Relentless (Code R.E.D. Book 4)

Chapter 2

Zane couldn’t have stopped himself if he tried. When the woman gave him that challenging little smile that was all it took.

He never backed down from a challenge.

She looked surprised then almost amused as he walked toward her. When he reached her, she looked up at him and smiled again.

“You’ve been driving me out of my mind,” was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

Her smile turned into a grin. “I know.”

Zane wanted to smile in return but instead, he sat a couple of feet away from her on the park bench. He rested his forearms on his thighs and leaned forward, studying her.

Damn, but she was even prettier up close. Her scent carried to him on the breeze and reminded him of an ocean breeze and sunny days as his gaze rested on the curve of those perfect lips. He met her eyes that were such a pretty sea blue it would be like getting on a boat and getting lost for days on the brilliant Caribbean Sea.

“Zane Steele.” He used his real name and not his undercover one as he reached his hand out to her. He only used his real name when it came to personal things.

“Willow Randolph.” She took his hand and her warm touch had more than his gut tightening.

It seemed they were both reluctant to part as they slid their hands away from each other. Her touch tickled his palm in a way that made him think of those fingers all over his body.

“Randolph …” Even as he reveled in Willow’s touch, a combination of anger and pain burned his skin at the memory of another Randolph. “My sister, Lexi, just lost her best friend, Stacy Randolph.” On an undercover op with RED, he added silently. No one outside RED knew she’d died a hero and not a victim because no one knew she had been a special agent with RED.

Willow’s smile faded a little. “Stacy was my cousin. She was one of my best friends, too.” Willow sighed as sadness crossed her features. “I’m staying with my aunt and uncle for a while so that they’re not alone now that Stacy’s gone. She was their only child.”

They were both silent for a moment, but they never lost eye contact. Those sea-blue eyes would be easy to get lost in.

“Your accent isn’t New England,” he finally said. “I’d guess Upper New York.”

“You’re good.” She smiled again and her eyes had an edge of amusement to them again. “But then a cop is trained to notice everything.”

A small shock jolted him. He tried to keep his expression from showing how startled he was that she’d come close to nailing him. “What makes you think I’m a cop?”

“Not really a police officer.” She cocked her head as she studied him. “But definitely law enforcement.”

Shit. If he was this easy to read how the hell had he made it through so many undercover ops?

“Secret Service,” he said. He had been SS and everyone thought he still was. “You pegged me. Now I want to know how.”

“Ah. Secret Service.” She crossed her legs at her ankles. “Taking some time off?”

“Something like that.” Funny she hadn’t answered his question. He glanced at his watch. His informant should be here soon, and he shouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation.

“Are you going to ask me to dinner?” Willow had a clearly curious expression. Not like a woman who expected a man to ask her out, but a woman who was observant enough to know when a man was attracted to her.

Zane put his hands on his knees and straightened. “I’m not so sure you’d want to go out with me.”

Willow now looked intrigued. “Why not?”

He sighed and glanced down at the grass at their feet before looking at her again. “I’m not into relationships.”

She shrugged. “Who says I am?”

“It’s written all over you, honey.” Zane put one arm on the back of the park bench. “You don’t do one-night stands. You expect to see a man at least a few times before you make up your mind whether or not you want to date him anymore.”

“You are observant, Zane.” The way she said his name brought to mind thoughts of her saying his name over and over again in bed. “But in other words, you’re afraid.”

“I’ve never been afraid of anything, Willow.” He got up from the bench seat. Better get the hell out of here.

She tilted her head back and met his gaze. “This time you are.”

Willow had just challenged him again. Damn. Even though he never backed down, in this case, it would be the smart thing to do. Real smart.

No one had accused him of being smart all of the time.

Zane glanced at his watch. Henry should be walking down the path any moment. “It’s closing in on noon.” He looked up at her. “How about I meet you for lunch at the Irish pub on Province at one?”

Ah, hell. What did he go and do that for?

Willow gave him her beautiful dimpled smile which did damned funny things to his gut. “This is my lunch break and I have to get back to work. Let’s say dinner at that contemporary American restaurant and lounge at Stanhope and Clarendon. I’ll meet you there.”

He stared down at her for a long moment, taking in her unpretentious beauty and the kind of confidence that came from a woman who was comfortable with herself and her choices. This woman was dangerous to him in more ways than he could count.

Zane found himself giving a slow nod. “Seven?”

“Perfect.” Willow stood and her skirt slid back to just above her knees. What a shame. Those thighs were meant to be seen. “I’ll meet you in the waiting area.”

