WATCHING (35 page)

Chapter
45

****

Georgia was waiting for him, settled into her desk chair rocking Matthew, while making small talk with Agent Lorcan. Carrie sat nearby, her attention focused on the computer screen in front of her. Dr. Bellows had disappeared somewhere and Hell assumed she
’
d went with her assistant who
’
d joined them on the flight back. Dr. Bellows had mentioned driving the younger woman to family in the area. Dan was watching Carrie
’
s work.

Hell looked at the computer screen on his way. Carrie was running a photo-aging program. Dan was looking for his
family
again. He did it almost every spare moment he had.

Hell wished he knew of some way to help his friend find his family. But he
’
d tried before. Dan
’
s ex-wife had vanished, doing one hell of a job of hiding.

“
Carrie, Dan. Go home. You can do that in the morning,
”
Hell said.
“
Carrie, you are not to rush back to work if you don
’
t feel like it, understood
?
”

“
But I want to. Want to. Don
’
t want to sit at home when I could be helping
.
”
She didn
’
t look at him, focused on the screen. He tapped her shoulder until her eyes focused on him.

“
Ok. But you
’
re taking it easy. Until you
’
re off of crutches you
’
re in the office for every case. We
’
ll teleconference if necessary
.
”

Georgia nodded.
“
He
’
s right, Sparkie. Don
’
t rush
.
”

“
I won
’
t. But I want to work. You
’
re
going to work, right, George? Even though you
’
re hurt, too. So will I
.
”

“
Yes
.
”

“
But both of you are going to be reasonable, or I
’
ll chain both your asses to my side. Or Dan
’
s,
”
Hell said.
“
Agent Lorcan, I understand you
’
ll be doing a tag-along to see if PAVAD works for you
?
”

“
Yes. I
’
ve had another offer from the Indy office. I
’
ve friends there, too. But Fin thought this place might be a better fit,
”
Agent Lorcan said, from his position in a chair near Georgia
’
s desk.

“
Briefing is at nine in the morning,
”
Hell said.
“
For the rest of you, go home. Get some rest. Dan, you
’
ll see to Carrie
?
”

“
Of course
.
”
Dan turned away from the computer just as a photo of a beautiful strawberry
blonde
woman popped up. Hell would have Carrie print it later; he
’
d circulate it again. It had been a few years since he
’
d tried. It wouldn
’
t, couldn
’
t hurt, to try it again. God, Dan
’
s oldest was probably at least Carrie
’
s age. And Dan had not seen her since elementary school. He felt for the man.

“
Good. Georgia, you have your things
?
”

“
Everything I need is right here
.
”
She kissed Matthew
’
s blonde hair.
“
And in my bag
.
”

“
Why don
’
t you let me carry him? That can
’
t be good for your shoulder. You can carry your bag this time
.
”
He held out his arms as she stood.

She passed him her son.
“
Thank you. But I should warn you, he drools in his sleep
.
”

There was a wet spot on her shoulder. He found it endearing. Why was she so attractive when with the kid? Because it was a side of her he
’
d seen so rarely? He wanted to know and see everything about her.

Matthew felt warm and slight as he cuddled against Hell
’
s chest. He carried him to the parking garage, where Georgia made quick work of pulling the child seat out of her car and putting it in the back of Hell
’
s. He slid the child in and Georgia fastened him securely.
“
He
’
ll sleep the whole way home. We can carry him in and dump him in his bed and he
’
ll not waken the entire time. He
’
s a deep sleeper
.
”

“
How do you do it
?
”

“
Do what
?
”

“
Know you
’
re responsible for another life? I
’
ve not had anyone to be responsible for in a long time. Just whatever team I was with
.
”

“
It
’
s terrifying. And I wish I had more time with him. But then again, it
’
s the best thing I
’
ve ever experienced. That
’
s something I can
’
t explain
.
”
She yawned when she said it.
“
What did my father want? Does he know about what happened in South Dakota
?
”

“
I don
’
t think so. I think he
’
d have tossed me in the basement dungeons if he
had known
.
”

“
Haha. There
’
s nothing sinister down there, I think you
’
d survive. Seriously, is it something you can discuss
?
”
Hell appreciated her way of asking. There were going to be things he couldn
’
t discuss with her if they continued this relationship, things that were specific to the unit.

