Page 82 of Covert Affections (Shadow Agents/PSI-Ops #5)

Teresa reached into her bag and pulled out a file. She held it out to Lindy.

Unsure what it contained, Lindy took it, still surprised to see the woman was back in Colorado. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”

Teresa’s expression was guarded. “Lindy, give your husband the file.”

“My husband?” she echoed.

Jesse moved up closer to Lindy, still cupping his groin and still very naked.

She snarled at him. “Don’t touch me. I can’t believe you’re married!”

Waverly snorted. “Uh, Lindy, I think he’s married to you.”

“Oh,” Lindy replied, clutching the folder. “Wait. What? Me?”

Teresa hugged Lindy and then stepped back and straightened Lindy’s hair, fluffing it, trying to make it bigger. “Kitten, he claimed you during sex. You’re mated. Congratulations. Your husband is a looker. Well-endowed too. Even better.”

Nicholas tossed his head back and laughed loudly.

Waverly watched the act as though it were a film that should be shown only on a late-night cable channel.

Teresa nodded to the folder.

Jesse pressed against Lindy’s back, using her body as a shield, and reached around her, opening the folder.

Lindy glanced down to see maps and building diagrams. “What is it?”

“The location where his brother and his friends are being held,” said Teresa.

“Samuel?” asked Jesse, his breath catching.

Nicholas’s eyes widened. “What do you mean by being held? And, Jesse, you remember now?”

“Anatole,” said Jesse as if that one name answered everything.

Nicholas nodded, a sad expression coming over him. “Yeah. Anatole. When did your memories come back?”

Jesse stayed pressed to Lindy’s back. He kissed the top of her head. “Right after I claimed my mate.”

Teresa stared at him. “Someone messed with your memories?”

“Yes,” Nicholas and Jesse said at the same time.

“Vampire,” added Nicholas. “To keep us from being discovered by the enemy since we were all going undercover with them.”

“Makes sense why claiming Lindy would bring the memories back,” said Teresa.

“How does any of this make sense?” demanded Lindy.

Jesse kissed the top of her head again.

Teresa eased closer and took the folder from Jesse, holding it out to Nicholas.

She then touched Lindy’s face again. “Kitten, your aunt confessed some things to me before she took her leave. Told me a bit more about what makes you be you. Your succubus side is only part of what makes you require sexual energy to survive.”

“That’s the Fae part,” said Lindy, having already heard this.

“Yes. And you’ve got a bit of cat shifter in you,” said Teresa as she eyed Jesse approvingly. “But you’ve also got vampire in you. From what your aunt told me, that vampire line needs sexual energy.”

Nicholas’s brows shot up. “When Jesse ingested her blood, it probably broke the last of the vampire’s hold on his mind.”

Teresa nodded.

“Thank you,” Jesse said, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was Fluffy.”

“I would have been fine with it,” said Lindy, tearing up.

He nodded. “I know that now. I’m…I’m sorry, and I love you.”

A smile spread over her face as she teared up. “I have very, very strong feelings for you too, Fluffy .”

“That an inside joke or something?” asked Teresa.

“Kind of,” returned Lindy, meeting the older woman’s gaze. “I don’t understand why you’re here. I’m happy to see you, but still.”

Teresa touched her cheek lightly. “I would have been here sooner, but Boat Guy took longer to crack than I thought he would. Clearly, I’m losing my touch.”

“Boat Guy?” asked Nicholas.

Teresa grinned, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I think you know him as Director Murlick.”

Jesse tensed. “That’s the bastard that ordered me to kill Samuel.”

“Yep. He’s a bastard,” said Teresa. “Great in bed, but a total bastard.”

A large truck came peeling into the parking lot. A second later, Mac, Car, and Bill exited it. The twins came to a stop in front of the truck and stood shoulder to shoulder.

“Are we supposed to get naked too?” asked Car, giving Jesse a nod.

Mac shrugged. “Why not? Hey, is that a fried body on the ground?”

“Yes. And excellent idea on getting naked,” said Waverly. She clasped her hands in front of herself. “You two start, and the baker can follow. Fun!”

“Let’s not,” said Jesse.

The twins cocked their heads to the left at the same time. After what felt like forever, they said, “Culbertson?”

Jesse stiffened behind her and turned around fully, cupping his front, but leaving his backside exposed.

Teresa whistled. “Great ass.”

“You know me?” Jesse asked, his attention on the twins.

Nicholas sighed. “Well, he clearly has some of his memories back, but not all of them. He’s a work in progress. Now, let’s talk about how we’re going to get the rest of our team back.”

Bill was standing several feet behind the twins, staring in Lindy’s direction, looking as if he might pass out. His eyes were wide, and she was fairly sure there was sweat on his brow.

“Och, Bill, what are you doin’?” asked Car. “You said Gus told you we needed to get our arses here and then you just stand there with yer mouth open, catching flies.”

Teresa pushed by Lindy and slapped Jesse’s ass cheek before walking toward the twins.

Bill’s eyes widened more. “Hot Lips?”

Teresa chuckled. “Sweet Cheeks, glad you’re here. You can answer a question I’ve had for some time now. Are we, or are we not, married?”

THE END