“You ready to talk?” he asked. He’d been silent and hopefully a little embarrassed.
Where did she begin? Levi was certain to have a logical explanation. She looked through the curtains, careful to keep her body next to the wall instead of the glass like her father had taught her. Leaving the long, gold drape in place, she watched rush hour traffic on the nearby highway. Car after car sped forward only to stop again several yards ahead.
Sort of like her life. Full of starts and stops and unexpected turns. Just when she thought she was moving forward, something happened to push her in a different direction. Last week she was sitting behind a desk with an unexciting career in her future. Today...being shot at by unknown murderers—someone attempting to discover a secret that had died with her mother.
And then there was Levi. She’d just begun to trust him again. Why had he lied to her? Again. Could she forgive him for fulfilling a promise to her father?
Maybe, but not right this second.
The kiss two years ago had been a distraction. The kiss on the train—another distraction. It must have been. He’d made it very clear that he couldn’t become involved with a witness. And he considered her a witness. He’d made that very clear to his supervisor.
“I’d rather talk about what happened at the house,” she finally admitted.
“We probably shouldn’t ignore what you think happened over the past two years.”
“What I think happened?” A surge of fury raced through her, causing her fingers to curl into fists. “There’s a lot of things you need to explain, but let’s see if what I think happened is correct.”
“Okay.”
“My father wanted to investigate my mother’s death so he lied to me about the danger to his life. He encouraged me to move away to get me out of the picture, but asked you to spy on me. Which you did, asking colleagues to participate. All the while continuing to lie to me. How am I doing so far?”
“Your father asked me to do my job and check up on you. It has nothing to do with now.”
“Your supervisor seemed to think differently. You’ve been suspended.”
“I can deal with that later. The important thing is getting your memory restored.”
“So like my father. Focused on the most important thing first. The most important thing to you. Not me. Never my desires.” Furious, not just at herself for trusting Levi with her life, but also at him and her father. Neither had thought she could manage alone. And both thought they were right making the decision for her to enter the WITSEC program and live another lie.
She was sick of deceptions.
Forcing herself to calm down, she continued before she lost her courage. “Back in St. Louis, you said you weren’t a liar. My definition must be different than yours.”
“Jolene—”
“Please don’t.” She raised her hand to keep him on his side of the room. “Don’t hug me and tell me it was for my own good. Lying by omission is still lying. What else haven’t you told me?”
“There are things I can’t share. I can tell you some eventually because you’ll remember and then I can fill in the blanks. A lot I can never talk about because of what I do.”
“I don’t know whether to admire you or hate you.”
“Are those the only two choices?” He took a couple of steps toward her.
Jo suddenly felt defeated or conquered. His grin had her heart and mind hoping for possibilities that could just be a ruse to get what he wanted.
“What do you want from me, Levi?”
“Nothing. Is that so hard to comprehend?” Another step her direction.
She could concentrate, her hands weren’t fisted around her middle. She might actually consider herself calm. But if she faced him...he’d see the longing in her eyes. She was sure he would. Watch the traffic.
“For the record, I got you into this mess and I’ll get you out,” her protector announced. “What did you remember at the house?”
“How is LuLu connected to the men who murdered my parents?”
“I can only guess. I’m sure you have questions, but for now, tell me what you saw and we’ll work out the rest later.”
“What can you do since you’ve been suspended?”
“I still have friends, Jo.” He closed the distance between them and cupped both of her shoulders. “We’ll find her. Right now, I need to know if you remembered what the Rainbow Man looked like.”
She tried to dip her shoulder and be released from his grip, but he didn’t budge. She didn’t want to be this close to him. Something happened when he touched her. Her mind just went blank.
“Jo, can you picture his face?” he asked.
Levi’s voice was soft or far away. She shut her eyes and the image in the kitchen flashed.
“No, his face is just a blur of colors and fog. Why can’t I see?”
“You will. Don’t run after it. Relax and let it come to you.” He tugged her closer.
His clean smell mixed with a nice musky scent.
“The images are hard to put words to. Memories? Fantasy? It’s hard to separate what’s real from what I want to remember.” She dropped her face to his chest, stretching her arms around his waist, just above his gun holster. His arms encircled her, protecting her. His fingertips weren’t patting her in comfort. There was a difference.
It didn’t matter if he hadn’t shared everything or not. This man was the only connection she had to her parents. The only person who knew the truth about her identity or who cared about helping her find the murderer.
“Tell me. Leave nothing out. I’ll help. I promise, Jo, I can help.”
Levi the marshal would keep her safe from murderers, but who would keep her heart safe from Levi the man?
Chapter Nine
Jolene’s fingers gently kneaded the stiff muscles in his back. A gesture she probably wasn’t aware she made, but one that made it tough for Levi to not want more. Her arms tightened around his waist. In contrast, her body melted into his.
Jo was in danger.
And not only from the men chasing her.
