Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. She couldn’t afford to let Aiden get tangled up in her mess. It was just too dangerous. Sooner or later, the madman hunting her would find her—of that, she had no doubt. She just needed to disappear for a little while until things calmed down and the guy was behind bars once and for all. When her watch beeped, she’d sneak out, get her clothes from the dryer, her go-bag from the hall bathroom, and take off.
Chapter Six
Thank God he had the next couple of weeks off, because Jess was in trouble. She hadn’t said anything, but, sure as shit, something scared the hell out of her. Whenever he broached the subject, she shut down, her expression reminding him of a cornered animal. He’d get her to tell him, and if he could help, he would. If not…well, he’d figure something out.
Unable to sleep for replaying his last encounter with Jess over and over in his mind, he sat on the living room couch in the dark. Yeah, he’d thought about going to her—the little head leading the way. But the big head couldn’t get past all the stuff between them—her secrets, his secrets. The idea that they might not be able overcome them kept him from taking her to bed, from taking her body and burying himself deep inside. So, he’d left his bedroom and come out here, getting as far from temptation as possible.
Ptomaine hopped up on the couch and settled next to him. Aiden scrubbed the spot between the tom’s ears. Deep thrumming purrs vibrated against his thigh.
The sound of the guest bedroom door opening cut through the darkness. Jess was up? Hmm…maybe she just needed to use the bathroom. He waited as she moved around. A few moments later, the guest bath door closed and the light went on.
What am I going to do about Jess? He’d not dated anyone in almost a year, taking care of his needs with Rosy Palm and her five sisters. But seeing his high school best friend—kissing her—had put ideas into his head. Ideas he shouldn’t have. But, damn, he wanted to make love to her so badly his teeth ached. Worse, the way she’d kissed him, the way she’d pressed against him, her body all soft and needy…well, it had given him hope. Hope she could somehow look past his shortcomings and the baggage that came with them. Problem was, hope meant opening his heart again—something he wasn’t sure he could risk.
The bathroom light went out, and the door opened. Jess’s shadowy form headed in his direction.
“Can’t sleep?”
She jumped, spinning toward him. Aiden leaned over and clicked on the lamp. Light cut through the shadows.
She’d donned the clean olive-and-pink camouflage flannel pants and light-pink tank she’d been wearing when they met. “What are you doing out here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” He eyed her sneakers then pointed at the bag slung over her shoulder. “Thought you said you wouldn’t bail.”
She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “I can’t stay, Aiden. Much as I want to, and I do want to, but”—she met his gaze, the cornered animal visible once again—“I can’t.”
“I can’t stop you.” Though God knew he wanted to. Wanted to grab her and hold her and make the world right for her. “But there’s no sense leaving in the middle of the night. Why not stay, have some breakfast, and then I can drop you wherever you want to go.”
She glanced at the front door as she nibbled her bottom lip. So damn sexy. He shifted on the couch, allowing his growing erection a little more room.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “Don’t make me chase you. You know I will.” Oh, yes, he would. In a heartbeat.
“Fine.” The strap of her bag slipped off her shoulder.
“Good.” He pushed to his feet. “Why don’t we go lie down, catch a few more Zs then we can do breakfast.” Without waiting for her response, he turned off the lamp then grasped her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He led her down the hallway.
She stutter-stepped as they passed the guest room. “Your bed?”
He drew her inside. “To sleep. That’s all.” His body yelled hell no! but he pressed forward. Releasing her hand, he flicked on the bedside lamp then went to his dresser, pulled out another T-shirt, and tossed it to her. “You can change in my bathroom.”
“But I’m already in pajamas.”
“Yes, but, as far as I know, they are the only clothes you have. You’ll need them for tomorrow.”
She shuffled to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
Grinning, he shucked his shorts, leaving his boxer briefs and shirt on, and crawled onto the king-size mattress, taking the side that put him closer to the door. He didn’t think she’d make another run for it tonight, but why take the chance?
After tucking his legs under the sheets, he flipped the covers back on her side then leaned against the headboard.
She came out in his tee, the solid navy fabric skimming her mid-thigh, and paused, her gaze shifting from him to the door then settling on him again. The tip of her pink tongue darted out to lick her lips, leaving them rosy and wet.
So gorgeous. Her new dark-colored hair hung mussed around her heart-shaped face, the contrast of black strands and creamy complexion making her green eyes all but glow. She tugged at the hem of the shirt, drawing his focus to her long, toned legs. Legs he wanted to wrap around him while he pounded into her—
Stop. There’s a shit-ton of ground to cover first. After she learns the truth, there’s no guarantee she’ll bat those dark lashes at you as she spreads her thighs.
She padded barefoot across the floor to the bed and sat next to him, slipping her legs beneath the sheets then scooching down and dragging the covers up over her lush breasts. Silky strands haloed her head on the simple light-blue pillowcase as she stared at the ceiling, nibbling her bottom lip again. Damn, this is gonna be harder than I thought.
Yeah, ’cause you’re harder than you’ve been in months.
He turned the bedside lamp off, dousing the room with shadows. Easing himself onto his back, he adjusted the covers to his liking then reached over and took her hand in his, twining their fingers together again.
