He pounded the keys, watched in frustration as Sera walked to the printer, tapped papers together and signed her name. She glanced his way as she left with a wave.
Damn, he should have taken that keyboarding class years ago.
Sera felt a swell of relief at walking into her apartment. Her own space where she didn’t have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, didn’t have to be on guard, on edge every second of every minute, trying to think three steps ahead of where they were. And didn’t have Ryan tormenting her every way he could.
She tossed her bag onto her neatly made bed then sank down to sit there. Blew out a long breath. She shouldn’t have kicked Ryan like that. Sometimes her physical strength made her forget that it was really better to use her brains rather than brawn. But he just pushed her buttons, over and over again. Like that talk about being a team player.
Okay, she wasn’t used to being part of a team. But she could do it.
And then she’d confided to him about her grievously messed up childhood. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Well, he might know details about her background that few people did, but they were only coworkers on a case, doing a job. That was it.
She needed to get to the gym for a workout, but first she had to do laundry, pick up a few groceries so she had something to eat for dinner, and pack again for her trip back to Clover City. This time she’d be gone for longer. More time with Ryan.
Stomach tight, she emptied her bag and sorted through it. As she dumped clothing into the laundry basket, her door buzzer sounded.
Damn. She was so happy to be alone for a little while, just herself at home, she didn’t need someone bugging her.
She looked through the peephole and saw Leo standing there. She sagged against the wall for a moment. He just didn’t give up. Then she straightened and opened the door.
He stood there with a bundle of newspapers in one arm and a few envelopes in the other hand.
“Your mail.” He handed her the envelopes and she automatically took them.
“I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“I know. I just did it.”
They stood there looking at each other then Sera shook her head. “Come in.” She stood aside and he walked into her apartment.
“It was just the weekend newspapers,” he said. “And one day of mail. But I thought I’d just grab it and keep it for you.”
“Thank you.”
“How’s work going?”
“Fine. I…I’ll be going away again. Later this week.”
“They have you traveling?”
“Sort of.”
“I guess you can’t say much.”
“No.”
“Will you be gone long?”
“I don’t actually know.” She walked over to her kitchen table and dropped the letters there. Leo followed and laid the newspapers down.
“I’ll get your mail again,” he offered. “And if you gave me a key, I could come in and water your plants.”
“If you did, that’d be more than I do for them.”
A smile flickered on his face as he took in the wilted philodendrons and dieffenbachia. “Yeah, it looks like they could use some lovin’.”
Sera repressed her smile. “I don’t have time to look after plants.”
“What do you have time for?”
She tipped her head to the side.
“I just mean, what other things are you interested in? What do you do when you’re not working?”
“All I do is work.”
“That’s not a life, Sera. You should have a boyfriend.”
As if. That was the last thing she needed.
“You’re twenty-eight years old. Beautiful. Smart. You should be going out, dancing, having fun…”
“Dancing?” She lifted a brow.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever kids do these days.”
“Kids.” She couldn’t help the laugh that pushed out of her. “I’m not a kid.”
He smiled too and her heart softened. “I know, but you’re young compared to me. You should have someone to do fun things with.”
“I don’t need anyone.”
“Everyone needs someone. You can’t go through your whole life alone.”
And yet, he was often alone. Her heart ached a little at that. She should call him on it, but…she couldn’t. Not if he was really lonely.
“Sure I can,” she said lightly. “I’ve done it till now, and I’m doing fine.” His eyes shadowed. She pasted on a smile. “Don’t worry about me, Leo. I’m good.”
He gave a short nod. “Sure. Well, I’ll be going.”
When he’d gone, she locked the door and slumped against it. Why did he arouse such confused feelings in her? He was just a neighbor, someone she barely knew. He was lonely and she kind of felt sorry for him, but she wished he would just give up on this crazy idea that they should get to know each other. She gnawed on her bottom lip as she went to get her laundry.
Later, after she’d worked out at the gym, returned home and eaten her dinner—roasted chicken and coleslaw from the supermarket deli—and taken her laundry from the washer and shoved it in the dryer, she decided to have a bath. A long soak in the tub would be wonderfully relaxing.
But as she lay there submerged in warmth, steam curling around her face, an overwhelming wave of…something…swept over her. Her throat tightened and she slid lower in the water, letting its heavy warmth embrace her. Was she feeling depressed? That was crazy. Sad? What did she have to be sad about?
And then she realized what she was feeling was—lonely.
Chapter Eleven
Sera pulled up in the driveway of the small bungalow in Clover City. She’d been there before with Ryan and Manny, but she was about to move in. A couple of Harleys were parked in front.
She left her things in the car—an old Camaro owned by the ATF but currently registered to Sara Lambert—and walked into the house.
Ryan, Manny, Vince and A.J. sat in the living room on the cheap beige furniture hastily purchased by the ATF, the fake wood coffee table strewn with half-eaten bags of chips and empty beer bottles. WWE Raw blasted on the television.
