“If the two of you use credit cards, you might as well leave a trail of breadcrumbs for him to follow. Even your cellphones aren’t secure.” D.J. spoke with authority. After all, his favorite pastime was hacking into supposedly secure sites.
Devlin nodded. “Good thinking. I’ll buy one of those prepaid phones and call you with the number. And cash will work to hide our tracks.”
Cullen was the one shaking his head this time. “They could be watching for any large cash withdrawals from either of your accounts, but we can get around that if a bunch of us take out smaller amounts. Then D.J. can make the transactions disappear or at least change the dates on them. Leave it up to us.”
“We don’t have long, Cullen.”
“I’ll be back in a couple of hours with a stack of cash. Come on, D.J. And, Trahern, I’ll need your account numbers and debit card.”
As his friend reached for his wallet, Devlin looked down at Laurel. “Do you like the mountains or the water?”
Chapter 12
They lucked out and got a room on the ocean side of the hotel. Laurel opened the sliding door and stepped out on the small balcony. Drawing a deep breath of the pungent ocean air, she could almost believe that she and Devlin really were on a lovers’ getaway to the coast.
He followed her out and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on top of hers. The heat of Devlin’s body felt even better than the sun on her skin. She leaned back into his strength and let her tension drain away…
Only to be replaced by a new set of sensations. She tilted her head to one side in invitation to Devlin. Bright man that he was, he immediately nuzzled his way up her neck. He gently bit the lobe of her ear, then kissed it in apology for the small hurt.
“Want to move this inside?” he asked.
His whispered question beside her ear sent shivers of heat up and down her spine. “Why? Got something in mind that might shock the neighbors?”
“I certainly hope so.” He turned her around and kissed her soundly. Cupping her bottom, he lifted her up to better fit her body against his.
It felt like heaven. “Take me to bed, Devlin.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He carried her inside, leaving the door open to the ocean breeze.
• • •
Devlin cuddled her closer, loving the feel of her head on his shoulder and the way she felt stretched out beside him. Her breathing was slow and steady, sleep about to overtake her. That was good.
Neither of them had gotten much sleep the night before, after they’d reached his house. The stress of knowing that there was a killer after both of them was taking a toll on her. He and his friends were doing all they could to remove that danger, but the memories would still linger.
Damn, he loved this woman. It hadn’t been easy for her to face D.J. and Cullen early that morning, but she’d faced the situation with the same determined strength as she did everything else. She might not have noticed the jealous looks they’d given him, but he had. All of them knew that Paladins didn’t fall in love. Lust was as good as it got for them, but what he felt for Laurel was far more than that.
He wished he could turn his back on his job and marry her, so the two of them could live out their lives as a normal married couple. But that wasn’t going to happen because each of them were committed to the lives they were living. Changing that would be impossible. Wouldn’t it?
The cellphone they’d bought started vibrating on the bedside table. He grabbed it and pushed the answer button.
“Bane here. Give me a second.” He eased away from Laurel and took the phone into the bathroom so he could talk without waking her up. “I’m back.”
He listened to Cullen’s report. So far, no activity on any of their accounts. Devlin was tempted to ask his friend if he and D.J. would be able to tell if the guy on the other end was as good as they were at hacking. They’d take it as an insult, and right now he didn’t need them mad at him.
“Thanks for letting me know. We’ll be here tomorrow and head back the morning after that. I’ve had a hard enough time convincing Laurel to stay gone that long.”
Cullen promised to call back the next morning and again the day after unless something urgent came up. Devlin hung up the phone and then about jumped out of his skin when he looked up and saw Laurel standing there. She rubbed her eyes sleepily.
“Who was that?”
“Cullen. So far, all is quiet.”
“So can we go back sooner?”
“No.”
She wanted to argue. It was there in her eyes, but she didn’t try. Instead, she surprised him. “I want to fly a kite. And then I want to ride a scooter.”
“What?”
She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “If we’re here pretending to be a couple, then I want to do all the things couples do here. I want to fly one of those big fancy kites on the beach and then ride a scooter.”
“Have you ever ridden a scooter?”
“Nope. It’s that or go horseback riding.” She tipped her head back as if studying him. “I suspect you’re more of a scooter man.”
If he was going to ride a bike, he wanted it to be a big, fat Harley. But his woman was looking playful, and he was in the mood to indulge her. Especially if it kept her mind off their problems for a few hours.
“All right. Let’s grab a late breakfast and then go from there.”
“You’ve got a deal.”
• • •
Flying kites turned out to be a little more complicated than he’d expected. He couldn’t remember ever flying one before. He’d spent most of his childhood scrambling for extra money to keep food on the table—his mother had meant well, but as a parent she really sucked. And Laurel had picked out one of the most complicated kites the shop carried. She’d chosen a large dragon after looking at it and back at him a couple of times. He kept waiting to hear her say that it reminded her of him.
Personally, he thought it needed a few battle scars to qualify as a Paladin. Once they’d managed to assemble it after much laughter and botched attempts, Laurel had designated him to be the one to hold the kite while she took off running. Watching her laugh as the kite finally caught the wind and almost pulled her from the ground would remain etched in his memory for decades to come.