Silence roared around them. In the distance, a dog barked then quieted. Her rhythmic breaths told him she was relaxing. Good. From what he could tell, she needed to.
“Thank you.” Her whispered words skipped along his skin, and somehow soothed him as well.
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “No problem. You’d’ve done the same for me.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Probably.” Her smile laced the word, bringing one to him as well.
“Probably? It’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”
She snorted. “You don’t.”
True. But he wanted to. “So, fill me in. Your family moved to Florida right before our eleventh grade year. What happened next?”
“Finished high school. Got a job.”
“And…?”
“What?” Laughter rang in her voice.
“You already know I became a firefighter and now I teach. What do you do?”
“I’m….” She took a deep breath. “I’m a P.I.,” she said on her exhale.
“A private investigator? Don’t you have to go to school for that or something?”
“Yes. I got a degree in criminology then, after a million interviews and an internship at a small law office, decided I wanted to be my own boss. Private investigator seemed like the logical choice.”
“A P.I.” He whistled. “Last thing I would’ve guessed.”
She jerked his arm and giggled. “It’s not that farfetched.”
Her laughter was like spring after an interminable winter. “Sounds interesting.”
“It can be. But mostly it’s a lot of sitting around and waiting. Watching. Writing reports for clients.”
“Any interesting jobs?”
“A few,” she hedged, her joy vanishing as fast as it had come.
New shadows seemed to creep into the room. He’d hit a nerve. Probably whatever has her so cagey. “What about your last job? What was that—”
�
��Aiden….” She tried to untangle her fingers from his, but he held firm.
“Jess.” He gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. “Tell me. I want to know.” He hoped the darkness gave her a sense of security—she didn’t have to look him in the eye. Just talk.
She lay next to him for what felt like a long time. Quiet. Probably nibbling that sexy bottom lip of hers while she weighed her choices.
He groaned internally. Good thing the lights were out.
“I get all kinds of jobs.” Her voice, though quiet, hitched as though she wrestled with something. “From adoption cases—adoptees who want to know who their biological parents are—to insurance agencies who want proof the injured party suing them is a scam.”
“What was your last job?” Because, from her reactions, that had to be what sent her careening into him dressed in only her pajamas outside the café.
When she said nothing, he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.
“It’s okay, Jess. You can tell me.”
Reaching up with her free hand, she speared her fingers through her hair and sighed. “It was a woman. Typical case. Her husband worked late a lot, had a job that involved travel. Whatever. She swore something had changed between them. And….”
“She wanted to know if he was cheating.”
“Yes.” Her strained answer drifted into the darkness and hung there.
“Sounds simple enough.”
“It was.” She swallowed. “And then everything went to hell.”
Chapter Seven
Six month earlier….
Jessica pulled into a parking space and shut off the rental car. From here, she had a clear view of the registration office as well as one whole side of the fleabag motel. Reaching beside the seat, she pressed the bottom to move her back from the steering wheel and give her a little breathing room.
Speaking of breathing, this two-door sedan reeked of sweat and vomit. Not even the little green, pine-scented Christmas tree, dangling from the rearview mirror, could overcome that stench. Pretty nasty, but, truth be told, she’d been on stakeouts in worse places.
She huddled down in the seat to wait for “the cheating bastard” to finish registering for a room. Probably signed them in as Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Or Jones. Whatever. It’s always something stupidly obvious.
It had taken a little footwork to get to this point—hacking the guy’s personal assistant’s planner and discovering he had conference in Sacramento, California. Purchasing a ticket for the same flight, managing to maneuver herself into the seat next to his at the gate waiting area, and pairing her phone with his. On landing, he headed straight for his hotel and remained there—alone—until one a.m. All his calls had been business-related, on the up-and-up. Until he arrived at the convention center where the meeting was to take place and called Ms. Candice Jovovich.
Well, damn. This time, the wife hadn’t been the last to know.
Jessica had taken a few cell phone pics of the pair, their body language alone damning enough for any halfway decent divorce attorney to hit the jackpot. After the convention, the subject and his buxom blonde arm candy went out to dinner. When their meal arrived, Jessica risked running to the corner quick mart to grab some supplies. If how handsy the two had gotten in their little oasis of a booth at the back of the restaurant was any indication, she’d have proof for the client before the night ended.
So, here she sat in the motel parking lot, waiting. Despite the stink pervading the rental car, her stomach growled. After flying out of Tampa yesterday, she’d ordered a club on wheat from room service last night then grabbed a Danish and coffee on her way out early this morning to make sure she didn’t miss the cheating bastard she’d been paid to track. Digging through the thin plastic bag next to her, she pulled out a power bar, ripped it open, gnawed off a large chunk, and glanced up and down the road. Gosh, it’d been years since she’d been in Sacramento. The place had really changed in the last ten or so years. But after graduating from University of South Florida with a degree in criminology, she’d decided Tampa was home.
Movement caught her attention, and she angled around. The male subject exited the office, grinning from ear to ear, and hurried to the bright-red corvette he’d rented. Yeah, like that doesn’t stand out in this rent-by-the-hour dive. He gunned the engine, zipping across the lot and coming to a stop in a space located front and center of the building, the tires barking in protest against the asphalt.