Ryan looked up as she walked in. The smile that broke over his face seemed so reflexive, so genuine, it made Sera go warm inside. “Hey, babe,” he said, rising to his feet and sauntering over to her. He threw an arm around her neck and pulled her against him for a kiss. Heat sparked and sizzled over her body as his lips met hers. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” She smiled up at him. “My stuff’s in the car.”
She realized her mistake when his eyes flashed.
“I’ll go get it in a minute,” she added, realizing that Ryan could not make a gentlemanly offer to get it for her. “Hi, guys.”
They all greeted her, barely taking their eyes off the television. She lifted her brows at Ryan. He grinned. “We’re watching Raw.”
“Ah.”
He pulled her over to the chair he’d been sitting in and sat, tugging her onto his lap. She tensed momentarily then softened into his embrace, dropping her purse to the carpet between the chair and the couch. He settled her comfortably onto his big solid thighs, one arm wrapped around her. The other hand reached for his beer and he raised it to his lips.
“This’ll be done in a minute,” he murmured to her.
It was the weirdest thing, but she felt like she’d just come home.
She watched along with them, trying to relax, although the feeling of Ryan’s hard thighs beneath her own sent shivers through her. The guys all cheered and made comments on the fight they watched, some of which made her smile. Manny lifted an empty bottle. “Another beer, here.”
Sera sat there. Then…oh hell! He expected her to serve them. She lowered her chin. Ryan helped her off his lap with a smack on her butt.
“Me too,” the others added. Sera smiled sweetly as she strode into the kitchen, seething inside, then returned with several bottles clasped in her hands. Ryan took one fr
om her.
“Thanks, babe,” he said with a wide smile, and she resisted the urge to pour it on his head as she handed it to him. When she’d served the others, she picked up the remaining bottle, popped the top and drank thirstily, the fizzy lager tickling her nose and mouth.
Ryan patted his knee, and holding his gaze unsmilingly, she sat down again stiffly. He shifted her on his lap. She resisted but then couldn’t help but soften and relax into him.
When the match ended, Ryan lifted her off him and stood up. “Come on, I’ll help you bring your things in.”
“Okay.”
They went outside and she popped the trunk. This time she had two suitcases, one large, one small. Not knowing how long she’d be there, she’d packed enough for a couple of weeks. They’d likely have some time off before then, but it had to look like she was moving in for good.
Ryan heaved the large suitcase out easily and slammed the trunk shut. “Remember. The house is wired to the max. Everything we do and say is captured.”
“I know. How’s it going?”
“Good. Did my first job for Vince today.”
She met his eyes and they exchanged a wordless message. “That went okay?”
“Went perfect.” A smile curved his lips. “Come on.”
When they walked into the living room, Sera stopped short at the sight of A.J. going through her purse. “Hey.”
He looked up. Didn’t even look guilty or apologetic.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, walking toward him.
He rifled through her wallet, scanning everything in there. “Checking you out.”
She stood in front of him, hands on hips. “Why?”
He shrugged, closed the wallet. “Just because.”
It amazed Sera how fast thoughts could fly through your head. In the space of seconds, Sera considered how she—or rather how Sara—should react to this invasion. She wasn’t a passive mouse like Carly.
“You got questions for me? Just ask.” She cocked her hip aggressively. “I have nothing to hide.”
A.J. tossed the wallet onto the coffee table among potato chip bags and beer bottles, then dug around in her purse. He pulled out her cell phone.
“What’s this?”
“A cell phone, moron.” She scowled at him. Inside, she tensed. Outside, she maintained her pissed-off attitude. The recorder was carefully hidden in the phone, but still…
He opened it and started thumbing through her contacts. She sent a glance Ryan’s way. He was frowning too, and she sensed the tension tightening his body. She willed herself to relax. Everything was cool.
“Who’s Cheryl?”
“A friend.”
“She who you gonna sell the sugar to?”
She lifted her chin. “Maybe. One of them.”
He kept clicking through. “Jack?” A.J. looked at Ryan and smirked. “Old boyfriend?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Let’s call him. See how he’s doing.” He pressed a button. Sera sensed Ryan’s increasing anxiety. She knew A.J. could call anyone on that list and he’d get a voice mail recorded to match the name and number, carefully planned by the DEA. But still…she had to protest.
“Don’t call him, you idiot.” She looked at Ryan as if worried about his reaction.
“Call him,” Ryan drawled. “I’ll talk to the asshole.”
“You don’t even know him,” Sera snapped. “Come on, you guys, this is so juvenile.” But A.J. snapped the phone shut after getting the recorded message from “Jack”.
“Give me the phone.” She held out her hand. A.J. shoved it back into her purse and tossed the purse to her. She caught it. “Stay out of my stuff,” she snapped and stalked into the bedroom.
“Hey, man,” she heard Ryan say. “You pissed her off. Thanks a lot.”
“You worried you ain’t gonna get any tonight?”
“Hell yeah. I’m going to talk to her.”
“We’ll just watch more rasslin’.”
