Hard to Handle (22 page)

Kaylee was only half listening to his words as she watched him talk. Her thoughts were still on last night, what it had meant and where they could go from there. Her heart still raced at the thought of Sam, shot while on a mission she had set up. She looked around at them, all putting their lives on the line for her and her family, and she could not be more grateful for their help.

And now that it was over, it was time to make decisions about things in New York so she could spend some time in McLean with her family as soon as possible. Annie and Paul could definitely hold down the fort for a few days, but eventually a long-term solution would be needed. She was about to call Annie to have an impromptu meeting when her phone buzzed with a new email. From her personal account. Kaylee opened the message from Mark McMann and read his response to her note from over four days ago. He had been traveling and was back in town, happy to meet to discuss opportunities for her.

She looked over at Sam, and wondered if he would still support the plan. Battleford was dead and Fleming had been arrested. Wasn't that enough? Kaylee walked out of the great room and into the hallway, calling Junior as she went. They had only spoken briefly over the last couple of days.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey.”

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Annoyed, yes, but I don't want to strangle you anymore,” he replied.

“Well, that's something, I guess. I have news,” she offered, then filled him in on the main points of what had happened over the last few days.

“Have you spoken to Dad yet?” Junior asked at the end of it.

“No,” Kaylee admitted. “Have you?”

“Yeah, on Sunday. He was the same. I told him I had seen you while I was in New York, but he didn't say anything or ask any questions.”

She closed her eyes. What if it was too late for him? What if he'd fallen too far to bounce back?

“What about Mom?” she asked. “I'm going to call her today and see if she'll come home this weekend. We can have a barbecue at the house or something.”

“Yeah, maybe,” her brother said. “Look, Mikayla, it's really good that you've taken down Groveland for their corruption, but it might not have any impact on Dad.”

She was silent, knowing what he was going to say.

“His behavior may have nothing to do with bribes and threats. He might have just gone through some mid-life crisis and never come out of it. It happens all the time.”

Kaylee let out a deep breath. “I know, Junior. You're right, but I still had to try.”

“Okay. Well, tell me what Mom says, and I'll plan to be around this weekend.”

“Thanks. I'll talk to you later.”

She tapped her phone against her chin, deep in thought, until Sam approached her.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. His rich Scottish burr sounded softer, more soothing.

Kaylee took a deep breath and went for it. “Mark McMann agreed to see me, and I still want to go ahead with the meeting.”

CHAPTER 22

Sam looked down into Kaylee's beguiling eyes. They sparkled with anticipation but still had smudges of sadness underneath. He fought the urge to pull her up against him and agree to anything she wanted. That was the hold she had on him, and he was finding it harder and harder to resist.

“Let's do it,” he told her, and she blinked in surprise.

“I don't know, Sam,” she said immediately. “Maybe it's time to just let the police handle it from here. What if someone gets seriously hurt next time? I just can't be responsible for that.”

“Kaylee, that is what I do, what my team does.”

She looked away, clearly still unconvinced.

“Look, your objective was to identify who was exerting influence on your father, right?” Sam continued, and she nodded. “Fleming might be our guy, but we can't confirm it yet. So let's continue to look until we know for certain.”

Kaylee looked away but not before he saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Damn it, she was twisting him up inside.

“You know I'm right, Kaylee. You've come so far to find the truth, and now we can help you finish it.”

“Okay,” she finally replied with a soft, hesitant smile. “Just promise me that you guys won't take any unnecessary risks, okay? It's bad enough that Junior thinks all this is just wishful thinking. That Dad may have just gone through a mid-life crisis that we can't do anything about.”

“Kaylee, I don't know your father very well. I've only met him once. But if you and Evan believe there is even a remote chance that he needs help, then we will do what we can to help,” he told her firmly. “I will not let you do anything on your own anymore. You have Fortis working for you now, and we always deliver, with the right plan and resources.”

Sam's biggest fear was that she would go off on her own again, acting on some crazy idea. The thought of all the trouble she had put herself in, with the best of intentions, still gave him a headache.

“Thank you, Sam. That's more than I had hoped for.”

He nodded and crossed his arms. “So, when is McMann available for a meeting?” he asked.

“I'm going to suggest later this week. Maybe Thursday?”

“That could work. Evan and the others are heading back tonight.”

“What about you?”

He knew what she was asking, but Sam didn't know how to answer. His plan was to return to Alexandria tomorrow, maybe Thursday, depending on Kaylee's activities and how secure he felt things were in her day-to-day life. But what he wanted was to be where she was, at least for a little while longer, until he figured out what was going on in his heart. Other parts of his body were very obvious about their needs.