Jessica dropped the partially eaten power bar back into the bag and grabbed her digital Pentax, adjusting the telephoto lens as the subject exited the sports car to open the door for his one-night bang.
Click, click, click.
Gotcha.
Hanging on one another, the couple stumbled to their room, hands groping wildly.
Click, click, click.
Yeah, that would be enough to get the divorce, but her client was out for revenge, repeating several times that she wanted the “money shot.” With the hefty retainer and a balance that would cover half a year of business and living expenses, Jessica would get the evidence her client sought. She set the camera on the passenger seat and pulled out her cell phone. A high-capacity memory card made it easy to get high-resolution photos without bystanders realizing what she was up to.
Getting out of the car, she paused a moment to zip up her light jacket and inhale fresh, clean air. She strode across the parking lot at an unhurried pace, her head on a swivel, making sure no one had taken interest in her. Thankfully, the ice and soda machines would make good cover while she checked for a crack in the curtains.
Yep. The subject and his lady friend had already shucked half their clothes. He sat on the bed. She stood just out of reach.
Click, click, click.
He spread his knees and leaned back on the bed. Blondie giggled, dropped to her knees, and lowered her mouth onto his— Oh my. Naughty, naughty.
Click, click, click.
Headlights swept across the building. Jessica twisted away from the tryst and pretended to be busy checking out the soda machine. A sleek silver sedan pulled into a parking space at the end of the building. Tinted windows gave away nothing until the driver’s door opened, and a tall guy—six-foot-six if an inch—got out and rounded the vehicle, his gaze flicking left and right. Paranoid much?
She turned up the collar on her jacket and scooted deeper into the shadows.
Even in the walkway’s dim amber lighting, she could tell something was off. The way he walked a little too hard. The way his clothes hung just a bit too loose, his cinched leather belt canted on his lean hips. The way he’d tied back his lank brown hair at his nape. And, yes, the way he glanced about to make sure no one was around.
Well, of course he piqued her interest. Shifty. Sly. Psychotic. How could she not watch?
He opened the passenger door, and a woman with long nut-brown hair all but tumbled out. He caught her. Righted her.
“Donnie, baaay-beee.” She tilted toward him on her four-inch heels, falling into his arms. “You know I luuuuuv you, Donnie-Don.”
“Come on, Marla,” he growled, taking her by the elbow and propelling her toward the walkway.
“Awwwww, Donnie,” she cooed. “I’d never ever ever ever rat you out.” She giggled. “Rat-a-tat-tat. Tat-tat-tat. Nope. Shhhhh.”
She’s either drunk or high. Hard to tell which.
Donnie pulled a keycard from his pocket and opened the door. “Get inside, Marla.”
He shoved her over the threshold, and Marla yelped as she stumbled forward.
This guy is clearly an asshole.
With the coast clear, Jessica resumed her current surveillance. She crept from her hiding place to peer through the gap in the curtains. Ms. Jovovich was riding the cheating bastard like a jockey. And would you look at that. She even has a crop.
Whack!
Click, click, click.
Looked like they were racing for the finish line.
Click, click, click.
A muffle
d scream cut the chilly night air.
Jessica straightened, whirling around. That hadn’t come from the couple she was gathering incriminating evidence on. That came from—
“No! Donnie, please!”
Jess hustled down the sidewalk…. To do what? She didn’t have a gun, and she’d left her Taser in the rental car. Still, she eased forward.
“Noo-errgh. Errgh!”
Heart clipping off beats faster than a hard-rock drummer, she peeped through the window. Donnie had taken the time to close the curtains—more cautious than her cheating couple—but the under-the-window HVAC unit hummed, the jet of air fluffing the thick fabric inward. Revealing just enough so she could see the bed. The tangle of legs.
Click.
Ripped clothing. A high heel on the carpet.
Click.
“Errgh! Gah!”
Long boney fingers around a slim tanned neck. Tighter. Tighter.
Click. Click.
Silence.
Jess held her breath, afraid he’d hear her.
Donnie sat on the end of the bed, next to a very still Marla.
Click.
Lightning flashed in front of her.
Oh shit. How did the phone’s flash…? I turned that off! Her focus shot to the scene inside the window.
The HVAC unit cut off. The curtain fluttered closed.
Jessica straightened. Shit.
She stumbled back a step. Oh my God. Her breath jammed in her throat as every hair on her body stood on end. Did she just see…?
Hide. She had to hide. Wheeling around, she sprinted up the walkway to the vending alcove and ducked behind the soda machine. Squatting, she sat on her heels, clutching her phone to her chest.
Please don’t let him find me. Please don’t let him find me. Please don’t—
Boots pounded the concrete.
She hugged herself to minimize the rattling of her bones.
The steps came near. Paused. Retreated.
Jessica counted to ten before she risked peeking out from her hiding place. The walkway was clear. She looked out in the parking lot, located her car. Digging her keys from her pocket as quietly as possible, she took a deep breath and ran for all she was worth.
Dallas Fire & Rescue: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) (MacKay Destiny Book 3) Page 4