Levi let her slip away from his arms and turn halfway back to the window. He unclipped his holster, setting the worn leather around his firearm on the nightstand. He could give her a couple of minutes. Then they had to get out of this hotel. He was stupid to bring her back here, but where else could they be dropped off by the PD?
He faced the wall, watching her worried, confused, beautiful, expressive face in the mirror to his left.
Whatever drew them together was getting stronger. He felt her next to him no matter how big the room was. Train compartment, police station or front porch. Colorado, Georgia or Texas. It didn’t matter.
He had to stop thinking about her as the Jo that attracted him and think of her as Emaline Frasier, the witness who wasn’t a witness. The indirect sunlight danced across her silky skin. She was still by the window and still Joseph’s daughter.
His arms felt empty. He didn’t know what to do with his hands so he gathered the few clothes they had and shoved them into his duffel. He itched to reach out and jerk her back to him.
God, kissing her would be the most natural thing in the world.
Then again, coaxing her to the bed would be, too. Just kissing her, having her melt into him again.
Who was he kidding? If he took her to bed, they wouldn’t leave it for three days or be dead that afternoon. They couldn’t stay anywhere long. Might have already been followed and compromised.
The bed was looking more and more inviting. As much as he wanted to, had always wanted to, having a relationship with a witness was against the rules.
Sunday dinners with Joseph? Volunteering for extra duty in Atlanta so you could check on Jolene yourself? That fits your definition of a proper witness rapport?
The harder he tried not to have a relationship, the more obvious it was that there was one. He didn’t have the excuse of witness protection to deflect his feelings any longer. He was suspended and she
wasn’t a witness.
Yet.
He got the toothbrushes and hotel shampoo bottles. When he shoved them along with his dirty shirt into his open duffel, Jo jerked to attention, wide eyes brimming with tears. She hurriedly looked around the room, as if she hadn’t seen him packing. And then she was there, tight in his arms, where she belonged.
She clung to him, sobbing. He held her, not thinking about questions, destinations or making love to her—as much as he could.
“Jo,” he said across the top of her hair—much better if he didn’t look into the deep green of her eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth about your dad’s status. Or why you were off limits to me.”
“Shh. Please don’t say anything. I can’t think anymore. I don’t want to think. I just need to be right here. Just for a minute.” Her body tightened. No longer relaxed against him, she trembled.
He’d seen the reaction before when the memories barged into her consciousness. Jolene Atkins may want to stop the memories, but Emaline Frasier was ready to let the truth be told.
“Why don’t you sit?” He led her to the chair in the corner, pushing on her shoulders when she just stood as if she didn’t know what to do.
Trancelike, her knees bent. She sat. She stared at her feet.
Another memory surfacing. Had to be. What had triggered this one? Holding her?
“Jo?”
“Hmm?
“You okay?” He sat on the edge of the bed. Only two feet and yet miles away from her. He wanted to believe he could handle recovering these traumatic memories, but he was walking blind. Running. Damn, they needed to get moving. He pushed away from the soft temptation of the unmade bed.
She shook her head from side to side. Acknowledging that she’d heard him, but far away.
“We’ve been here too long, Jo. We’ve got to go.”
“Where this time?”
“Not sure. We’ll figure it out.”
“We don’t have a car anymore. We left it at the house.”
He swung into his jacket, then ducked his head into the loop of his duffel back strap now tied where it had been cut. Reminding him that his head had a lump and stitches from being taken by surprise on the train.
Not again.
Gun holstered and ready to pull when they went through the door. He was the only protection she had and he wouldn’t let her down.
Levi laced his fingers with Jo’s, tugged her to her feet and somehow she continued straight into his arms. Their eyes connected and he was a goner.
Each time their lips touched, the need inside him grabbed hold and wouldn’t let go. It was anchored to something he didn’t understand because nothing had ever reached that part of him before.
It scared him enough to run, yet spurred him forward at the same time. He tried to retreat and Jo deepened their kiss. Her mouth was a warm haven, a taste that belonged to him.
They’d been close to leaving and now they were closer to falling on that bed. But he wasn’t a fool. He had a duffel on his back, a loaded gun on his hip and they were still wearing all their clothes. Just because a gorgeous brunette was pressed snug against the rest of him didn’t mean he’d lose control.
He could handle this. If he could just stop kissing her.
Easier thought than accomplished.
Jo pushed at his shirt, tugged the buttons apart, holding the duffel strap high enough for him to duck his head under.
Don’t.
He did and pressed their bodies closer. The pink pullover shirt she wore had decorative buttons. He tugged it loose from her jeans.
Skin. Smooth, luscious skin.
His jacket fell to the floor. It wouldn’t take much maneuvering to shrug off their shirts and fall on the bed.
His fingers circled her tiny waist, moving for maximum coverage across her back. Imagining how she’d actually feel didn’t compare to having her this close to him. Her shirt had to stay on or he would be completely helpless. He wrapped his hands around her shoulders. He missed the warmth and taste of her lips as soon as he turned away.
