After the Rain (6 page)

“Good to know,” he returns her laugh, “my wife’s turning into a thrill junkie.”

“No worries, I won’t be looking for another high like that anytime soon.”

“Do you want to head back down?”

Raina shakes her head, looking up, “No, I want to finish the climb.”

Smiling at her tenaciousness, Kas gives her a sexy wink, “Alright, my beautiful over-achiever, let’s keep going.”

The forecast Kas checked before visiting was either wrong or has drastically changed. Rain is pouring, tapping against the window as they lie in bed.

“I guess hiking is out of the question,” Raina teases. She’s only slightly disappointed; her body aches from the climb yesterday, and a day to give her sore muscles a rest sounds good. “We can visit some of the shops,” she offers, laughing at his low groan. “Okay, we can visit the Biltmore House instead.”

“That sounds more interesting,” he replies, his voice turning huskier, “but, I think we should stay in bed for a while longer first.”

Raina squeals when Kas pulls her underneath him. He flashes his cocky grin, and her body immediately responds. She smiles when he sheds his briefs,
Resting
is
highly
overrated
.

Later that morning, they hop into the shower together, continually bumping against each other with the shower being considerably smaller than the one at home. Neither one seems to mind at all. The rest of the morning is spent casually touring the famous home before taking a seat at The Stables for lunch.

“I’m starving,” Raina gushes, looking over the menu.

The waitress fills their wineglasses with a crisp Riesling made from their own winery. Raina takes a small sip, looking over the rim at her husband who is busy deciding on which entree he’s going to order.

Feeling her gaze, Kas flashes his sexy, cocky grin, “What is it, sweetheart? You gotta thing for me?”

Pursing her lips and tilting her head, she winks, “A little thing.”

“Little, huh?” he laughs, “you are such a terrible liar.”

“And you are full of yourself,” she laughs, throwing her napkin at him.

“Hey, I just read the signs, baby,” Kas smirks.

Leaning in close to him, Raina takes his hand, tracing her finger sensually up his palm, slowly circling around his wrist, “I think we should blindfold those eyes of yours tonight so I can surprise you for once, unless giving up that particular element of control is too much for you to handle?” Her challenging smirk reaches all the way to her eyes as she tugs at her lip with her teeth.

“I trust you explicitly, darlin’,” he responds truthfully, leaning closer to her, his carnal eyes boring into hers, “but, this game goes both ways, I get a turn, too.”

Her spreading smile gives her full compliance.

When the waitress returns, interrupting their playful, sexual banter, Kas chuckles at the blush glowing pink on his innocent wife’s cheeks, loving her perfect blend of purity and enthusiastic naughtiness.

Regaining her composure, Raina orders the roasted vegetable salad with shrimp while Kas decides on the spice-rubbed smoked ribs. They take their time enjoying their lunch, sipping on wine and talking like newlyweds. For dessert, they share the chocolate fudge and blond brownies before Kas pays the bill and takes his wife back to the bed and breakfast for a lot more sweet decadence.

Falling
against
the
bed
, Raina’s body glistens in the moonlight as a thin sheen of sweat covers both of them. Kas throws his arm over his head, trying to catch his breath, “Darlin’, you are the best workout I’ve ever had.”

“I’m a lot more fun, too,” she grins, placing her chin on her arm that is resting on top of his chest.

“That you are,” he laughs, agreeing fully with the astounding amount of entertainment she delivers him.

Climbing completely on top of him, she sits on his reclined hips, her just thoroughly sexed glow brightens her entire body.

Kas can’t tear his eyes off of her as he takes a silky auburn strand, playfully sliding it through his fingers, “What are you thinking about, sweetheart?”

Her lips curve at his adept abilities, “Can I ask you a question?”

The tone in her voice peaks his attention, “You can ask me anything you want, you know that.”

“Do you ever think about your mom?”

“Sometimes,” Kas admits as he sits up and slides Raina with him so she’s sitting on his lap.

“I’m sorry you never got the chance to know her,” she whispers, gently kissing his chest as her thoughts stray to the picture of Ann that Cliff still carries in his wallet.

“Me, too,” he admits, “but Dad always made sure to include her in my life somehow. He told me all about her growing up, and I have several pictures of her.” Kas tilts her chin with his fingers before tucking her hair behind her ear, “What’s this really about, Rain?”