“I have some flexibility this week. If you're going to meet McMann on Thursday, let's fly in tomorrow,” he suggested.

“Okay, I can make that happen.”

“Do you have somewhere to stay?”

“Oh,” she muttered. “Good point. I've been traveling as Kaylee Stone for the last year so I've always stayed in a hotel just in case.”

“Will you stay with your parents this time?” Sam asked.

“No, I'm sure my dad's not ready for that yet. I'll just book a hotel again.”

“Stay with me.” Sam hadn't been planning to make the suggestion; the words just slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. “It's only for a night or two, right? And it will make it easier for us to coordinate the meet with McMann.”

She opened her mouth, but didn't reply for a few seconds. They ticked by really loudly.

“That's really nice of you to offer, but it's not necessary—”

“Kaylee, it's no big deal. It's just for convenience. And pack your running shoes.”

She looked away for a moment, then back at him, now with a pleasant smile on her face.

“Okay, thanks.”

“With that settled, I'm sure you have a lot to get done before tomorrow. So I'll leave you to it.” He walked away, feeling like an idiot.

As planned, Evan, Renee, and Raymond flew home Tuesday evening. He and Kaylee had a late dinner in awkward silence, and then she went to her room to pack for their flight the next day. At about eleven o'clock, Niko ran across the room and sat near the front hall, ready for his walk. Sam considered taking him out now, leaving Kaylee here to continue packing. The surveillance system in the apartment was still up and running; the threats against her had effectively been neutralized. But Sam faced an irrational concern about leaving her alone.

“He's all ready to head out, isn't he?” Kaylee said as she walked toward them.

“Aye, I was just about to take him out, but I thought we should go together.”

“Sure, I wouldn't mind a walk.”

She slipped on flip-flops, and they headed downstairs. It was a warm, fragrant night, and they walked slowly and quietly around the usual path. Niko did his regular routine of investigating every rock and leaf that he came across before finally taking care of business.

“Is it okay that I bring Niko with me tomorrow?” she finally asked when they were on the way back to the building.

“Of course. I assumed you would. What else would you do with him?”

“I could ask Silvia to take him until I'm back.”

“No, it's fine. I like dogs.”

They walked in silence a little longer.

“Can I ask you something?” she continued.

Sam swallowed, knowing it was not going to be something easy or flippant.

“Aye, but I can't promise I'll answer.”

“Evan seemed less tense today. Did you guys come to an understanding about . . . things?”

“We did. It was not pleasant at first, I'll tell you that. But I think we'll be fine,” Sam told her honestly.

“Good. You guys make a great team. I would hate it if anything I did came between that.”

They rounded the corner to the front entrance.

“Do you think you could ever forgive me?” she asked softly.

Sam clenched his jaw and frowned. “It's not about forgiveness, Kaylee. It's about trust.”

“Meaning you don't trust me.” Her words were heavy with sadness, and Sam hated it.

“I don't know. Maybe I don't trust what's going on between us. And I don't trust myself when I'm with you.”

It was much more than he had intended to say, but it was the truth.

Kaylee didn't reply. In the apartment, she took his hand and they walked to her bedroom. With the lights off, they removed their clothes and climbed into the middle of the bed. She straddled his lap and nestled his lengthening cock into the warmth between her thighs. Like always, Sam was flooded with such urgent need, it left him light-headed.

He ran his hands over her back, adoring the firm lines and silky feel of her skin. He cupped the round curves of her ass, squeezing its fullness. She gasped and his heart skipped. Her smell was still the same. Chanel, he remembered. Except Sam knew for a fact that it didn't smell as good on any other woman. He kissed her neck, licking at the skin, savoring her flavor.

Kaylee sat, and he could feel her eyes studying him in the dark.

“Can we be honest here, in bed?” she asked softly. “Can you trust this, for as long as it lasts?”

She reached down and wrapped a delicate hand around the base of his cock. Sam bit back a moan. Did she realize that she could have anything in the world when she was holding him like that? Then Kaylee stroked him with tight fingers and he couldn't think straight. She brushed his manhood along her dewy seam, and he suddenly understood what she wanted. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears, and the primal need to be with her, inside her, completely unfettered, was so strong he broke into a sweat.

“Are you on protection?” he managed to ask with the last of his working brain cells.

“Yes,” she whispered, rising up on her knees and sliding down on his shaft until he was sheathed tightly in her satin grip.