Their eyes met and held again. “I’ll be there,” he said.

“I know you will.” She turned away and headed toward the downtown area.

He shook his head. You’re in deep shit now, Steele.

* * *

In their cornerof Macy’s cosmetic department, Willow hummed silently as she taught her client how to apply a new look with some of their latest products. The cosmetics company she worked for was one of the best.

“It’s all in the brush.” Willow took a sterile mascara wand from a package in a pocket of her black smock and handed it to Mrs. James. Willow would toss the wand once the woman used it. “This side lengthens while this end of the brush thickens and separates.”

“What an interesting concept…”

Willow’s thoughts wandered, Mrs. James’s words turning into white noise as she thought about Zane.

Zane Steele.

Being close to him had left her feeling charged and needy all at the same time. He’d smelled so good that she could almost taste him. Earthy, male. And his deep voice had sent delicious shivers down her spine when he’d said her name.

“You’re up to something.” Linda passed by in a wake of their brand of perfume that smelled of freesia and magnolia blooms. “I can see it in your eyes.”

Eyes. Oh, Mrs. James.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” Willow said to Linda as she took the mascara wand from Mrs. James and threw it into a wastebasket. “It’s the finishing touch on really bringing out your eyes,” she said to the woman who was probably in her fifties but now was appearing more like she was in her early forties thanks to the cosmetics.

Next, Willow showed Mrs. James how to apply her blush and then her lipstick.

She couldn’t help her thoughts turning to Zane and picturing his powerful build and the way he made her feel just by being close to her.

Oh, yeah. That man was Danger with a capital D.

“Willow?” Mrs. James’s voice brought Willow out of her daydream. Which had to be at least her tenth daydream since getting to work.

The woman batted her eyelashes as she looked at herself in the huge lighted mirror. “I love it.” Mrs. James smiled at her reflection and looked even prettier. “I can’t believe it. What a transformation.”

“Beautiful,” Willow could say with complete honesty. The gradual change in Mrs. James’s appearance was like watching a bud bloom into a full-fledged rose. “What interests you the most out of everything?”

Mrs. James didn’t even pause. “All of it.”

Cool.

“I’ll get your product for you and then ring you up.” Willow left Mrs. James admiring her own reflection, obvious delight in her gaze.

Willow couldn’t resist taking a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and taking a shot into the wastebasket by the stockroom door. “She jumps, she shoots, she scores.” The paper ball landed dead center in the wastebasket.

“That’s a three-pointer if I ever saw one,” said the chic, completely fashionable Linda just before she entered the doorway of the stockroom ahead of Willow.

“Nothing but net, baby,” Willow said.

“Terrific job on that lady.” Linda reached for a box that contained liquid foundation off a shelf while Willow pulled out her products for Mrs. James. “Now tell me what the smiling, humming, and daydreaming are all about.”

“I met a man today.” Willow smiled and then winked as she added, “A real man.”

“Hmmm.” Linda’s stylish chin-length black hair swung forward as she searched for a particular shade of blush in a long row of boxes containing blush compacts. “Does he have any brothers?”

“I’ll find out.” Willow grabbed the last shade of eye shadow she needed. “Tonight.”

Linda drew out a box containing blush then turned to Willow and raised her perfectly arched eyebrows. “You never go on dates.”

“That’s because I hadn’t found the right man.” Willow backed out of the stockroom, checking over her shoulder to make sure she didn’t run into anyone. “I think I need to do a little more investigating.”

Linda smirked and still managed to look beautiful. “Uh-huh. You just found a guy you’d like to sleep with.”

The grin that flashed across Willow’s face was something she couldn’t help. “If you saw him, believe me, you wouldn’t be calling him a ‘guy.’”

“What does this man do?” Linda asked as she stepped away from the shelf.

Willow laughed. “Would you believe he’s in the Secret Service?”

“No way.”

“Yup.” Willow juggled the armload of products for Mrs. James. “Spotted Zane as law enforcement the moment I saw him in the Common.”

“Secret Service Agent Zane, huh?” Linda cocked her head. “Sure he’s not full of?—”

“Absolutely.”

“Complete report expected tomorrow afternoon.” Linda swept past Willow. “You’re not allowed to spare any details, so have a great time. And I’ll live vicariously through you.”

As if Linda had any shortage of guys.

But not a real man.

“Knock him dead, Willow.” Linda’s voice carried over her shoulder as she headed to the cash register with her hands full of products.

Willow smiled.

That’s exactly what she intended to do with Zane tonight.

Knock him dead.

Or maybe…just knock him into bed.