Softly shrugging her shoulders, she gazes at him questioningly, “I don’t know. It’s just that, lately, I’ve been thinking about my birth parents again. I wondered about them a lot growing up after mom died.” Her eyes dim at her memories, “There were times that I used to fantasize about them coming back.”

Kas’ heart breaks, “That they would come back and take you away from your father?”

Swallowing hard, she gives a slight nod.

He can only imagine what other thoughts she had that helped to keep her sanity throughout her nightmare of a childhood, “Did you ever think about trying to find out who they are?”

“Yes. I could have,” Raina whispers.

“I know.” He does know that she could have found the records and easily hacked into the needed files. “Why didn’t you?”

“I was tempted many times, but I never could bring myself to do it.” Giving him a sly grin, some of the earlier light returns to her eyes, “It’s illegal, you know?”

“Yeah, I know a little something about that,” he teases. “Now, tell me the real reason you didn’t do it,” he chuckles, brushing his lips across her forehead.

“I guess I realized that there’s a reason they put me up for adoption, and if they wanted me to know, or if they wanted to meet me, they would make an effort,” Raina pauses, absently fidgeting with her fingers, “and, I was scared they wouldn’t want to meet me if I did find them.”

Kas slips his hand around the back of her neck, under her soft curls, caressing her skin with his thumb. “They would be insane to not want to know you,” he tells her truthfully.

“With us talking about trying to have a baby soon, it made me think about them again.” Her gaze meets his, “But, I just wanted you to know that I don’t have that need to know who they are anymore.” Love fills her eyes; her smile not only brightens her face, it lights everything inside of him up right along with her as she tells him, “I have you, now. You filled that empty space. You’re more than enough for me, Kas.”

The hefty mixture of love, pride, and utter adoration for his wife overwhelms him at her words, at the truth of what she said written all over her beautiful face. Completely lost in the current of his emotions, he pulls her mouth to his, kissing her passionately, reverently. Tangling his hands in her hair, he deepens the kiss, feeling her love in the depths of his soul. Slowly sliding her off his lap, he lowers her to the bed, his lips never leaving hers, his tongue continuing to lavish her with emotions too strong for words. They spend the next few hours making love, being sure to go slow, each exploring the other like it was their first time.

Raina
watches
the
scenery go by on the way home, and woods turn into highways, highways turn into interstates, before reaching D.C. again. When they pull into their driveway, Raina smiles as she briefly revisits the first time she saw Kas’ house, now their home, and how she felt like she belonged somewhere for the first time in years. Tears prick the back of her eyes, and she wraps her arms around Kas, pressing her body into his, snuggling as close as possible. “Thank you,” she whispers.

“For what, darlin’?” Kas asks as he tilts her chin with his finger and gently wipes away a tear with his thumb.

“Everything.”

Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, he brings her lips to his, his mouth caressing hers, his tongue slowly exploring, before reluctantly pulling away, “C’mon, let’s go inside. It’s been a long day, let’s get you to bed.”

Chapter Four

The world didn’t get any better while they were away. Kas flips through the printed information on the suspects who he hopes one will turn out to be Jefferson. He had kept abreast of anything new over the phone while in North Carolina, but he had hoped that, by some miracle, looking at the information in ink would jog some brilliant idea or divulge much needed secrets. Letting out a long breath, he leans back in his chair with his arms resting above his head. Hesitantly, he dials Michael.

“Pierce, man, I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever hear from you again,” Michael states truthfully, happy to hear his friend’s voice.

“Yeah, I know, I should’ve called sooner. How have you been?”

“Good . . . and you?”

Kas catches Michael’s pause, knowing the abrupt end to their last conversation must have left the agent with a long list of questions, “We’re good, Michael, really good.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Michael responds, the relief in his voice evident. “How’s your team?”

“We’re still chasing ghosts here. I need you to do me a favor.”

“Sure, name it.”

“Keep an eye and ear out for the name Jefferson. If this name comes up in anything will you let me know?”

“Do you have a first name for this Jefferson?”

It’s Kas who pauses this time, “Thomas.”

Michael’s laughter causes Kas to miss his jovial friend. “Yeah, alright. I’ll keep a lookout, that name will be hard to miss.”

They spend the next few minutes catching up. Neither one mentions Brent.

Jake knocks on the frame of the open office door, “Got a minute?”

Motioning for Jake to enter, Kas finishes the call with Michael, promising to keep in touch, before turning towards Jake, “What’s up?”

“Senator Wakely seems to be doing some research of his own.”