Ryan came into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. “Okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, breathing a little fast, pulse skittering. Even though she knew they couldn’t tell the phone was a recorder unless they actually took it apart, even though she knew every number in there was planned and covered, including a number for Uncle Bill, which was for her emergency use, she couldn’t help but be a little nervous when A.J. had started playing with the device.
“Who’s Jack?” Ryan asked.
Sera laughed. It released all the tension from her body and she sank down onto the bed. “All those numbers are made up. They’re all DEA numbers, with recorded messages. Jack is actually Ward Tanner. My SAC.”
Ryan’s slow grin spread across his face. “I should have known.”
“Yeah. There’s nothing in there they could find that would hurt us.”
He shook his head and his intense focus on her started to make her feel warm. “You handled that well.”
She stared at him. “Thank you.” The admiration in his eyes sent shivers through her, hot and sparkly.
“Sorry they’re here your first night.”
She shrugged. “Makes no difference to me.”
“Get used to it. They tend to drop in pretty much any time.”
She nodded. “Which means we need to be ready.”
“Yes.”
Their eyes met and held. “So I guess I bring my stuff in here.”
The house had two bedrooms, one for Manny and one for Ryan.
“Yeah. But I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“What if…they drop by early one morning?”
“Not likely. But if they do, I’ll tell them we had a fight and you kicked me out of bed.”
She laughed. “Okay. Except—you probably won’t be too comfortable on the couch. I could sleep there.”
“Nah, it’s okay.”
Heat rose as they continued to look at each other. Sera sighed inwardly. She hadn’t even been there half an hour and it was starting already.
“How’s your mom?”
His eyes widened fractionally. “Still hanging on. Barely.” He paused. “Thanks for asking.”
“It must be hard staying focused with that going on in your life.”
He made a face. “I can handle it.”
“I know you can. The offer still stands—if you want to talk.”
“You don’t seem like the touchy-feely, compassionate type.”
She dropped her gaze. “I’m not.”
“Huh.” He took a step toward her in the small room. “Maybe you are more than you think.”
She snorted. “I need to unpack.”
“I’ll get your stuff.”
When they went back out to the living room, the guys were standing up and getting ready to leave. “We’re going to The Patch,” A.J. said. “Coming?”
“Nah. Not tonight.”
A.J. sent him a knowing leer, and Sera almost rolled her eyes. Men. But they could go with that. She slipped her arms around Ryan’s waist. Damn. It felt good, warm and strong, and she leaned into him. They waited till the others left, Manny with them, and they were alone, and then she stepped away from him.
“We could’ve gone to The Patch,” she said.
He gazed at her. “I got enough for today.”
“Okay. So what’s up tomorrow?”
“Another delivery for Vince. And he wants me to pick up those motorcycle parts.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
She frowned and set her hands on her hips. “That’s what I’m here for.”
“Not the motorcycle parts. I’m going to some chop shop just outside town. I don’t know what I’m walking into.”
“What difference does that make? We’re partners, remember?”
He shook his head, and folded his arms across his chest, biceps bulging out from the short sleeves of his T-shirt. “Not going to happen.”
“Did I not show you the other day I can take care
of myself?”
They faced each other, tension shimmering between them. Ryan’s face was implacable. Sera stared him down. “Don’t make me hurt you,” she warned him.
He laughed. “Bring it on,” he said, eyes gleaming.
Her breath quickened, and her heart picked up a faster rhythm. This verbal sparring heightened her energy, adrenaline coursing through her. She wanted to put up her fists and take him on physically as well. She needed the release of physical activity.
She did clench her fists, bounced a little on the balls of her feet. His eyes widened, and he, too, tensed. She lifted her leg in a lightning-fast roundhouse kick, not even as hard as she could have because she was sure she was going to hurt him, but he lifted a leg too, grabbed an arm and spun her around so fast the breath whooshed out of her.
They ended up tangled in a sweaty, panting knot on the floor, their faces only inches away from each other, his knee thrust between her legs, her hands captured in his. She stared at Ryan, noticing the flecks of gold and brown in his amber eyes, each long, dark eyelash, the fine lines fanning out from the corner of each eye, paler in his tanned skin. When her gaze lifted to his eyes, she saw he was focused intently on her mouth. Which made her mouth go soft and pouty, as if wanting to be kissed. Her lips parted. His eyes widened then grew heavy-lidded.
She looked at his mouth, so perfect, the full bottom lip, the curve of the upper lip, the shadow of stubble darkening his cheeks and jaw. Her mouth watered with the desire to taste him. The urge to close the distance between them swelled up almost uncontrollably in her, and his heavy eyes flickered as if he too felt that way. Suddenly, the urgent need to demonstrate her physical strength, to prove herself right to him, to show him she could in fact look after herself, faded into nothingness.
His body hardened even more against hers, his cock swelling and pushing insistently at her groin where they met. His fingers tightened on hers, and then he rolled her under him, her defense moves forgotten, so his heavy body pinned her to the floor. He released her hand and held her head, thumbs brushing the corners of her mouth, and her lips opened further. Turning her head just a fraction of an inch, she sucked one thumb inside and swirled her tongue over it. Ryan gasped.
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