“I don’t know about that. I’d say your actions were warranted. I’m just glad you were willing to listen to an explanation. I’m even happier you cared enough to fly across the country to surprise me.”
“I care.” His smile held a hint of irony as he brought her palm to his lips. “Maybe I was lonely and horny, too, but I definitely care.”
A tingle shot through her. “Then finish your dinner, and we’ll go home. Neither one of us has to be lonely tonight.”
Chapter 14
Sawyer hefted his carry-on bag up the two flights of stairs to Devin’s apartment for the second time that evening, waited while she unlocked the door, then trundled the wheeled suitcase inside. Grabbing her, he kissed her the way he’d wanted to before he saw the asshole kneeling on the rug between her thighs. When he finally came up for air and backed up a step, he bumped a small table, sending a stack of mail sliding to the floor.
“Sorry.” Bending, he scooped up the scattered envelopes and handed them to her.
“No problem.” She slid the deadbolt then wrapped an arm around his waist as she led the way into the living room. She dropped the mail on the coffee table next to the two half-full wineglasses. “Have a seat.” Grabbing the stemware, she carried the glasses to the kitchen to put in the sink then hesitated at the end of the bar counter. “Can I get you anything?”
“No. You’re as fidgety as a cat. Come sit by me and tell me what you’ve been doing the last couple of weeks.”
“Just work.” She dropped down next to him on the couch and gave him a tired smile when he threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed.
Releasing her hand, he framed her face in his cupped palm and kissed her, long and slow. God, I’ve missed you.”
“Me, too.” She leaned against his shoulder and sighed.
“Everything okay?” His heart sank a little. “You don’t seem very thrilled I’m here.”
“I am.” She touched his cheek. “Honest. It’s just that I’m exhausted. Walton’s schedule is insane right now. I actually believe he might win this election. I don’t know if it’s the idea of becoming the most powerful man on the planet, or just the stress of the campaign, but he’s feverishly driven and making the rest of us crazy. If I didn’t know him better, I’d say he’s almost afraid of what these next few weeks will bring.” She tipped her had back against the cushion. “No wonder his poor wife crumbled under the pressure.”
“I don’t blame her.” Sawyer’s lips tightened. “There haven’t been any more threats against Walton?” When she shook her head, he continued, “No sign of Liam Kennedy hanging around near his offices or campaign headquarters?”
“Nothing remotely suspicious. The Secret Service detail has Walton covered twenty-four seven, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened. I haven’t seen Liam since we got off the plane after the rafting trip.”
“Good. I’ve been worried. You’re sure you’re okay?”
“More than okay with you here.” She scooted around then climbed onto his lap. Leaning down, she kissed him. Then kissed him again.
His arms tightened around her. By the time she straightened, Sawyer was having a hard time remembering what they were talking about. Not that he cared.
“I thought you were tired?”
She grinned. “You’ve taken the edge off. A couple of aspirin, and I’ll be ready for action.”
Sawyer settled his hand around the back of her neck and rubbed. “Headache?”
“Yes.” A moan slipped out. “God, that feels good. Don’t stop.”
Turning her sideways away from him, he used both hands to ease some of the tension from her shoulders.
Her head hung forward. “You have magic fingers.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Should I be jealous?”
He grinned. “Probably not. The gentleman in question was a fan of my work and bought three gnomes at an exhibit I held in Seattle.”
She snorted and choked on a laugh. “Funny.”
“I try. Headache any better?”
“Almost gone.”
He leaned forward to kiss the delicate skin at the nape of her neck. “I need to take a shower. I’ve been in these clothes, hanging around airports all day. I feel grimier than I do after a full day on the river.”
She turned to face him. “Sure. Extra towels are on the shelf over the toilet.”
“By the way, I told Ainslee I was headed to DC. She thought the idea of me flying out to surprise you was extremely romantic.”
“I can’t wait to tell her how that turned out.” She rolled her eyes.
“The night isn’t over yet.” He dropped a quick kiss on her upturned lips before standing. “I predict an upside to the evening.”
“Don’t jinx us.” She stretched out on the couch. “And hurry in the shower, or I’m liable to fall asleep.”
“Trust me. I’ll be done before there’s any danger of that.”
He didn’t waste any time. Sleep wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, though it was probably what she needed most after the day she’d had. Holding her in his arms through the dark hours would fill the void he’d been experiencing as he climbed into his lonely bed on the ranch each night, but it wouldn’t do much for his raging hard-on.
Lucky for him, he was pretty sure Devin would be a good sport about his problem. He glanced down as he rinsed shampoo out of his hair. Obviously he wasn’t going to be able to hide how he was feeling.
The bathroom door opened. “Sawyer?” Her voice held an uncertain edge.
His problem got even bigger as his imagination took flight. “Did you come to join me?”
When she didn’t answer, he turned off the tap and shook his head then opened the glass door. Steam billowed out into the room.
A wide-eyed gaze turned from the single sheet of paper in her hand to meet his then dropped. “Impressive, but we have a situation.”
His cheeks heated. “Anticipation got the best of me. I was thinking of you.”
She didn’t even crack a smile.
