Devil Hath Come (an FBI/Romance Thriller ~book 7) (44 page)

Arlen James bolted
and he didn't have a chance. Elizabeth was faster and took him down like a scared antelope on the Serengeti. When she smacked his head off the ground, he went out like a light.

Blackhawk started laughing. “So much for not using brute force
on this one,” he snickered. “It looks like your pacifistic streak has come to an end.”

Cyra cuffed the man
and led him away as her boss brushed herself off.

“Hey, did I shoot him, punch him or
bitch slap his weasel-y ass?”

“No,” they replied at the same time.

“Then it’s all good, boys. I was detaining a suspect that was trying to escape and nothing more.”

Both men moved closer to her
body and pushed their way into her personal space to whisper in her ear.

“That was incredibly sexy, Elizabeth,” Ethan stated, nipping her ear.

Callen had the same exact idea. “I’m all hot and bothered and want to have you rough me up next,” he murmured. There was something about watching her take down a criminal that was purely erotic.

“You boys haven’t seen anything yet,” she replied
as she followed her agent out to the Denali.

“Really?” they answered at the same time.

“Wait until you see me all ‘
witched’
up tonight,” she replied, chewing on her bottom lip.

“It’s going to be a long night,” Ethan stated
. He was man enough to admit that his thoughts had already gone there. It was hard not to picture her in the gauze-y concoction.

Callen had to agree. “Yeah
, it is.”

Thursday Afternoon

After
arresting Arlen James for his crimes, Cyra headed back over to the morgue to wait for Chris to finish with the autopsy. Because they were heading back home to drop the bodies, she couldn’t be part of the search warrant team. That was a little disappointing, but it was easily forgotten once she saw Chris again.

The man
, who she was absolutely crazy about, was trying to handle the other ME. In all the times that she had worked with Chris, he rarely was at a loss for words. He would talk about pretty much anything to keep the mood light, and he was always trying to make someone laugh. It was that easiness that made her fall in love. But now, he looked frazzled. Patrick Parrish was gabbing a mile a minute and trying to bond over different professional procedures, medical journals and also the case.

Cyra wondered if she should intercede.

Finally, Chris stared at her and mouthed one word
. ‘Help.’

It took everything to not laugh uproariously over it. Here was a saint being driven to madness by a man
who had the same likes in life. It was like dead body talk overload.

“Chris
topher, I hate to interrupt, but we really have to get on the road,” Cyra offered, heading towards the door. “The Blackhawks need the bodies back there soon.”

He was going to kiss her for saving him. “You're right,
sweetheart.” He turned towards the ME. “Patrick, it was great talking to you. We’ll have to carry on another time.”

The man smiled
warmly at his associate. “Absolutely! It’s rare that I get to speak to anyone that understands why we do what we do! Thank you, Doctor Leonard and have a safe trip. I’ll hold down the fort here if anything comes up.”

Chris ran for his life. Outside
, the bodies were being loaded into a tech van, and he found that he really wanted to reward his heroine. Pulling her against his frame, he ignored everyone around them and kissed her. His hands slid into her hair and his mouth showed his appreciation.

Yeah, it was all about thanking her
for rescuing him.

He
would keep telling himself that.

Cyra fell into the kiss
and instantly melted against his body. It was warm and heated her blood. God, the man could kiss her any time he wanted. This was definitely the highlight of her day.

At the whistles and cat calls, they slowly broke apart to find the
entire tech team clapping and snapping pictures of the two.

Christina stood there laughing at her
boss and friend. She’d never seen him making out at work. It was entertaining, and she couldn’t wait to tell Doctor Magnus. They were going to bust his ass for a long time to come over this. When she fanned herself, Chris crossed his arms.

“Really?
Do you all have time for this? Someone lost DNA evidence and should be looking for it, not staring at me kissing my girlfriend.” When they all began to scramble away, he grinned.

“You have an amazing set of lips,” Cyra whispered, patting him on the ass before hopping up in the tech van
, “And other very sexy things too.”

The blush crept up his face
, and he was incredibly thankful to whatever power that brought them together. In fact, he’d build his own altar and thank them personally.

When he
joined her in the van, Cyra was giggling.

“You look all flustered.”

Yeah, he certainly was. “That kiss, the ass pat, and being called sexy can throw a person off,” he answered as he took his sidearm from her. Obviously, she didn't forget what the bosses had said, and she too wanted him carrying protection.

Cyra watched him clip his gun to his belt. It looked very out of place next to his ME badge. It made her wonder what he’d be like at the firing range.
“I see that it’s time for a little fact check,” she began. “One, you kiss like no one I’ve ever locked lips with before, and that’s amazing. Plus, you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever been with in my life.”

As he pulled out of the parking lot, h
e glanced over at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’m a nerd. You’re telling me you’ve only dated men that were brainiacs before?” Somehow, Chris doubted that. She had probably been the popular girl in school and would have walked past him in the hall without even giving him the time of day.

She took his hand in hers. “You’re not a nerd, Christopher.
You’re a very smart man with so many amazing qualities that I appreciate in a partner. To answer your question, you’re the only ‘
brainiac’
I’ve ever dated. Everyone has their standard of sexy, and you’re mine. I can’t explain it or rationalize it, but when I first saw you, I just knew.” What she didn't tell him was that she was hopelessly lost and madly in love. For that, she’d have to let her skittish doctor catch up.