Sitting up straighter, Kas listens as Jake continues, “He seems to be looking for two men in particular.”

“Do we have names to these men yet?”

“No, but apparently they are affiliated with an old gang.”

“Have the agents keep a close eye on him. I want those names.” Kas purses his lips, “I want to know everything about them.”

“I’ll let them know,” Jake assures his leader, calling the agents on his way out.

Deciding to check on what Erik and Raina are working on, Kas heads upstairs. He covers his ears as he enters Erik’s office. Tapping Raina on the shoulder, he yells, or mouths, for her to turn the music down, with Poison blaring so loudly she can’t quite tell which. Not removing her headphones, she walks across the room, pushing Erik’s chair, with him in it, out of the way so she can lower his chosen concentration for the day.

“How do you get anything done in here?” Kas blurts out, his voice a little loud from the ringing left in his ears.

Raina tosses him her headphones, “These help.”

“And you can actually hear your music with Erik’s busting your drums?”

“Hey, I have quite the extensive, eclectic collection, thank you very much. I choose each selection carefully,” Erik reprimands, “you just don’t know good music when you hear it, Pierce.”

“I happen to like Poison, I just don’t like having them embedded in my brain,” Kas banters, kicking Erik’s chair so it spins as it rolls across the room.

Raina laughs when Erik grabs the edge of the long worktable to stop his ride. “For your information, my embedded brain has been very productive today,” he chuckles. “I’ve restored the hard drive on three computers and found a lead on a ring reaching from here to Atlanta.”

“Any correlation to Parker?”

“None that we could find.”

“Lawson’s team is heading to Atlanta,” Erik begins, glancing at Raina who quickly looks down, her eyes reverting back to the screen in front of her.

Kas follows Erik’s gaze and tugs on the back of Raina’s chair, “What are you two not telling me?”

Erik lets out a hearty laugh and throws down a twenty dollar bill, “Remind me never to bet against you again, girl.”

“Betting? What did you bet on?” Kas asks, his confusion mounting.

Raina’s expression is sheepish as Erik fills him in, “Your superhuman abilities. It’s just freaky, and so not fair.” He turns towards Raina, “I bet you don’t get away with anything do you?”

“Rain, spill . . . now,” Kas demands, not liking where this is going.

Not making eye contact, Raina blurts out, “Lawson wants me to go with him and his team to Atlanta.”

“Why?”

“To be a sub,” she mumbles.

“A sub? As in a technical or language specialist substitute or as in a submissive?”

“Submissive,” she whispers so low Kas can barely hear her.

Kas’ face is taut, and his voice is clipped as he asks, “What did you tell him?”

“I said that I would need to talk with you first.”

Erik chuckles, “See, she’s already practicing the role, being all docile and asking for your permission.”

Raina shoots Erik a deadly look before her gaze finally meets Kas’. His face is tight, his eyes unreadable, but, thankfully, anger free.

“We’ll discuss it later,” Kas states softly, knowing Raina isn’t wanting to talk about it in front of Erik, especially since he’s pretty sure she’s worried about his feelings of what occurred the last time she went undercover. Taking her hand, he pulls her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. The last thing he wants is for her to revisit the day he left her, the day he made the biggest mistake of his life. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” Pulling away, he studies her expression, making sure she’s alright. “I love you, Rain,” he tells her, his voice thick with the emotion.

“I love you, too.”

Erik shakes his head as Kas leaves, “It’s a good thing you’re so sweet and innocent. If Susanna could read me like that, I’d be a dead man.”

Kas watches as
Raina moves her roast pork and potatoes around with her fork. Knowing what’s on her mind, he wishes his mind would cooperate better and stop jumping around between wanting to demand her not to go and telling her
to
go so she won’t think he doesn’t trust her. Pushing his own plate away, he reaches across the table and grabs Raina’s hand, “First of all, I want you to know how much I love you. Second, I have complete faith in you, darlin’, it’s important that you know that.”

Raina looks at him quietly for a few seconds, “Let me guess, your ‘thirdly’ is going to be something like, ‘but I don’t want you going, it’s too dangerous’.”

A smile curves his lips at her astuteness. A pang of guilt nags at him at how her tone was kind, void of any contempt, when she guessed what he was going to say next, even though he knows she wants to go. Looking at her, he shakes his head from the absolute knowledge that if this were about anything else, she would do what she feels she needs to do. She would be nice about it, but regardless of what he says, she would make up her own mind.
Damn,
I
love
that
about
you
. “Go,” he tells her before changing his mind.

