Darke Heat (13 page)

“Sounds great. I’m starved. They didn’t give me...”

The sentence trailed off and hung there. He spoke into the pause as if it hadn’t happened. “Go ahead and sit down. Would you like some juice with your eggs?”

“Yes, anything would be fine.”

He could see she was still shaky. More than likely the last thing she was trying to do was attract attention, but she was a knock out. He needed to keep his mind on the investigation, and not her silky skin. It had the sun-kissed look of a woman who enjoyed being outside. She was so beautiful. She’d washed her hair, and the dark red was streaked with blonde highlights. She never seemed to play on her beauty, unlike his ex-wife who had expected it to open doors. Just one more thing that distinguished Paige from, not only her cousin, but most of the women he knew. When this current case was over, he needed to get to the bottom of just who Paige really was.

Nothing added up to what he’d thought about her for years. Tonight’s kidnapping revealed he’d been harboring more feelings than he’d acknowledged, even to himself. But still, the suspicion that he was being played just wouldn’t allow him to let down his guard. For tonight, he would take care of her and keep her safe. Soon her brothers would be around to help take up the slack, while he concentrated full time on the case.

She’d gotten her emotions under control again and was glad she could answer him without falling apart.

They ate in silence. Afterward, he rinsed and loaded the dishes in the sink. She made a move as if to help, but he motioned her to sit back down. The task completed, he sat down at the table, and took her small hands in his. He noticed the wet bandages on her rope burns, and went to get the first aid kit. When he returned, he pulled out the items he needed to tend her wrists.

“I called Colt. He and Dane will be here within twenty-four hours.”

She bristled at his high-handedness in calling her brothers. She could take care of herself—well, most of the time. “You shouldn’t have. They’ve other problems they need to deal with before they come rushing to my rescue.”

“No, they don’t, and Colt was really pissed you hadn’t called him before I did to let him know what was going on.” Bryce removed the wet bandages, applied fresh antibiotic ointment, and bandaged her up again.

“What would he be able to do?” His touch was driving her crazy. She was relieved, yet bereft when he finished his doctoring.

“Paige, he could have been here to protect you.”

“Protect me? What about him getting shot in the head instead? What about me protecting my brothers?”

“Paige, they were trained in the military. They know how to defend themselves.”

“Well, unless they wear a full-faced Kevlar helmet, they aren’t going to stop a bullet to the head now, are they?”

“You’re right, Paige. This thing with the gangs is so out of control. They were threatening to kill you.” He stood and began to pace. “I heard them tell of the murder of my ex-wife. They kidnapped you, Paige. I can’t have you endangered any more. It’s playing hell with my mind. Your brothers are a way to keep you safe, and they are more experienced than the local police. I want to be out working this case, so if your brothers can keep you safe, I can do my job.”

“I get that, Bryce, but who is protecting my brothers?”

“Paige, they know more places to hide, more ways to protect yourself and them, than my whole department put together. If they’re not safe, no one is. But I’m betting they’re a whole lot better at killing than any of these perps I’ve been trying to chase down.”

“I know you’re right in my head, but my heart hasn’t gotten there yet.”

“It’s going to be okay, Paige. If I thought there was another way to keep you safe I would do it. But I think at least one of the gang leaders is fixated on you, and the other gang leader would like to use you as a way to bait me.” Bryce rubbed his forehead in frustration. He wanted her stashed somewhere safe. He’d been thinking about her more than he should, and he didn’t want to be worrying about her safety when he went in, guns blazing, to take down these creeps. He needed to get some sleep, but somehow, with her around, he didn’t think that was going to happen.

“It’s been a long day, Bryce. I’m going to call Rose’s and check on the dogs and then go to bed, if that’s all right with you.”

“Sure, Paige, second bedroom on the right. And I’ll call Rose’s. Get some rest.”

“Okay.”

He watched her turn and walk down the hall, his gaze fixed on her bottom. The hem of his tee shirt rode high on her thighs and had him mentally groaning. She was a beautiful woman with a natural sensuality that made him lose his train of thought.

He rubbed the fatigue out of his eyes. The day had been an emotional pressure cooker. He now knew for sure that he felt more than a deep desire to protect Paige. It was like an obsession. He locked all the doors and turned out the lights, before heading to bed. He knew he’d not get any sleep. He was troubled by the amount of violence aimed at Paige and her property.

He lay down on the mattress with the ceiling fan moving the air over his tense body. He couldn’t seem to relax. Part of it was the rush of adrenaline from the earlier fear that he’d be too late to save her. It was like reliving his ex-wife’s murder all over again. The other thoughts were a sexual awareness of Paige. Her lush curves and waif-like face were a blend of sensuality and innocence. With a groan, he rolled over to get comfortable. Even without clothes, his body was hot and ached with sexual tension.

Then he heard her in the hallway coming toward his room. He quickly pulled the sheet over his nakedness, in case she looked in. The moonlight coming in through the window would have shown just how aroused he was. Not something a woman who’d been through a kidnapping needed to deal with. She stood in the doorway and looked in at him. He felt the heat of her stare flush his body. She moved closer.

“Bryce, can you hold me?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper as if she was afraid to disturb the quiet of the night.

“Sure, come here.” He scooted over and made room for her on the bed. Then he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her trembling and realized he should have offered to hold her earlier. But damn, it was going to be a frustrating night. She moved in closer and nestled her head on his shoulder. As strong as Paige was, tonight’s events had stolen her feeling of being safe. The kidnappers knew how to get her alone so they could take her. It would be a while until she really felt safe again, and that wouldn’t happen until he caught the guys and put them behind bars. Still, that wouldn’t stop the ring leader from hiring others.