“Okay, so let’s talk about the
other men that you’ve dated,” he said grinning.

She shrugged before continuing, “I’ll talk about mine, i
f you tell me about all the women.”

“Want me to go first?” he offered. It wouldn’t be a long list at all
, since his medical career always came first.

Until now…

“Okay, let me hear them.” She loved the way his hand felt in hers. It was strong and yet able to handle the most delicate of details while he worked.

“There was one girl in college, but she didn't last long. I was heading into medical school and that takes complete focus
and your attention. Then there was another medical student. She was lots of fun, but she was also dedicated to her profession, so that failed fast. I had a crush on a woman after I started working for the FBI, and I even asked her out once, but she turned me down.”

“She was stupid
to pass up the chance to be with you.”

He laughed
, because he was suddenly glad that she had done it. She had had the foresight to not let it ruin a friendship, and he appreciated that now. “No, she just knew that we shouldn’t mix business and pleasure. Now that I look back on it, she was definitely right.”

Cyra was curious. “Who was it?”

He wasn’t sure he should say, because he was fairly certain Elizabeth hadn’t told either Callen or Ethan.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“At one time, I had a huge big crush on Elizabeth. She was my first agent in the field and the minute I met her I was crazy about her.”

Cyra wasn’t sure she liked this little game of discussing people in their past anymore.

Chris continued, “In fact, Elizabeth was always watching out for me. I was green, naïve, and didn't see things coming. There were a few times that she had saved my life. Sometimes, killers return to the scene, and she would take care of me.”

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “You don’t feel anything for her now, right?”

He glanced over at the tone of her voice. “Oh, I love her to death, but she’s like the sister I never had. If you really want to know the truth, the only reason I was able to kick the crap out of Rickard was thanks to her.”

Cyra didn't understand.

“I’m not big and intuitive like Ethan or Callen. What I lack in muscle, I make up for in brains. I think that I was with the FBI for maybe six weeks when we were called out to a scene. We had a killer that was taking out cops. I nearly got myself flayed with a knife and Elizabeth didn't want to see that happen again. So, when the assignment was over, she taught me how to fight. For weeks, she took me to the gym before and after work to teach me how to defend myself. When I tell you that if you are ever getting into a fight, you want Elizabeth at your side, I’m not joking. She’s tough and willing to fight dirty.”

Cyra’s heart lightened
at the knowledge that Chris had someone who kept him safe. Yes, there was admiration in his voice, but she believed every word that he had said.

“
When she turned me down, Elizabeth took me for coffee and explained that what she felt for me was bigger than some meaningless fling that we might have had. She told me that I mattered to her more than that. In the end, I got the far better deal. She was absolutely right about us not working. I’m grateful she had the strength to stand up to me and make me see it. Now she’s so happy, and I’m thrilled for her.” Chris didn't add the part about how he was very happy too. He’d found something so amazing by just taking Elizabeth’s advice. Love would come, and here it was.

“Were there many more after her?”

He laughed at that. “There were a few, but most women are creeped out when they find out that I spend all day in a body. They hear doctor, and they get excited until they ask what kind. As soon as I say ‘
Forensic Medical Examiner’
the deal is pretty much over. In my opinion, the study of pathology is underappreciated.”

The way he said it
, broke her heart.

Chris continued,
“And the few that weren’t creeped out, took off when they encountered Belladonna Leonard.” Wasn’t that the truth? His mother had really made it difficult for a woman to even get close.

“I gue
ss that had to be very hard on you.”

Here’s where it was going to get tricky
. “She’s my mother, so what can I say? I can’t erase her from my life, no matter how much she makes it difficult,” he added, and then tried to change the topic, “How about your past relationships?”

Cyra
knew he was uncomfortable with talking about his mother any more, and she let it go. “I’ve dated a lot of cops through the years, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not the best idea in the world. We’re a special breed of paranoid control freaks. None of the situations ended well, and most of them caused a great deal of heartbreak. I’ve been cop free for about four years,” she said grinning, like it was some sort of addiction that she had to overcome. “I’ve dated a few lawyers that my brother set me up with, and then there was that football player. He wasn’t right for me either.”

Chris listened to her talk about the different men, and he didn't understand why him. “I still don’t get why you think I’m the sexiest man you’ve been with,” he stated.

“You just are. Something about you fits with me. I think you’re letting the scientist muddy the waters with unnecessary doubt.”

“Is that your polite way of telling me I’m overthinking it?”

Cyra smiled at him warmly. “Yes, Christopher. I am. If you need specifics, I can give you them to clarify.”

“Okay.”

She thought about it. “I love your eyes. They are this intense blue, and when you put on your glasses, they make me get all giddy. Then there’s something about you in a lab coat. When you put it on, you’re all proper and doctor like, but I know what lies beneath it and that makes me all feverish.”

He swallowed and tried to concentrate on driving. “I like that you can throw out little details about so many things. It’s like being with an encyclopedia. I think your brain is very sexy.”

His heart skipped in his chest, as he was washed in warmth from just her smile. No one ever made him feel this way before. Yeah, there’d been lust and need, but with her there was something more. “I don’t know what to say.”

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “
Then just sit there and look sexy,” she teased.