They made love slowly and quietly, first with her riding him and at a steady rhythm, then with her beneath him, legs spread wide to receive his thrust. There was a third and a fourth position before Sam couldn't hold back the rush of pure ecstasy that she always inspired. She joined him in climax, gripping his length in her body and prolonging the intensity of his orgasm. Then, as their breathing slowed, there came the same realization that always did. This could be the last time he ever felt this perfect unison with a woman. Kaylee would walk out of his life again eventually, and he'd never experience anything like her again.

His stomach churned sickeningly at the thought. Like a pointless ritual, just before he fell asleep, Sam told himself to put an end to things, now. But of course, he wouldn't.

They returned to Virginia on Wednesday afternoon, then took a car straight to his house just south of Alexandria. Sam gave Kaylee a quick tour of the three-bedroom, mid-century modern bungalow. He put her bag in his bedroom, and they both worked quietly in his living room for the remainder of the day. Sam grilled steaks for dinner with a salad, and they watched television afterward. At bedtime, they walked Niko through his neighborhood. Back home, they went to bed and indulged in the same slow, intimate lovemaking that was quickly becoming his weakness.

“Tell me again how you will ask about Jason Holt,” Sam said. They were eating lunch at a small restaurant near Mark McMann's office in downtown Baltimore. Her meeting was in twenty minutes, at two o'clock.

“I'll spend the first half talking about the job I want, referring to the communications job Quinten Laboratories currently has posted,” Kaylee explained as she sipped her sparkling water. “Then, when the formal interview is over, I'll ask about when he left the newspaper. Then about Jason, and say how shocked I was. I'll leave it open for him to give details. If he doesn't, I'll ask specifically what he thought about what Jason told him.”

“That's good. Just remember to say as little as possible. And don't fill in any silences—let him. That's when people talk the most.”

“Thank you for the tips, but I have done this before you know,” she told him, crossing her arms. “Being a journalist is all about getting people to tell you things, and communications is mostly about listening.”

“All right, don't get cheeky about it,” he replied with a tolerant smile. “Quinten is on the fourth floor of the building so I'll ride up the elevator with you, then stay close until you're done.”

“I could just go alone and meet you at the car,” she suggested.

“Aye, you could. But you won't. Now come on, let's get you to your interview on time.”

Kaylee stood up, wearing a blush-pink suit with a tied belt around the waist, a narrow skirt and dark chocolate-brown shoes as high as usual. Her hair waved softly around her face and brushed her shoulders, and her makeup was light and pretty, highlighting her features. She looked as beautiful and sophisticated as always. Sam paid the check, and they walked together across the street and up to the Quinten offices. When they entered, the walls were lined with large framed pictures of research labs and testing equipment. According to their website, they were a development and testing company for the industrial use of mineral and sediment. Kaylee introduced herself to the receptionist while Sam just said he was meeting a friend for coffee.

Mark McMann came out to greet Kaylee with a big smile on his face. Sam had seen his photos from their research in advance, and he looked as expected—tall, slender, and mid-forties, with dark hair and brown eyes and an unnatural tan on his pale skin.

“Mikayla, it's so good to see you,” he said.

“Same to you, Mark. Thanks so much for making time to see me,” she replied, shaking his hand with a wide smile of her own.

“My pleasure of course. You look lovely, as always.”

Kaylee gave him a sweet grin, revealing her twin dimples, and then they walked away, presumably to his office. Sam remained in the waiting room, working on his phone and maintaining the look of someone who was about to be stood up for a coffee break. Kaylee returned about forty minutes later by herself, said bye to the receptionist, then got into the elevator. Sam waited a few more minutes, then mumbled something appropriate and took the stairs down. They met in front of the restaurant again, as planned.

“It's the mayor,” she whispered loudly, looking around. “Mark all but said it.”

“What?” Sam demanded, completely caught off guard. “Let's get to the car. Then you can tell me the details while we drive.”

She followed his direction until they were leaving Baltimore and on the way back to Virginia.

“Start from the beginning,” he instructed.

“It's a pretty short story,” she said. “Everything went as planned. I asked him about leaving the paper. He just said it was time and the opportunity at Quinten came along. I asked about Jason and his sudden leave, and the conversation became pretty stilted at that point.”

“Why?” Sam asked.

“I don't know. He seemed really surprised that I brought it up, and he became pretty stiff and formal. I said I was shocked about what he had done, just like we had planned.”

“And what did he say?” he probed.

“Nothing. We both sat there for at least a half a minute, but I just looked at him.” Sam smiled. “Then he said: ‘Yes, it was shocking. It's unacceptable that businessmen and city officials should try to manipulate the media for their own gain.' I said, ‘I know, I was very disappointed. I hope they got what they deserved.' And he said, ‘Unfortunately, some people in high places are untouchable.' And that was it.”