where I am.” The confusion in her voice tore at his heart.

  “You’re at a motel, sweetheart. Don’t worry about that right now. Let’s just get you into the shower, okay?”

  Megan nodded and Sawyer helped her stand and walk into the bathroom.

  “Can you get undressed?” Megan nodded again, but then just stood there staring blankly at the wall.

  Okay, time to take matters into his own hands. She obviously wasn’t able to even complete simple tasks on her own in her current state of mind.

  Sawyer reached over and began unbuttoning Megan’s shirt. She looked at him as he did it, but made no move to stop him. He peeled the shirt off her shoulders and dropped it onto the sink, then unhooked her bra and removed it. Sawyer did his damn personal best not to stare at her firm, beautiful breasts.

  He knelt down, picking up one of her feet at a time to remove her shoes and socks. She began to lose her balance and grasped his shoulders to keep from toppling over.

  Sawyer looked up at her through the steam that was now filling the bathroom. “Just hold on to me.”

  She nodded once again, but at least there was a little bit of awareness in her eyes now, rather than the scary blankness.

  Sawyer swallowed hard as his hands moved to the button and zipper of her jeans. He undid both, then slid them down her legs. Her lacy underwear followed suit and he helped her step out of them.

  Sawyer cleared his throat, his breath just shy of ragged. “Okay, into the shower you go.” He tested the water and adjusted it so it wouldn’t scald her, scooped the shower curtain aside and helped her in.

  He heard her sigh when the water hit her and closed the curtain around her oh-so-naked form. He had tried to keep his eyes focused above her neckline as much as possible. But Lord, he was only human.

  He had to admit this was the first time he had ever gotten a woman he wanted this much naked and then just left her alone.

  Yeah, he definitely wanted Megan, but not when she was so traumatized she could barely function.

  Hopefully, the shower would help perk her up a little. Help her refocus. “Megan, I’ll be right outside the door. If you need anything, just call for me. Okay?”

  He heard a murmur of agreement, then headed into the motel room, leaving the door cracked open so he could hear her if she called out.

  Sawyer took a couple of breaths. Deep breaths. He needed a cold shower. He sat down on the end of the bed and threw himself backward. It was going to be a long night.

  * * *

  THE SHOWER BROUGHT life back into Megan’s veins. Slowly she began to feel again. First the heat from the water spraying down on her, then the realization that she was filthy—small twigs and grass were matted into her hair. She began to work her fingers through her locks to get the mess out.

  It felt as if her brain was waking up from hibernation. She remembered the explosion, although she didn’t allow herself to dwell on Sawyer almost getting trapped in that building. But then everything after that was a blur. They obviously must have made it to the car, and here she was in a shower in a motel room, so that must have gone as planned, also.

  She could even vaguely remember Sawyer helping her take off her clothes, which should embarrass her, but she didn’t have the energy for it.

  Megan stood in the shower for long minutes. She finally opened the shampoo and washed her hair fully. At least she wasn’t quite as zombielike as she was before, although she was still exhausted. After washing the rest of her body and rinsing, she shut the water off.

  “Doing okay in there?” she heard Sawyer call out from the room.

  “Yes, much better. Thanks.” She opened the shower curtain and found the door to the bedroom still open. In the mirror she could see Sawyer lying on the bed, propped up on his elbows. His eyes met hers. Megan almost snatched the shower curtain over to cover herself, but figured Sawyer had already seen her naked, so there wasn’t much point in it now. She watched as his eyes slid down her body and back up.

  The exhaustion that filled her body moments before now vanished. All of her senses seemed heightened.

  Sawyer stood up from the bed, keeping eye contact with her. He grabbed a T-shirt—one of his—and threw it over his shoulder, walking to the bathroom. He offered her his hand and she stepped out of the tub onto the mat. Sawyer took a towel from the wall hook and shook it out, then wrapped it around her like a cape, keeping hold of the edges.

  Megan said nothing, just continued to stare at Sawyer. He took the edges of the towel and gently dried her face and the excess water from her hair. Then he began to wrap the edges of the towel around his fists, pulling her closer. He didn’t stop until she was fully pressed up against him.

  “I’m wet,” Megan whispered.

  “I don’t care,” Sawyer responded before bringing his lips down to hers.

  Sawyer had kissed her before, but this was different. Megan had no doubt how this kiss was going to end. Her bones felt as though they were melting. Everything about this felt right.