He reached for the towel he’d set out and wrapped it around his waist. “What’s wrong?”
The hand holding the paper fluttered. “Maybe he hasn’t given up, after all.”
“Who hasn’t? What’re you talking about?”
“Kennedy…or whoever it is who doesn’t want Walton to be the next president. He sent me a note.”
“You’re kidding! You shouldn’t have touched it. There might be fingerprints or something.” He reached around her to hold her shaking hand and steady the paper. “What does it say?”
She leaned against his wet chest. “I didn’t understand the significance until I’d already handled the note. Read it yourself.” Her voice cracked.
He slid his other arm around her waist as he read the single sentence printed in block letters. Convince the congressman to drop out of the race, or you’ll wish you had. “Shit! That’s a direct threat. Made at you!”
“I guess I should call the police. And Walton. God, I hate to add to his worries when he’s already upset about his wife.”
“He’d be livid if we kept him in the dark. Again.” He brushed the side of her face with his thumb then tilted her head back to look into wary eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah. It was a shock, but I’m fine.”
“Probably best not to call 9-1-1, under the circumstances. Go notify the Secret Service while I get dressed.”
She nodded and left the bathroom. As he dried off then pulled on jeans and a clean shirt from his bag, her voice came from the living room, calm and collected without a hint of the panic he was feeling. She hung up just as he entered the room.
“Someone’s coming over.”
“Good.”
She pressed fingers to her forehead. “Now Walton.”
“You looked drained. Want another cup of tea…or a stiff shot?”
“Coffee. I have a feeling sleep isn’t going to
be an option any time soon, and I need a jolt of caffeine to keep me coherent.”
“You’ve got it.” He squeezed her shoulders. “I’m glad I’m here, even if there isn’t a hell of a lot I can do to help you.”
“Your presence alone is a help. I’m glad, too.” She lifted her cell and pressed a couple of buttons then gave him a dark look. “I bet you’ll be able to hear Walton yell clear from the kitchen.”
She hadn’t exaggerated. By the time he finished making the coffee, she’d ended her conversation with Walton.
“He’s coming over, too. Says he wants to hear what the Secret Service has to say firsthand.”
“What about Cathy?” Sawyer handed her the steaming mug.
She clutched it in both hands. “She’s sleeping, and her doctor has already signed her release papers, so she’ll go home first thing in the morning.”
“That’s good news.” When a knock sounded, he glanced toward the door. “That was quick.”
Devin set her coffee on the counter then headed toward the door. He followed right behind her. When she reached for the deadbolt, he grabbed her wrist.
“Check first. Someone just threatened you.”
“Right.” She peeked through the viewer. “He’s holding up ID. I feel like I’m in an action thriller.”
Sawyer flipped the lock and opened the door. A man and a woman, both probably in their mid-thirties and wearing suits, stood in the hallway.
The man spoke first. “I’m Agent Mason, and this is Agent Jennings.” His quick, dark gaze shifted from Devin to Sawyer and back. “Are you Devin Lockhart?”
She nodded. “Come in, please. You aren’t Walton’s regular team.”
“We were notified they’d be along with Congressman Hinsdale shortly.”
Sawyer stepped back as the two agents entered the apartment. He shut the door then followed behind when Devin led the way into the living room.
She pointed to the piece of lined paper and plain white envelope lying on the coffee table. “There’s the note I called about.”
Wearing gloves, the female agent bagged first the paper and then the envelope. “This came in today’s post?”
Devin nodded. “I picked up my mail when I got home from work but only got around to opening it a few minutes before I called you.”
Agent Mason glanced at the envelope in the clear plastic bag. “The postmark is smeared. I can’t make out where the letter was stamped.”
“It was raining pretty hard when I got home. I’m afraid I dripped all over the mail.”
His lips tightened. “Has anyone else touched the paper?”
She shook her head. “Just me.”
Sawyer cleared his throat. “I handled the envelope. I knocked the mail to the floor by accident earlier then picked up the stack to hand to Devin.”
Agent Jennings’s hazel eyes narrowed as she raised her gaze to meet his. “And you are?”
“Sawyer Wilde, a…friend of Devin’s.”
“You live here?”
His attention darted back to Mason. “No, I’m visiting from out of town.”
When a short rap sounded on the door followed by several loud thumps and a shout, Mason’s hand hovered over his hip. “Are you expecting someone other than the congressman?”
“No, that’ll be him.” Devin headed toward the entry. “I’ll let them in.”
Walton charged into the apartment flanked by two men in gray suits. His Secret Service detail headed into the living room to hold a low-voiced conference with the initial pair.
Walton’s gray eyes were clouded with worry as he patted Devin’s arm. “Are you okay?”
“I told you over the phone I’m fine.”
He let out a deep breath then turned toward Sawyer and raised a brow. “When did you get into town?”
“A couple of hours ago.” He offered a resigned smile. “This isn’t exactly how I imagined spending the evening.”
“At least you’re here to keep an eye on Devin.”
She frowned. “I don’t need protecting. It’s not like someone threatened to shoot me, for heaven’s sake. Maybe they just meant I’d be sorry because the backstabbing and mudslinging will only get worse before the election is over as the opposition starts targeting the people around you.” She straightened her shoulders. “I can take any abuse they try to dish out. Anyway, I have nothing to hide.”
