Sierra #2
Diana’s mouth was wide, still gasping in pleasure.
He kissed her, swirling his tongue around the inside of her mouth, matching the movements of his cock buried fully inside her.
Then he sucked on her tongue, then her bottom lip before directing his attention to her ear.
He knew she loved to feel his breath tickle her ear, loved to feel his tongue trace over it before his focus drew wet kisses down her neck and over her collarbone as he thrust in and out of her with all he had.
He did not disappoint.
Diana was blinded by the explosion of stars behind her closed eyes.
She felt numb once the tightening of every single muscle in her body released with the heart-pounding orgasm that left her spent, floating in a daze, every part of her identifying with overcooked spaghetti.
She felt incapable of movement, just as her mind was incapable of thought.
It was an incredible place that you could only be brought to by someone you completely loved and thoroughly trusted.
She finally managed to open her eyes as she came back to consciousness.
Sam’s cock still throbbed deep inside her, a sensation she loved.
His weight was settled on her, his face beside hers, cheek to cheek, his still ragged breaths in her ear.
She felt his heart thundering against hers, which was still pulsing wildly.
They had sprinted at full-speed and now they were coming down. They’d both sleep soundly tonight. Diana closed her eyes and invited unconsciousness to overtake her.
Shepherd fell asleep, succumbing to the relaxation that was as intense as the love they’d made.
When he awoke in the morning, nearly in the same position, his gaze wandered over her beautiful face.
She still slept. His erect cock slid back into what was still a dripping wet core that welcomed him.
He watched the expression on her face as she woke, change from the neutral expression while she slept to an erotic smile, realizing he was inside her and she’d enjoy a morning of erotic fulfillment.
The first sound she made was an aroused moan.
Her eyelids fluttered open. Her smile was sexy, which made him even harder.
“Good morning,” she said. “My favorite way to wake up.”
“Not too bad for an old man, huh?” he said and then kissed her.
“No, Colonel, not bad at all.” Those were the only words she got out before he claimed her mouth.
They spent a lengthy morning in bed, enjoying each other long after their erotic physical activity.
It was a small luxury to linger in bed talking.
They only got up when Diana’s stomach growled, and Shepherd agreed he was hungry.
After a quick shower, they headed to the formal Generals’ Restaurant on the lower level of the hotel.
They were sat at a table in the corner, per Shepherd’s request. He sat with his back to the wall, as usual.
Diana took the seat to his left, her back also facing a wall, ignoring the menu placement by the host that would have sat her across from him.
Their server brought coffee and croissants and invited them to go up to the buffet.
Which they did. After they returned with plates loaded with decadent and savory breakfast offerings, Shepherd’s phone vibrated with an incoming text message.
“I’m sorry. I have to touch bases with Cooper,” he said.
“We’ve had twelve uninterrupted hours. I’m not going to complain,” she said with a smile before taking another bite of her food.
He took the call there at the table. Diana was privy to all Shepherd Security business.
She usually only half-listened. Hearing only his side, Diana deduced it was just a routine check-in.
Three of the teams were in the field, and it sounded as though he was getting updates on their mission progress.
Alpha Team was in the office, minding the shop while they were away.
“Hold on while I review it,” Shepherd said. He took his phone away from his ear and looked at the screen, accessing his email to read something that had been sent to him.
She kept eating. She’d devoured her first serving before Shepherd was off the phone.
“I’m sorry that took so long,” he said.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yes, just setting parameters for the next DEA Partner Mission.”
She knew it was a constant balancing act, assigning the correct resources to each mission. “I’m going to the buffet to get more. Can I get you anything?”
He glanced at his plate. He’d barely eaten half. “No, thank you. I’m sure I’ll go back up after I eat this.” He watched her cross the room to where the gleaming silver trays sat atop a row of tables.
As Diana helped herself to fruit, a man approached her. He wasn’t dressed in the waitstaff uniform, which was what drew Diana’s attention to him as he didn’t grab a plate.
“Good morning, Mrs. Shepherd,” he said with a heavy Russian accent. “My best to you and your husband.” That was all he said before turning and leaving the restaurant through the door to the stairwell.
But it was enough to rattle Diana. He was delivering a message, and it wasn’t to give his best. She immediately returned to their table.
With one look at the expression on her face, Shepherd knew something was not right. “What’s wrong?” he asked as she set her plate on the table with jerky movements.
“That man. His Russian accent was heavy. He greeted me by name and wished us his best.”
Shepherd shot to his feet. “Stay here.” He rushed out of the restaurant through the same door the man had used to exit.
He ran up the stairs, catching sight of the man as he pushed through the door into the parking garage.
Shepherd drew his weapon, a SIG Sauer P226 9mm, and held it at his side before he followed him into the parking garage.
The man he’d seen approach Diana stood beside a vehicle that was double parked within the garage about twenty-five feet away.
Other than that man, the garage was vacant of life.
“If you have a message for me, deliver it to me personally. Don’t ever approach my wife again.