  After a few minutes, both of them breathing hard, Sawyer released her lips. He used the towel to dry the rest of her body, kneeling in front of her and kissing various areas as he went along. A sigh escaped Megan as his lips made their way across her belly and dipped lower to the outside of her hips.


  But then Sawyer stood up and pulled the T-shirt off his shoulder and began to put it on her.

  “Um, Sawyer? I think this,” she whispered as she gestured to the shirt he was pulling over her head, “is not going in the correct direction.”

  Sawyer’s voice was more husky than usual when he responded, “Believe me, there is nothing I want to do more than take you to that bed. Right now. But fifteen minutes ago you couldn’t even remember how you got here.”

  “But—”

  Sawyer put a finger up to her lips. “Later. I promise. Later. But right now, you need to rest. Plus, I’m filthy.”

  He pulled the shirt over her head and she put her arms through. The shirt swallowed her, falling to midthigh.

  “I’m pretty damn sure I never looked that good in that shirt.”

  Megan smiled and followed as he led her to the room. He pulled back the covers of the bed and she scooted in. “Sleep. I’m going to take a shower, then I’ll be sleeping right next to you.”

  He turned and walked back into the bathroom. And didn’t even look back once.

  Megan lay on the bed for a long time, but sleep was a million miles away. She knew her body needed sleep, but she needed Sawyer more. At one time she would’ve let Sawyer’s choice to shower fill her with doubts: maybe he didn’t really want her, maybe he didn’t feel this same attraction the way she did.

  But she wasn’t going to let that happen right now. She had seen the way Sawyer looked at her. He wanted her, too. And the fact that he was gentleman enough not to want to take any sort of advantage of her because she’d had a rough few days? Honestly, that just made her want him more.

  Sawyer had almost died tonight in that building. Megan still felt a tightness in her chest when she pictured the moment he realized he couldn’t get through that window.

  So, yes, Megan could admit she was exhausted and definitely wasn’t used to the level of...excitement the past few days had provided. But she wasn’t going to waste any more time with Sawyer.

  Sleep could damn well wait. She wanted him now.

  Megan had never been particularly forward in her love life, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her now, either. She climbed out of bed, pulled his shirt over her head and dropped it. Then walked into the bathroom.

  She paused for just a moment, then slid the shower curtain open. Sawyer was facing the showerhead, facedown, arms braced on the wall in front of him. Megan’s breath hitched as she watched as the water poured down his muscled back—and beyond.

  Finally she reached out and touched him gently on his back, but then snatched her hand away. The water was so cold.

  At her touch he turned sharply to look at her. She hadn’t meant to startle him.

  “Sawyer, I didn’t mean to use up all the hot water. I’m so sorry.” Megan was distressed at the thought that he’d had to take a cold shower because of her inconsideration.

  But Sawyer gave her that half smile that made her insides melt. He reached out with one arm and put her hand on his chest, using his other hand to fiddle with the water controls. Immediately hotter water began pouring down his body and her hand.

  “Cold shower by choice,” Sawyer said to her, his voice husky. “It was the only way I was going to be able to get into that bed next to you, knowing you weren’t wearing anything but my T-shirt.”

  He looked down her naked body, one eyebrow raised. “Although you seem to have misplaced that.”

  Megan laughed softly as Sawyer turned off the shower. “I did. I can be pretty absentminded sometimes.”

  “Fortunately for you I have a particular soft spot for absentminded scientists who end up naked in my bathroom.”

  Megan walked the few steps to take a clean towel from the rack. “That happens a lot to you, does it?”

  “All the time. But usually they’re old, gray-haired guys and I tell them to go put their clothes back on.”

  Megan laughed, but it faded quickly as Sawyer stepped out of the shower, gloriously unconcerned about his nakedness. Megan still had the towel clutched in her hands. She thought about handing it to Sawyer, but instead opened it and took the few steps that separated them. She began drying his chest.

  “Megan, I just want you to be sure about this,” Sawyer whispered, his face only a few inches from hers as she slowly rubbed the towel across his chest and stomach. “Just because we’re here together doesn’t mean this has to happen.”

  “I know.” Megan nodded, unable to take her eyes away from his body.

  Sawyer reached down and put a finger under Megan’s chin so she was forced to look in his eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever been so sure of anything.” She meant it.

  Sawyer snatched the towel out of her hands and quickly dried his back and legs, but didn’t do a very good job of it.

  “I think you’re still pretty wet,” Megan whispered huskily, watching him.