She shifted again slightly and then he felt her deep breathing. She was asleep. Thank God. Maybe he could get some peace, if not sleep. His groin ached and his skin felt too tight. She was so lovely laying there; her silken skin pressed to his body; her hand lying so trustingly on his chest. He shifted to get more comfortable, so he could see her face. The light from the full moon showed the crescents of her eyelashes resting on her cheeks. Across the bridge of her nose, danced a few freckles. But what was really hard to resist were her lips, which were making a perfect pout as she blew out a breath that danced along his skin, ruffling his chest hair, and making his skin pucker in gooseflesh.

There was something about Paige that just did it for him. The auburn hair, slim hips, and smart mouth, made him want to howl at the moon. She’d totally fulfilled the promise of her youth, and exceeded it. The sun-kissed highlights seemed to sparkle, as he ran his hand through her hair. She was all woman, and if she was any other woman, he would have been jumping at a chance at a relationship, but she was Sharon’s cousin and any female related to her was questionable in his mind.

Still, Paige didn’t seem anything like Sharon. In fact, she wasn’t anything like Sharon or so Libby had said. So who was Paige? He didn’t know, but the more he was around her, the more he wanted to know. She was, however, temporarily off limits while this case was ongoing. He didn’t want to risk her life any more than it already had been, just by being with him.

Hours later, he dozed, only to awaken to have an amber-eyed woman staring at him. She looked tousled and he wanted nothing so much as to make her look more so.

“Good morning, Bryce.”

“Good morning,” he replied.

She’d watched Bryce as he slept and marveled again at how handsome he was. Even in his gruff, unshaven state, he was yummy. She may never be the woman of his dreams, but he was the man of hers. She wouldn’t allow him to treat her as less than the person she knew herself to be. He’d already proven he could use her, if she let him. It didn’t make her less of a person, that he didn’t want a real relationship with her. That was a problem he would have to deal with, she would move on with her life. Never again would she allow someone to treat her as second best. She was worthy of being loved by a man who put her first.

“Paige, am I forgiven for taking Sheba?” he asked.

“And Samson? Don’t forget you took him too.”

He was nuzzling her neck the way lovers do after a night of lovemaking. It was just such love play that had been missing the one time they’d slept together. “I might forgive you. Depends on how good of an adoptive family you found for Samson.”

“It’s a great family with two kids who’ve been begging for a dog, lots of energy, and a huge backyard. Agent Jefferson has worked with me for a couple of years and is reliable, and his wife is a school teacher. Samson is going to a good home and will be part of a great team of DEA officers. They worked with Samson on the day you left him with me and they were truly impressed with him.”

“I understand that they need the dog, Bryce. I just like to have a say in who has one of
my
dogs.”

“Are we going to argue or are you going to forgive me?” he asked in between wet kisses around her ear. She shivered in response.

Bryce was in the process of pulling kissing her again when his cell rang. That quick, he was back to being an agent on a case.

“Prescott,” he said after checking the caller ID.

“Bryce, it’s Bo Jefferson. We’ve had a lead on some gang bangers heading your way.”

“What have you got?”

“One guy’s name is Ramon, the other guy is ex-military named Bobby McIntyre. He’s an explosives expert, last seen heading your way after taking out a whole bunch of buildings.”

“How’s the team?”

“Thanks to our newest member, Samson, we’re all alive. That dog saved our lives and caught one of the members of the Dragons, who rolled over on everyone. Seems they’ve had a change of leadership.

“Okay, thanks for the heads up.”

“You’re welcome. Stay safe man.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Later.”

“What was that all about?” Paige asked.

“Your dog just saved the team from an explosives expert’s handiwork.”

“I’m glad.”

“I need to give Markham this info, and I don’t trust the channels at the police department.”

“I wouldn’t trust them either,” she said.

“This will have to wait,” he said.

She watched him get out of the bed totally nude and completely comfortable with it. Well, why wouldn’t he be? He was gorgeous. He grabbed his clothes and put them on while she watched.

“I’ll be back later. Don’t go anywhere. Until we catch these guys, we have to assume they will make another try for you. I’ll call every hour or so. Lay low, and stay in the house with the doors locked. The Millers may be working out in the fields, but Mrs. Miller isn’t scheduled to clean the house today, so you just stay inside, and don’t answer the door.”

“Okay,” she replied. Presented with the idea of being in the house all day by herself, she realized she would be alone. She needed to get used to it, but she remembered the feeling of helplessness.

“Leave me a gun,” she demanded.

“There’s one in the nightstand. It’s loaded but the safety is on and it has a lock. Here’s the key to the lock.” He handed her a small key off a ring of keys.

“Thanks,” she said.

He bent down and gave her a hard, brief kiss. She felt her lips tingle from the contact.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Okay,” she said, bemused by how aroused she became with just one kiss.

She watched him leave with a piece of toast in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He switched both to his left hand, and opened the truck door with his right. She watched him until his taillights disappeared. Like her, he lived back off the road a ways. There was very little traffic, so she could see anyone approaching. She tried to think of things to keep her busy for the day. She started with phone calls, the first, one to Jamie.

“Jamie, this is Paige.”

“Oh God, Paige, I heard about the attempted kidnapping. Are you okay?”

“It wasn’t an attempt, Jamie. They were successful, but Bryce and Deeogee rescued me.”

“I’m glad, Paige.”

“I think Shelby has all the dogs right now and I was wondering if you could go over there and give her a hand so she won’t be overwhelmed.”

“I’m on it.”

“Thanks, Jamie.”