You got it, comrade? Make sure you convey that to your superiors,” he called.
The man smiled a knowing grin. “I’d say the message was delivered as intended, Colonel.”
“Stay away from my wife!”
The man’s smile grew wider. “I have no ill intent towards your wife.” He gazed at Shepherd with expectation, motionless.
Shepherd closed the distance between them. He didn’t know this man, but he assumed him to be FSB. “Do you have ill intent towards me?”
“Nyet.”
“Does Moscow have ill intent towards me?”
“Not at this time, but the assistance you gave Anatoly and Kira Koslov is known. Take it as a warning if you wish. At some point, interference will no longer be tolerated.”
“You’re in my country. The same warning could be given to you and the others.”
“We are not so different, you and I, Colonel Shepherd. We are both loyal to our countries and would die to protect the secrets of our nations. Perhaps one day, when we both retire, we can tip a glass together and lie to each other about our past antics.”
“Perhaps,” Shepherd said.
“Or perhaps one day I shall approach you as Anatoly Koslov did, and you shall help me as you did him,” the man added as he opened the car door, surprising Shepherd.
“Is that day today?”
“Nyet, not today.” He got into the car and turned it over.
Shepherd watched him drive away and out of the parking garage.
He took his phone from his pocket and snapped a picture of the car’s license plates.
Then he dialed Garcia, who was the number three in charge of the Shepherd Security Agency and also the head of the Digital Team.
“Garcia, I’m sending you a plate. It’s probably a rental, but I need a picture of who rented it to compare to a face, and if you can get me a name to go with it, that would be even better.
I’m expecting the driver’s license to be Russian. ”
“I’m on it,” Garcia replied in his gravelly voice. “Are you heading back today?”
“No, I promised Diana the weekend away.”
“I’ll send you what I find ASAP.”
Shepherd disconnected and holstered his weapon. He returned to the restaurant where Diana waited. “Everything is fine,” he told her as he retook his seat. “You’re in no danger. He was merely delivering a message to me from Moscow,” he added with his voice dropped to a whisper.
“Are you in danger?” she whispered.
“No, Moscow just wanted to let me know they knew I helped the Koslovs. I got a tick mark on their naughty list.” His lips pulled into a grin.
“I think that’s a lot more serious than you’re letting on,” she answered.
“It’s fine, Diana. It’s the game. And it’s not going to interfere with our weekend.”
“So, we’re not heading back today?”
“No,” he said, taking her hand from the tabletop. He pressed a kiss to her palm.
“Do you know that man?”
“I’ll know all about him in a matter of hours. Garcia’s on it.”
“Okay,” she said, feeling somewhat relieved. “Can we still go shopping at the charming stores on Main Street?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered with a grin. “I know you want to visit that chocolate shop.”
“And that wine shop,” she said. “I just might be able to complete all my Christmas shopping today. I have never accomplished having it done before Halloween.” She returned his grin.
“That’s right. Halloween is tomorrow. We should be back in time to go over to Cooper and Madison’s place so you can see the trick or treaters in their costumes.”
“Yes, Madison said their neighborhood trick or treating goes from noon to five. I’d like to get there by noon.”
“As long as we leave here by zero nine hundred tomorrow, we’ll make it to their house before it starts.” He finished the now cold food on his plate. “Are you ready? We could leave the hotel and go shopping now.”
Diana took one more drink of her coffee and then stood.
They left the hotel and made their way along Main Street.
While they were in one of the larger gift shops, Shepherd’s phone rang.
It was Garcia. Shepherd stepped to a corner to take the call, but he kept his gaze on Diana the entire time he was on the phone.
Garcia gave Shepherd a complete report. The picture he provided from the car rental’s CCTV was the man who had approached Diana.
He was a known Russian operative by the name of Sergi Petrov.
He’d flown into O’Hare International Airport two days earlier on a flight from La Guardia.
He’d rented the car at the airport. He had a return ticket to La Guardia out of O’Hare on Sunday afternoon, which Shepherd suspected the Koslovs had tickets for as well.
So, there had been a second team of FSB Agents accompanying the Koslovs.
Shepherd wondered where Petrov had been the night before.
Was he nearby but did not intervene? And if so, why?
He’d brainstorm that with his intelligence contacts the next week.
As for today, it belonged to Diana. He rejoined her and gave her the short version of what Garcia had found, reassuring her that they were safe.
Then he took the bag containing her purchases, and they headed to the next store she wanted to visit.
Diana fastened the top button on her jacket as they stepped back out into the chilly fall day.
Today, at least, the sun shone brightly in the cloudless cobalt sky.
Without it, the day would be far cooler.
She coiled her arm around Sam’s, which held the bag of the chocolates she’d just purchased and snuggled close to him.
She felt relaxed and happy. At that moment, they were just a couple strolling down the sidewalk like any other.
Intelligence officers and missions were far from her thoughts.
She ignored the slight cramping sensation in her abdomen, thinking nothing of it.