“
I can give you the basics. It
’
ll be common knowledge in the morning
.
”

“
And
?
”

“
You
r
father has secured the funding for three full teams to be added to the CCU
.
”
Hell smiled, though he wanted to shout. It was what he
’
d wanted for so long.

“
You’re
kidding? That
’
s amazing!
”
She smiled with him, her eyes showing the same excitement he felt.
“
When
?
”

“
You
r
father and I will need to go through the applicants to the unit from the last two years. All three hundred of them and make a list. Discuss each of the potentials
.
”

“
Wow. I didn
’
t realize you had that many in line
.
”

“
More. I tossed several after you landed in my lap
.
”
He smirked.

“
Ouch. I
’
m sorry my father did it that way. I think he had his reasons. I
’
m not sure what they were, but I
’
m sure there were some
.
”
Her words were serious, apologetic. He didn
’
t want that.

“
I
’
m glad he did. Although..
.
”

“
Although...what
?
”
She
’
d tensed. He saw that out of the corner of his eye.

“
If he was so determined you land in my lap, why didn
’
t he toss you
on
to my lap. Would have made things much easier for the both of us. Much more...expedient. And enjoyable
.
”

“
You
’
re awful. I can see that going over with my dad real well
.
”
She laughed, then sobered.
“
He
’
ll probably throw a fit when he finds out about this
.
”

“
Do you want him to find out
?
”
Hell felt his smile disappear. Did he want that?

“
I think he
’
ll have to. Don
’
t you
?
”

“
Yes. But not right now, not tonight
.
”
He pulled his personal sedan into the empty space in front of the townhouse Georgia owned.
“
I wasn
’
t going to leave you alone tonight, Georgia
.
”

“
I didn
’
t think you would
.
”
She waited while he pulled the little boy from the child seat. He didn
’
t wake. She unlocked the door and led the way upstairs to Matthew
’
s room. They tucked him in together, then she stepped out of the room.

He followed her into the room across the hall. It was delicate and feminine and smelled so much like her, Hell felt his gut tightened with an instant shot of lust.

He dropped his head down, rubbed his lips against hers. Used the hands resting on her waist to pull her up, pull her closer to him. Soon her hands were fisting in the cotton of his shirt, her lower body tilting in a little closer.

“
Georgia
?
”
Hell lifted her. She didn
’
t protest when his hands wrapped around her hips and guided her legs around his waist.
“
I thought you were tired
.
”

He stepped toward the bed, and then lowered her until her back touched the blankets. His lips pressed a little harder, mouth tasting the barest hint of chocolate and coffee on her breath.

Her hands were insistent as she pulled him down with her.
“
Not too tired for this
.
”

Hell moaned, feeling the outline of her small body against him. Then her grip tightened, she leaned forward, the moan this time hers.

His fingers settled on the tight muscle
s
of her ass, flexed, the pulled her taut against his groin.

His hand slipped up, under the red tee she wore and ran over the smooth skin of her back. Her left hand rose, clenching in the hair at the back of his neck. Her right soon rose to join it, and she pulled his head down even lower.

“
Georgia..
.
”
He spoke her name against her lips again before deepening the kiss.

He pulled back, hands slipping her shirt over her head as carefully as he could, mindful of the bruising littering her body. He pulled back to look his fill. She was small, but he
’
d been correct the last time he
’
d had her naked beneath him. The curves were exactly right. Perfect. His.
“
You
’
re beautiful
.
”

“
A new observation
?
”
she asked.
“
Just last week I was the devil
.
”