He’d finally taken the handle that held the string from her hand and dragged her down to sit in the sand with him. She settled between his knees and leaned back against his chest as the two of them watched their dragon swoop and soar above the blue waves.
“He’s rather fierce, don’t you think?” Laurel asked, pointing up toward their dragon. “I finally figured out who he reminds me of. He’s the same color as Trahern’s eyes when he’s smiling.”
Devlin snorted. “Trahern doesn’t smile.” And he wasn’t jealous that she was thinking of his friend. Not much anyway.
“Sure he does, but usually it’s just with his eyes.” She tugged on the string, making the dragon swoop down and back up.
“I really don’t want to hear about Trahern’s eyes.”
The little minx giggled. “Oooh, Mr. Big Tough Guy is jealous. Well, I’m not here with Trahern, am I? And that certainly wasn’t Trahern I was all over back there in our room.”
No, it hadn’t been. And the thought of some of the particularly inventive things she’d come up with had him wishing they didn’t have such a long walk back to the hotel. Maybe she was having some of the same thoughts, because she took the string from him and began reeling in the dragon. The big reptile fought to stay aloft, but finally it surrendered to Laurel’s persistence and came peacefully back to roost.
Then she took Devlin by the hand and led him back to their room.
• • •
“Any luck?” Cullen leaned over D.J.’s shoulder and watched the screen.
“He’s a slippery little bastard, I’ll grant him that.” D.J.’s fingers flew over the keyboard as he tried to trace who was behind the backdoor inquiries of Devl
in’s and Laurel’s bank accounts. His hands stilled as he muttered a few choice curse words.
“Did he get away?”
“Not exactly, but he’s hiding behind some pretty tough security.”
Cullen pulled up a neighboring chair, prepared to await the outcome of the cyberbattle. “You can breach the security codes, though. Right?”
“I should be able to. You and I wrote it for the Regents, so whoever is sneaking around out there is using our software. Damn, I knew we were good, but maybe too good.”
If they couldn’t trace the attack back to a specific person, they’d be no better off than they’d been before, except they now knew that their quarry was part of the Regents organization.
Cullen’s cell rang. He recognized Trahern’s number. “Got something for me?”
Trahern’s voice sounded hushed. “Someone’s walking up in front of Laurel’s place, but he’s not being sneaky at all about it. I’m a little too far away to get a good look at his face, but judging by his build, I think it’s Dr. Neal.”
“I can’t believe he’d be involved in anything crooked. Even if he took a sudden dislike to us, he wouldn’t hurt Laurel.”
“I’m not judging the man; I’m just telling you what I’m seeing.” Trahern sounded a little pissed off.
“Well, we’re getting a definite nibble on the bank accounts. Twice in the last hour, someone has tried to break through to Devlin’s records and then Laurel’s. The last time was about five minutes ago.”
“That eliminates Dr. Neal. He’s been right in my sights during that time.”
“Good. I’d hate to think I couldn’t trust the man who’s responsible for putting me back together.”
“Penn is supposed to relieve me soon, then I’ll be coming in. Want anything?”
“Yeah, a couple of big greasy pizzas and a six-pack. It’s going to be a long night.”
“Give me half an hour. And tell D.J. to nail the bastard.”
“Will do.”
• • •
“Oh yeah, that’s right, baby. Right there.”
Laurel lifted her head up long enough to enjoy the look on Devlin’s face. Evidently what she was doing with her mouth and tongue pleased him greatly. She cupped his penis again and ran her tongue up and down the thick length of it before sliding her mouth down over the tip. Her man’s immediate reaction left little doubt that he wanted more of the same.
After only a few seconds more, though, he stopped her, and pulled her up for a scorching hot kiss. He lifted her so that she was straddling him. “Ride me.”
She moved until he was poised at the entrance to her body and slowly took the length of him inside her. They both groaned at how wonderful their joining felt. Then she rocked forward and back, loving the feel of him deep inside her. His big hands reached up to cup her breasts, squeezing and kneading them as she pleasured them both.
“Lean down.”
She did as ordered, whimpering with pleasure as he suckled her breasts. Already she could feel the storm building inside of her. “Devlin!”
“Let it come!” He thrust up, pushing himself deeper as her muscles clenched, holding him tightly inside of her. Finally, she collapsed on top of him, both of them breathing hard with the aftermath of passion.
“Thank you,” she panted.
He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. “I won’t say the pleasure was all mine, but at least half of it was.”
“I’m too tired to laugh.” But she did anyway.
“I’m too tired to move.” He eased her to his side, once again tucking her in close. A man could get addicted to moments like this.
But tomorrow morning they’d be checking out of the hotel and returning to their real lives. No more pretending that the fun they’d shared on the beaches of Ocean Shores was going to last forever. The idea hurt.
Laurel must have sensed the change in his mood. “What happens when we get back?”
“I’m not sure.” And the uncertainty was pissing him off. “Unless Cullen and D.J. can track down whoever was trying to get into our bank accounts, we’ll have to go back to plan B.”