  “I don’t care.” Sawyer echoed his words from earlier.

  He threw the towel to the ground and pulled her to him. They both let out a sigh as their naked bodies touched each other. Finally.

  “Damn, you’re beautiful.” Sawyer muttered.

  Megan reached up and wound her arms around Sawyer’s neck, pulling his lips down to hers for a kiss. She couldn’t be without him for one more second. This time she was the aggressor, her tongue invading his mouth, teasing him.

  Sawyer moaned. He reached down and grabbed her by the back of the thighs and hiked her legs around his waist, wrapping his arms under her hips. Megan snaked her arms more securely around his neck. They both moaned as the contact brought her breasts against his chest.

  Sawyer walked—Megan draped around him—to the bed, their mouths never separating from their kiss. Then Megan lost herself in the passion as Sawyer laid her down on the bed and reminded them both of why they were so lucky to be alive.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning Sawyer stretched out in the bed. Alone. That wasn’t how he really wanted it, but he could see Megan through the door of the adjoining room already hard at work on the countermeasure. She was humming as she moved back and forth around the table he had pulled to the middle of the room. Sawyer smiled. Humming had to be a good sign.

  It was all he could do to keep from humming himself. Last night had been nothing short of incredible. When Megan had shown up in that bathroom, all of Sawyer’s good intentions about letting her rest had completely flown out the window.

  And thank heavens for that.

  Sawyer was no monk. He’d certainly enjoyed the company of women throughout the years, although not nearly as many as his confirmed-bachelor reputation might suggest. But there was something about that tiny scientist with her giant brain—it had been reinstated from huge back to giant, since she had the good sense to come back into the shower last night—working so steadily in the next room that had Sawyer feeling things he never had before.

  Which scared the hell out of him and felt absolutely perfect at the same time.

  Sawyer threw the covers off, since he was so warm. The heater in Megan’s workroom must’ve been on full blast. Of course, she was keeping it that warm so she could work in just his T-shirt.

  And that thought—despite the fact that she hadn’t been out of his arms all night long, and that neither of them had gotten much sleep—almost had him in the workroom dragging her back to the bed.

  But Sawyer knew Megan needed to work. What she was doing now was more important than Sawyer’s personal desires.

  But he was still tempted. Even knowing she would immediately delve into phrases like symmetric ciphers and source codes and a bunch of other stuff he didn’t understand. Sawyer shook his head, grinning.

  Sawyer swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up. He put on his clothes, then made coffee and ate a breakfast of fruit and cereal from the groceries Evan had left. He knew how Megan took her coffee after all these days of working with her, and brought it, along with some food, to the other
room. She didn’t even look up when he walked through the door.

  He set the coffee cup on the table next to her and stood there. Still nothing. It was almost a blow to his ego until he realized she wasn’t ignoring him. There could probably be a nuclear holocaust around her and she wouldn’t notice.

  “Hi,” he finally said. Nothing. Her glasses were perched on her nose; she was holding some sort of hand scanner over a circuit board with one arm and typing one-handed into a keyboard with the other. Still humming.

  Sawyer finally reached down and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up toward him. He could actually see the exact moment she recognized it was him touching her. Annoyance in her brown eyes melted away to something much more soft. And beautiful.

  “Hi,” Sawyer said again. “I brought you some coffee and breakfast.”

  “Thanks,” she murmured, taking her glasses off. “I was working.”

  “I noticed.” Sawyer reached down and kissed her. “I don’t want to interrupt you, but I wanted to make sure you had something eat.”

  “Yeah, I sometimes forget when I’m in the middle of a project.”

  Sawyer looked around. Items were meticulously laid out all over the mattress, where Megan had torn off all the blankets and sheets. Sawyer had no doubt Megan knew the exact location of every item in this room, could find each element blindfolded if she had to.

  “You eat this, and get back to it. I’m going to check in with Juliet.” He bent down and kissed her, but pulled away before temptation to deepen the kiss could overwhelm either of them. “Nice work outfit by the way. You should try wearing that to the office sometime.”

  Sawyer laughed as color flooded Megan’s cheeks. He kissed the top of her head, then walked into the other room, still chuckling.

  Sawyer found one of the cheap no-plan mobile phones he and Megan had bought at the supercenter the day before. Since Sawyer’s regular phone had disintegrated along with everything else in the explosion yesterday, he needed something that could keep him in basic communication with Juliet and Evan. He’d gotten a phone for him and one for Megan.