Jo may have clung to him asking not to think, but things had changed. Levi couldn’t think. Not rationally. The threat got pushed to the back of his mind when his arm was timidly guided to a soft breast.
“How am I supposed to resist you?”
“You want to?” she asked with her lips against his bare skin.
He answered with another kiss. Like a hungry, starving man, he explored the feast in his arms.
What am I doing?
No longer ignoring the beautiful woman or the attraction they’d had since meeting. That’s what.
Touching her soft curves for the first time it was inconceivable that he’d waited this long. He’d known her over four years and wanted her ever since the introduction. Witness or no witness, right now she was his.
His.
The intensity of their kisses grew. He wanted Jo’s silky skin to be next to him. Feeling her warmth, seeing tan lines, freckles, the soft dip to her hip bone.
Not possible. Couldn’t happen. Would eventually happen. Just not now.
Now wasn’t good. They’d be rushed and he wanted a long time to explore what had been keeping him awake at nights.
Jo reacted to the intensity of the man in her arms. She knew what was happening, but couldn’t stop. Better words...she didn’t want to stop. Levi’s lips lifted from her mouth and laid smaller, intimate kisses down her neck.
He was right. They had to stop and leave the hotel. She didn’t want to, but...
“I have an idea.” Jolene heard her hoarse voice squeak the words out when she could get her lips to stop pursuing Levi’s.
“I have one, too,” he answered with an inviting smile. “Fact is if we land in that bed, I won’t be protecting you very well.”
The idea of sleeping with Levi sent pleasant, excited tingles everywhere. He was right, of course. They needed to leave. Leaving the protection of his arms was definitely harder to physically accomplish than think about.
The warmth of his lips on her neck shot another lustful image through her mind. Her fingers laced through his short hair, brushing the bandage where he’d been hit. He sucked a short hiss between his teeth, but pushed her shirt farther to the side, scraping her collarbone with his teeth.
Now or never.
“Motor home.”
“Hmm?” he hummed, not lifting his mouth from her skin.
“If we could get a motor home instead of another hotel, would we be safe?”
He tossed his head back, leaving his own neck exposed for kissing, but she only skimmed a finger across his pulse point. He wrapped her hand in his, drawing it to his lips, then between them over his heart.
Her elbow rested next to his gun. A constant reminder of the danger.
“That’s not a half-bad idea.”
“I have them occasionally.” And you haven’t asked for my opinion on anything. “It shouldn’t be hard to find one around here.”
“Deals like that require a lot of cash though.” He kissed her fingers lightly and let go. “They don’t hold a check.”
She immediately longed for the warmth and security of him in spite of his smartass remark while he redressed. Following to the door, she waited when he left her a moment to search the hallway.
Darn it, she knew what she was doing. He was treating her like someone who just joined the program yesterday. Had he forgotten she’d been raised to expect this moment? He tapped again to signal it was okay to leave.
Silently, he led the way to the stairwell, holding the door, letting it click but not shut under its own force. She waited for him to take the lead. He brushed a finger across her lips before she could speak.
Silence.
No footsteps. Just the thundering of her pulse escalating in her ears.
The conversation would wait. He wasn’t leaving her behind. He stepped lightly, she mimicked, longing for it all to be over.
Did he?
The late afterno
on sun hit her face and she kept her silence.
They were able to leave the hotel without seeing a soul—including the police officer still in his vehicle out front. Dallas, it seemed, wasn’t a city where taxis sought out fares by driving the streets. They had to be summoned. Even if there had been one, they couldn’t have waltzed out the front door to stand in line.
Two blocks of parking lots on the backside of the hotel. Levi constantly turned, watched, scanned.
“Are you ready to listen to my idea?”
They were at the rear corner of a convenience store. Levi took her elbow, guiding her so her back was against the wall. He placed his arms to either side of her shoulders. Tempted as she was to put her arms around his neck and pull his mouth to hers again, she resisted.
“What were you saying about a motor home?” He kept his voice low and close to her ear.
One little half turn of her head and she’d be kissing him, headed down a path of uncontrollable cravings. “I think we could find one, buy it without being traced and we wouldn’t have to worry about hotels anymore.”
He laughed.
The one when he knew something she didn’t. The laugh that always told her he was about to win at a board game.
She wanted to push away from his arms. Stand alone. Straight. Competent. “I can do it. Any newspaper will have one for sale by a private owner. No paper trail until you file for a title. Right?”
“One problem. No cash.”
“We have plenty if you’re willing to risk a trip to the bank. A quick trip. By the time they know we’ve been there, we’ll be gone.”
His lips parted with a question seemingly on the tip of a tongue she preferred tracing the sensitive spot he’d discovered at the nape of her neck.
He took a step back and scanned their surroundings again. “Just how much cash are you talking about, Jo?”
“Mother’s money has gone untouched. First as an emergency exit fund, as Dad called it. Then as an inheritance I should use after I married.”
His brows drew closer and closer together, his lips flat and compressed.
Dangerous Memories Page 9