The creases in Walton’s forehead deepened. “Or someone intends to eliminate me, and you could wind up as collateral damage.” His voice boomed in the suddenly quiet room.
“That’s our reasoning, sir.” The older Secret Service agent turned with a penetrating stare. “Which is why we’ll be pursuing this.”
Agent Mason handed the bagged evidence to his colleague. “Catch the bastard.”
The man’s lips tilted in a grim line. “We intend to.”
Agent Jennings stuffed her phone in her pocket and nodded to her partner. “Since Albright and Teague are here, we’ve been instructed to head back. Let’s go.”
The smile Devin turned on the first pair of agents didn’t dispel the worry in her eyes. “Thanks for responding so quickly.”
“Happy to be of service.”
After they left, Devin went through the sequence of events again with the taller Secret Service agent, a man named Jared whom she seemed to know, while the older man drew Sawyer aside and introduced himself as Ben Albright.
“In addition to protecting Congressman Hinsdale, we’ll be using all the government’s resources to track the origins of the letter, but I’m afraid we won’t be able to watch Miss Lockhart when she’s not in his company.”
“I’ll be here through the weekend to see that no one comes near her.” Sawyer’s chest tightened. “I have a commitment early next week. I can always cancel if—”
Walton gripped his shoulder. “No need. I’ll hire a professional to keep an eye on Devin if the source of this threat hasn’t been identified by Monday. If that little shit, Kennedy, really is behind the letter, we’ll nail his ass sooner rather than later.”
“What do you mean, if? I thought—”
“He doesn’t seem to have any motive. The man Syd hired to look into a possible connection between Kennedy and Senator Cunningham’s daughter came up empty. They didn’t date in college or live in the same dorm. The only tie he found was a single English class they both took with over a hundred students enrolled. I don’t think there’s a link.”
Sawyer frowned. “Maybe we were trying to make the motive more complicated than it is, and Kennedy is simply acting on his own initiative. Could be he just doesn’t like your agenda. While we were on the river, he saw a chance to take you out of the running and used it. If that’s true, he obviously hasn’t given up on the idea.”
“I suppose it’s possible.” Walton shrugged. “He won’t be able to get close to me with my watchdogs on duty, and I’ll make sure no one comes near Devin.”
Sawyer nodded. “Good enough.” He let out a long breath. “How’s Cathy?”
“Better. She’s pulled through this episode like a champ. I told her I’d drop out of the race before I’d risk her health, but that only upset her more. She insists she’ll be fine.”
“Your wife is a strong woman.”
“That she is, but I’ve put her through enough trauma over the years what with…everything. Politics isn’t for the faint of heart.” His eyes darkened to a stormy gray. “I never expected to get this far in the race, to actually be staring victory in the face.” He ran an unsteady hand through his hair. “Of course one little misstep could bring it all tumbling down…”
Sawyer frowned. “Surely that won’t happen. From what I’ve seen, you’ve laid out your platform in front of the world and stood behind it every step of the way. Your record is rock solid.”
“We all have our Achilles’ heel.”
“Sir, if you’re ready to leave, we need to get this back to the lab.”
/> Walton turned and nodded at the older agent. “We can go.” As he passed Devin, he gripped her arm. “I’m sorry about this, and I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you quit your job this minute.”
Her lips pressed into a tight line before she spoke. “I’m not going to be intimidated by someone who’s afraid to face me head on. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
He gave a quick nod. “I appreciate your loyalty.”
Their exit left a ringing silence in the apartment. When the refrigerator clicked on with a loud hum, Sawyer stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. “You look completely done in.”
“Probably because I am.”
“Let’s go to bed.”
Devin gave him a shaky smile before pulling away to slide the deadbolt on the door then switched off the living room lights. In the dark, she led the way to the bedroom and turned on the bedside lamp. A soft glow highlighted the pale blue walls along with the purple and blue quilt in a fancy ring pattern covering the queen-size bed.
After grabbing something black and silky out of the dresser drawer, she headed toward the bathroom. “Be back in a minute.”
Sawyer shed his clothes, left them in a heap on the carpet then slid beneath the cool sheet. Stretching out, he tucked one arm beneath his head and focused on the sound of water running in the bathroom. Better than thinking about how Devin would look in the little black nightgown. She needed to sleep, not to be groped by him.
A couple of minutes later, the door opened. Looking fragile and sexy and beautiful, she crossed the room on bare feet and slipped into bed. He reached across her to snap off the light then tucked her close against his side and rested his chin on her head.
“You could quit your job now instead of after the election. Walton would understand.”
She sighed. “I know, but I won’t. I’ve been thinking about that note, and I really don’t feel like it’s a direct threat aimed at me. My guess is Liam Kennedy—or whoever wrote the damn thing—sent it hoping the resulting hubbub would sway Walton to drop out of the race. Making me sorry—whatever that means—wouldn’t further his ultimate goal, which I have to assume is to stop Walton from becoming president, not to actually kill him.”
Wilde Side Page 16