The surprise in her widened eyes makes him laugh. “You’re getting really good at undercover ops, and Lawson is as competent as he is fierce. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s good at what he does, you’ll be in good hands. Besides, I love the fact that he already knows that if he does anything you don’t like, you’ll bust him in the mouth the first chance you get.”

Raina tries to suppress her laughter but fails miserably. “I didn’t mean to hit him, it was just a reaction,” she manages to get out between giggles.

Relieved that she’s able to put the dark reasoning of why she hit Lawson behind her and see the humorous side of her knocking the formidable agent on his butt and busting his lip, he chuckles before asking, “Who’s going to be the lead with you?”

“Scott.”

Kas nods his head in approval, “He has plenty of undercover experience.” Squeezing her hand he warns, “He’ll be tough on you in the field, Rain.”

“I don’t expect anything different.”

“When are they planning on leaving?”

“Monday.”

“Good, you won’t miss Seth.”

Excitement brightens her face, “I can’t wait until Friday.”

Kas fights the twinge of jealousy stinging him. He’s never mentioned anything to Raina, but he knows Seth has a crush on her. Seth’s feelings have never bothered him because he’s fairly confident that he would never divulge them to Raina; Seth wants her happy. Kas’ heart swells humbly with the fact that Seth knows that she’s happy with him. Standing up, he walks to her, pulls her from the chair and sits down, lowering her onto his lap. Burying his head in her hair, he nuzzles her neck, hiding his smile at how she is truly brilliant but completely ignorant when it comes to knowing when someone has a thing for her.
Just
another
thing
I
love
about
you
.

Si fu Shang shifts, expertly dodging Raina’s sidekick. She quickly follows with the butterfly kick he has been teaching her, making contact with his shoulder, and it knocks him a couple of steps back.

“I’m sorry,” she immediately apologizes.

“That was excellent, Raina, don’t apologize,” he laughs, “your execution is off, but that was a solid kick.”

Giving him a tight smile, she thanks him before getting back into position.

“Take a break, get some water,” he tells her, grabbing his bottle. Carefully studying her while she is sipping on her own water, he takes a deep breath, not wanting to push her but realizing she needs the push to get over her recent set-back.

Feeling like an ass, he reminds himself it’s for her own good, that it’s exactly what his father did to him when he had his butt kicked in his first match and was skittish. “Breaks over, get back on the mat,” he commands, noticing how she flinches at the unexpected stern tone.

Raina sprints back to him, bowing before taking the Da Huang stance. The surprise flashes in her eyes when Si fu Shang comes at her fast, his moves relentless. Feverishly blocking him, she quickly breaks into a sweat, grunting breathlessly as he backs her into a corner.

“Don’t ever let your opponent put you in this position,” he warns calmly, backing away so she can join him back on the mat. The uncertainty in her eyes hurts him, but he pushes on, throwing a backfist that he has to pull at the last second due to her reaction being too slow to stop him.

Raina’s self-agitation is apparent.

“Again,” he gently commands.

Re-focusing herself, Raina delivers a snap kick, losing her balance when Si fu Shang grabs her leg.

Letting her leg go, he motions his fingers for her to come closer, “Again!”

Her breathing is labored as they continue the rigorous training. Her hair is damp from perspiration, and her knees feel weak, but she continues to administer kicks and punches, doing her best to block his advances. When she missteps, and he flips her, breaking her fall by pulling on her belt and grabbing her arm, a glancing look of fear passes through her eyes.

That is the emotion he was both waiting for and dreading. Gently balancing her, he takes her arms and pulls her closer, “I’ve pushed you beyond your level tonight for a reason, Raina. I needed your guard to be dropped, for you to stop masking your emotions so you can learn to control them. No harm will come to you here. With that said, focus on your fear, and learn to control it. If you lose control, you lose the fight.”

Without warning, he tugs at her, his smile showing he’s pleased when she doesn’t budge, instead adopting the Horse stance before administering an impressive crescent kick. “Very good, now stay focused.”

Raina twists to the side, barely dodging a blow, before she delivers one of her own. The sparring continues until her entire body is shaking from the exertion.

“Enough,” he calls out as he holds his hand up an hour later, wiping his brow with a towel, “no more training tonight, you did an excellent job.”

Raina bows respectfully before gulping her water and sliding down the wall, leaning her head against the cool bricks. “Thank you,” she barely manages, still out of breath.