Agent finds a Warrior by Guy Stanton III Read Free Book Online Page A

then?” I said indicating the open
road ahead of us with a flourish of one hand.
    We started walking again and somewhat
startled I felt her hand slip into mine. I glanced down at our
joined hands and then over to Maria who said, “I think I’m going to
rather enjoy being your woman.”
    She’d spoken openly and honestly and I loved
her for it.
    We walked on for quite some time and I
admired the view of her beside me, as I had been before only now
she was more accepting of it. She let her hat fall back to hang by
its cord from her throat so that her black hair blew freely in the
breeze.
    A whole realm of conversation that I had
never delved into before was opening up to me and somewhat
trepidatiously I ventured forth into the discussions of married
life, “What is with that outfit you’re wearing anyway?”
    I watched her smile as she asked, “Why does
it tempt you so much?”
    In honest reply I said, “You’d tempt me no
matter what you wore.”
    She glanced up and her eyes sparkled. She’d
liked that comment. I’d only spoken the truth.
    “Is that a corset?”
    “An under-bust one yes.”
    “Let me guess, it can withstand a 50 caliber
round delivered at point-blank range right?”
    Maria grinned big, “Well Elsie didn’t
mention 50 caliber rounds, but my impression was that it’s good for
all the other calibers, including explosions.”
    “What about your chest?” Some part of me
couldn’t begin to imagine that I was even asking such a
question.
    “Unfortunately not bulletproof, but I have
other surprises.”
    I was going to leave the conversation at
that for now.
    She looked at me speculatively, “I have to
say I was surprised at the façade if you will of Elsie’s
business.”
    I held my hands up chuckling, “I had no part
in that trust me! That was all Elsie’s doing and quite frankly I
wish she’d chosen something else for a cover, but we each have our
own decisions to make in life and Elsie’s was a tacky one to say
the least.”
    “Are you sure you’re not into being beaten
and tied up?” Maria asked teasingly.
    Darkly my mind drifted back over the years,
“I’ve been on the brunt end of a beat up session enough times in my
life without seeking out any more punishment I assure you.”
    I don’t know what made me say it other than
that it just slipped out, “I have no problems with tying you up
though.”
    I swear her face was the deepest shade of
red imaginable for the next half mile. I thought about apologizing,
but the more I thought about the idea of playfully tying her up the
more it sounded appealing to me. I was definitely going off the
deep end in more than one way.
    “Maria do you trust me?”
    She pursed her lips and then wryly said, “It
all depends. If I say no are you going to tie me up?”
    Completely straight-faced I responded,
“Maybe.”
    She gasped indignantly in outrage and I
burst out laughing. Calming my mirth at her expense I peeked to see
if I was in trouble. Strangely I was not.
    She was softly smiling. She reclaimed my
hand and we started out walking again. I was very curious as to her
unexpected reaction to me making fun of her. The Maria I had known
would have gotten mad and hit me most likely.
    Seeming to read my mind she said, “I love
your laugh.”
    “What is it that you love so much about
it?”
    “It’s warm and rich with emotion. Your laugh
makes me trust you.”
    I smiled and squeezed her hand gently.
    We went on a little farther before I asked,
“Now I have a question for you.”
    She looked up with interest.
    “What kind of stuff do you like to do?
Hobbies? Pastimes?”
    She simply shrugged, but I pressed her, “Oh
no you don’t! Out with it. Give me something.”
    She kept whatever it was stubbornly unsaid
within her.
    I stopped walking and pulled her to a stop,
“Don’t make me tie you up and tickle it out of you.”
    “You wouldn’t dare!”
    “Oh wouldn’t I?” I countered with an arched
eyebrow.
    She stared mutely silent back at