Deadly Lies

  Silence. One beat of time. Two, then… “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you were here.” Her lips curved but the shadows never left her eyes. Her fingers skimmed over his chest. “I’m glad you could give me mouth to mouth.”

  She was shutting him out. His jaw clenched.

  “Let me freshen up a bit, and then…” She kissed him. A light, biting nip. “You can make me forget all about my bad dream.” Samantha eased away from him. She rose and walked toward the bathroom, completely naked, with her head held up high and her hips swaying.

  He watched her, keeping silent. His damn cock was up, but with her around, there was no real way to stop the lust.

  The door closed behind her with a soft click.

  The sound of rushing water filtered through the room.

  And he realized that his hands were clenched into fists. That’s what she looks like when she lies.

  Sam stared at the image in the mirror. Her hands were wrapped around the faucet, holding on too tightly. The better to stop the trembling in her fingers.

  It had been six weeks since she’d had a flashback, and yes, that’s what it was. No nightmare. No freaking bad dream.

  A flashback.

  She was supposed to be better.

  Max had seen her when she was weak. No, no, he shouldn’t have seen her like that. She was with him for sex and pleasure. To push the ghosts away.

  She wasn’t there so that he could see her get tangled in the past.

  “You looked like you were fighting to get air.”

  Dammit. Just… dammit.

  Sam grabbed a handful of water and splashed it on her face. But the warm water didn’t thaw the ice in her cheeks.

  She couldn’t do this, couldn’t let the past come back and control her. Luke would be watching her every move. All the agents would. She had to hold things together.

  A knock rattled at the door. “Samantha? Are you okay?”

  “Fine!” She called and stared back into the mirror. Liar, liar.

  The knob rattled. Max was trying to get in, but the attempt wouldn’t do him much good. She’d locked the door. “Give me just a minute!”

  Get out. Run. The tension had her body tight again. She couldn’t stay with Max. She should not have made the mistake of falling asleep in his bed. Her defenses came down when she slept.

  Water dripped down her face and splashed into the granite sink.

  “Samantha, open the door.” Quiet. Firm.

  Don’t show fear. Don’t ever show fear. She turned off the water. Slowly, taking her time, she opened the door. A smile was already on her lips, the water drying on her skin, when she faced him. “Sorry, Max, I think I’m going to have to take a rain—”

  “Stop it.” His gaze raked her face.

  Sam let her brows rise. “Uh, stop what?” He didn’t know how fast her heart was beating. Didn’t know that her muscles were locked.

  Max grabbed her hand and tugged her toward him. “We don’t have to fuck.”

  Blunt. But then, she was fast realizing that was his way. He said what he thought and to hell with everyone else.

  Must be nice to be able to live like that. She worried too much about others.

  Only with him can I let myself go and just feel pleasure. But there wo