China Blue (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 3) by Madalyn Morgan (top 100 novels of all time TXT) 📕

‘Good morning, China. I’ll tell you later,’ he said, turning to face her. Pushing his chair back, he pulled her to him and kissed her. The butterflies in the pit of her stomach took flight. She let go of the sheet and it fell to the floor. She lifted her leg over his and lowered herself into a sitting position. Aroused, Mitch lifted her up and laid her on the settee. Without taking his eyes off her naked body, he took off his shorts and made love to her.

‘You awake, China?’ Mitch asked when Claire stirred.

She snuggled up to him and said, ‘No.’

‘You don’t want to go back to France then?’

‘What?’ She opened her eyes. ‘Of course I want to go back to France. Why?’

‘I’ve got to see the colonel,’ he said, pushing himself off the settee and putting his shorts back on. ‘I bet you an English pound you’ll be summoned in to see him later today.’

Suddenly wide awake, Claire sat up. ‘I’d better go back to my flat,’ she said, ‘in case Vera Halliday rings.’

‘Not before you’ve had a cup of coffee and some eggs,’ Mitch said.

Claire was so excited she didn’t think she’d be able to eat anything, but she ate two eggs on toast. ‘That was lovely,’ she said. When she’d finished eating, she took the dishes into the kitchen.

Mitch followed her in. ‘China, we can’t let anyone know you stayed here last night.’ The sparkle in Claire’s eyes faded. ‘If Colonel Smith finds out we’re seeing each other, we won’t be able to work together.’

‘I know,’ she sighed. ‘It isn’t fair!’

Mitch put his finger up to her lips. ‘It may not be fair, China, but it’s a rule and it’s one the colonel feels strongly about. He thinks if partners are lovers and one of them is caught in a dangerous situation, the other wouldn’t act rationally – and if they didn’t they would put their comrades in danger and compromise the Resistance cell.’

Claire thought for a second before looking up at Mitch and nodding. ‘I can see how that could happen. So,’ she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, ‘I’ll see you when I see you, partner.’

‘We won’t have to wait long, China. There’s a full moon next week. Then,’ he said, putting his arms around her and holding her close, ‘when the tour’s done--’

‘I know.’ They kissed passionately, but didn’t speak again.

Mitch walked Claire to the door and when she opened her mouth to say goodbye he kissed her. As she walked down the steps of his apartment building, she sensed his eyes on her. She was still glowing from their lovemaking and excited because they were going back to France. Before crossing the road, she looked back. He was no longer at the door but watching from the window. She put her fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss. Smiling, Mitch saluted.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Holding onto the safety line, Claire beckoned Mitch. ‘I can’t see any lights,’ she shouted above the noise of the Halifax’s engines.

‘With the wireless out of action, André might not have received confirmation of the drop,’ Mitch shouted back.

‘What if it’s a trap? Jacques wouldn’t have been able to let London know if the drop, or even the Resistance cell, had been compromised.’

Mitch shook his head vigorously. ‘He’d have gone to another cell, another wireless operator.’ He tapped the shoulder of the engineer, who was on his knees looking out of the door. Claire moved closer to hear what they were saying. ‘The clouds are clearing. We’ve got eighty percent visual.’

Mitch turned to Claire. ‘We’re near the end of the full moon this month. If we don’t get the wireless crystals to Jacques this drop, the Resistance will be out of contact for three, maybe four weeks. We’re going in.’ Claire nodded that she agreed.

The Halifax made a broad sweep of the area and came in at a thousand feet. The engineer bellowed, ‘If you’re going, captain, this is it!’ He looked first at Mitch who nodded, and then at Claire who gave him the thumbs up.

‘Ready?’

Claire stood beside the gaping aperture and waited. Her stomach lurched. She always thought she’d be sick before she jumped. She never was. She swallowed hard. The engineer brought his arm down like a whip and she jumped.

Clearing the plane, Claire began to glide. A second later Mitch was at her side and a second after that she pulled the ripcord. She felt the straps tighten and after being jerked up a little to the left she levelled. Mitch was below her. He had stayed in free-fall longer. Claire saw his parachute billowing on the ground. As her feet touched down a gust of wind took hold of her chute and she began to run. Bending her knees she regained control, and a second later her bottom cushioned the fall.

Quickly she gathered up her chute. She looked up as several parachutes floated down, the moon reflecting off their silky blooms. She ran across the field. Her fingers nimbly unbuckled the harness and she took out her overcoat. After putting it on she took out Mitch’s coat and helped him into it. She next took her suitcase, basket and handbag from the container while Mitch put in their harnesses and parachutes.

There had always been a reception committee with the Belland brothers, to help carry the drop and hide it, but tonight there was only Claire and Mitch. She looked around. ‘It’s very quiet, Mitch. Are you worried?’

‘No. We were late telling them there was a drop.’ Claire wasn’t convinced that was the reason. She didn’t think Mitch was either, but she didn’t question him; he had more experience than she did. ‘Come on, Claire, put your back into