She ran her fingers up and down his chest. “Which is?”
“We return to work and try to catch him some other way.”
All of the Paladins were taking the betrayal within the organization personally. Not only had one of their own been attacked and killed, but their favorite Handler was in danger, as well. Laurel wasn’t going to walk out her door without having at least one Paladin shadowing her footsteps.
Inside her lab would be harder, but there was no way for Paladins to hang around; the only reason they set foot in the labs was if they were bleeding. Unless the barrier came down, it would be hard to explain a series of wounds.
She rose up to smile at him. “We still haven’t ridden scooters, buster. Get dressed or I’m going by myself.”
He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Are you sure you want to do that?”
“Afraid I’ll outride you?”
“No, I’m afraid you’ll leave a good part of your skin on the pavement.” He was only half kidding, but he’d take her if she really wanted to go.
“And after that, we’ll try out the go-karts. I bet I’m a better driver than you are.”
That was it. He sat up and glared down at her. “What makes you think you can beat me?”
She only laughed at him. “I double dare you, Devlin Bane. I can outride you on a scooter and I’ll win at go-karts.”
“You’re on.” He reached for his jeans.
A few minutes later, they were walking toward the rental place. Laurel twined her fingers in his and all but dragged him down the sidewalk. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken the time to play, with or without a woman at his side.
He planned on taking the dragon kite home to hang on his den wall to remind him of these two days. And they were about to build a few more memories against the long days ahead when he waited for the next battle to begin.
“I want the red one. Devlin, I think you should take the green one because it matches your eyes.”
He groaned even though she was just teasing him. Ignoring her suggestion, he picked out a black scooter that looked newer than the others, while Laurel tried out the controls on the one she’d chosen. The boy who worked on the lot took a long time explaining things to her, ignoring Devlin—not that he blamed him. With her happy mood and bright smile, she was almost irresistible.
Ten minutes later, they were “roaring” down the street at twenty-five miles an hour. When a car passed by, Laurel slowed even more.
He pulled up next to her. “Everything okay?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t realize how big cars looked when you’re on one of these things.”
She had enough to be scared of these days. After considering their options, he called back to her, “Follow me.”
He turned off the main road and soon they were riding on the wide-open beach. Although the dry sand was difficult to maneuver in, once they reached the wet sand that was packed down from the receding tide, they could really let loose.
In no time at all, Laurel was laughing with sheer joy as she raced past him and then circled back to coax him into playing, too. They drove in circles, leaving their mark on the sand in big loops and whooping at the seagulls who flew low overhead. Then they raced a few times, with each of them claiming victory at the end. Finally they rode side by side, content to be together as the sun began to sink down in the sky.
When they returned to the rental store, Laurel dismounted and patted the scooter on the seat, as if it had been a trusty steed deserving of a reward. She surrendered her helmet to the waiting clerk and shook her head to fluff out her hair.
“Now, Mr. Bane, we’re off to the go-karts—where you’re going to breathe nothing but fumes.”
He made a grab for her hand, but she giggled and danced out of his reach. “What’s the matter, big man? Afraid of a little healthy competition?”
He was afraid he’d never have another day like this one in his long life, but he couldn’t say that. Not when she was so happy. Tomorrow would be enough time for her to face reality.
For the rest of the evening and the night that stretched out before them, he was simply going to have fun with his woman. And damn if he’d let her win. There’d be no living with her if he did.
• • •
Laurel slipped out of the bed and pulled Devlin’s shirt on over her shoulders. It hung halfway down her thighs, providing decent enough coverage to step out on the balcony. She should be sleeping after the active day they’d shared, but nightmares hovered and she couldn’t seem to push them away.
Moonlight rippled on the ocean waves, giving the night a silvery glow. The air had cooled down since the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon in a blaze of fiery color. As the darkness had claimed the town, she and Devlin had sought out the privacy of their room, all too aware that their remaining hours together were slipping through their fingers like the sand on the beach.
Once again he joined her on the balcony, this time standing off to one side rather than holding her in his arms. Even if she understood his need to distance himself again, the rejection hurt.
Crossing her arms, she turned to face him. “I would have never thought you a coward, Devlin.”
“It’s for your own good, and you know it.” There was no mistaking the hurt mixed with anger in his voice.
“And who are you to decided what’s good for me and what isn’t?” She’d lived her whole life with her family trying to pigeonhole her into a nice, neat life they could understand. She wasn’t about to let Devlin do the same. “You’ve never asked me about my family, Devlin. Is that because you don’t care, or because that would make me more than a good time in bed?”
The muscles in his jaws worked as he bit back whatever he wanted to say. She prodded him some more.
“Well, let me tell you about them. They are good, decent people who go to church on Sundays and rarely travel beyond the county they live in. My siblings have all married their hometown sweethearts and settled down to produce the next generation. All of them love me, and not one of them understands me. I’m the oddball in the family—the freak, the only one for whom staying there wasn’t enough. I wanted something different. I thought I’d found it with you.”
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