Page 143 of Defenders of Jawhara

“Thought the idea was to get into the Guardian’s computers, not their receptionist.”

Trent glanced at his brother. He kept walking to the coffee pot, poured himself a mug, and came back. Travis sat next to two laptops, a tablet computer, and a desktop he’d built himself. Sitting down, Trent blew on his coffee and said, “Mrs. W.’s been talking.”

“You know her—she loves to gossip. She’s also watching your back.”

Trent rolled his eyes. “I stopped needing a nursemaid a long time ago.”

“Really?” Travis crossed his arms. “You don’t remember what happened in Bosnia?”

“Look, Chloe is just—”

“A sweet kid who just needs someone. Yeah, you said that about Nadia—up until she stuck a knife in you.”

Trent winced. “Okay, so she was one—”

“And that chick in Brazil? What was her name? The one working with the drug cartel to kidnap her boss? Kim in South Korea—you trusting she wasn’t going to sell you out. That went so well.”

Trent drank his coffee. “Chloe is different.”

“Heard that before. Bro, you’ve got this thing for a big pair of eyes and a sad story.”

“Chloe hasn’t told me any sad stories.”

“Really? No mention of her dad’s accident? Having to move off the family spread? No word about how she didn’t end up married to her high school sweetheart?”

Stiffening, Trent asked, “Okay, how’d you hear about that?”

Travis waved at his computer. “Bro, engagement shows up in the local paper, but a wedding photo never does. No marriage license recorded. Doesn’t take a degree in math to put those together. If Slade finds out you’re breaking his ‘don’t trust and do verify’ rule, you are going to get one serious earful.” Turning, Travis pulled his computer out of hibernation with a keystroke. “Lucky you, she does check out.” Glancing at him, Travis lifted an eyebrow. “But did you even think to check her story?”

Face warm, Trent shook his head. “No time.”

“You mean, too busy getting into her pants.”

“All part of the plan. Look, you said it, those computers are behind a firewall that’s majorly secure. We need local access to their network—meaning I need Chloe to trust me enough that I can drop by without her calling me a stalker.”

“So you sleep with her instead? Bro, I hope you know what you’re doing. Not that she’s not hot.” Travis hit the computer keys and pulled up telephoto images of Chloe shrugging into her wetsuit—and pulling it off, as well. “That’s one fine as—”

“Watch it, dude.”

Travis grinned. “I was going to say asset. Get your mind out of the gutter and back on the job, or Slade will be giving us the worst, most boring babysitting job next to remind us we’re supposed to be pros.”

Standing, Trent met his brother’s stare. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Yeah, just like in Bosnia. Just remember, we’re in the US of A. You pull a stunt like in Bosnia to get out of things, not even Slade will be able to get your ass out of jail.”

Trent shrugged and grinned. “With Chloe helping me, it’s an easy in and out.”

“Sure, sure…oh, and Mrs. W. says next time you better at least stay for breakfast, or she’s whooping your ass for being a jerk.”

Trent waved. He went and caught a few waves. Well, mostly he sat on his board out on the water. It was a great place to think. He’d been surprised when Chloe had canceled on him yesterday, and he’d tried to keep an eye out for her once she got home, only stepping out briefly to grab some food. When he got back, he saw her light on but before he could knock on her door, she’d turned them out. Thinking she’d had a long day with her dad, he decided not to knock.

He headed over to the Guardians office to pick Chloe up for lunch. He took her to a local taco stand that served some of the best street tacos in San Diego. He also tried to hang around the Guardian’s office afterward, but a group of school kids came in for a tour. Trent bailed before he could be drafted into entertaining the rug rats who were running around and screaming.

He had time enough to leave a few listening devices. He’d have to have a go at their network from Chloe’s computer later.

Chloe came over to his place that evening. He met her at the door, had her clothes off in a record thirty seconds, and took her up against the wall, her ass in his hands and her legs wrapped around him. There were advantages to smaller girls you could hold up against you. He took her to bed, brought snacks to bed, and spent some time eating peanut butter and chocolate sauce off her breasts, belly, and toes—his sheets would be a mess, but it was worth it.

His proper little miss seemed to have no shame in bed—and a willingness to try just about anything. Except going back in the ocean. He also finally got his wish to see her take him into her mouth and use that talented tongue of hers on him. He could die a happy man having had Chloe’s velvet mouth wrapped around his cock.

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