Unconditional

by Holly Copella

  “Is it bath time?” he suddenly asked as his eyes strayed across her body then returned to gaze into her eyes.

  “You had your shower this morning,” Indy announced while attempting to keep her reactions as close to normal as possible for Harlan’s sake.

  Indy approached him and attempted to usher him back to his room. He didn’t turn or look away from her. His finger continued to press the remote control button with increased tension and possible agitation.

  “You didn't wash me,” he informed her. “You're supposed to wash me.”

  She realized the small interruption to what was familiar had thrown him completely off. He was regressing, and it frightened her. She was supposed to be helping him move forward; not shove him backward.

  “Your casts are off,” Indy reminded him. “You can wash yourself now, remember?”

  He stared and initially didn’t respond. It was hard to tell what was going through his head.

  “I'd rather have you wash me.”

  She wasn’t going to argue with him in his current state. He was already hanging on the edge of anxiety, and she certainly didn’t want to use the sedation injection on him. Indy was certain he’d be fine. She just needed to coddle him a little tonight.

  “Okay, how about this,” she suggested. “I'll assist you in the shower tomorrow morning. Fair enough?”

  His eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared at her. “You're sneaky,” he boldly announced, seemingly coming back to life. “You think I'll forget, but I'm going to write it down.”

  Indy felt her body sag with relief. She laughed softly at the comment and gently touched his lower arm. “I can almost see the neurons firing in your head.” She took his hand in hers and guided him back through the bathroom. “Come on; let's go write that down before you forget.”

  Harlan clung to her hand and obediently followed her. His finger continued to press the button on the remote control but with less vigor.

  Chapter Thirty

  Indy slept peacefully while curled on her side on top of the covers within Harlan’s bed. A light was flashing, although it didn’t disturb her sleep. Harlan sat on the bed alongside Indy and pressed the on and off button on the remote control, turning the television continually on and off. He looked at Indy as she slept on her side facing away from him and stared at her through the glow of the television. His look conveyed deep thought. He slowly set the remote aside, lay down on the bed, and nuzzled against Indy from behind. Less than an hour later, Harlan lie pressed against Indy’s back while holding her as she slept. He suddenly woke, as if for no apparent reason, lifted his head, and looked around the room with disorientation. He then noticed the familiar woman in his arms. Harlan appeared moderately confused as he stared at the sleeping woman. He assessed the situation only a moment before he gently caressed her hip and thigh. Indy woke and, with little forethought, stopped his traveling hand.

  “I heard something,” he whispered over her shoulder and close to her ear.

  The sensation of his warm breath against her ear sent shock waves through her body.

  “It could be the coyote.”

  “The coyote isn't here,” she replied in a weary tone without moving from her comfortable position against his warm body. “It's just us.”

  She didn’t want to admit how good it felt having Harlan pressed against her, but she needed to keep herself from reacting or encouraging his lustful behavior.

  “Go back to sleep,” she announced gently.

  “I should check,” he replied softly while keeping his lips close to her ear.

  Indy couldn’t be sure, but she swore he purposely brushed his lips against her neck. The sensation was overwhelming and tingled throughout her body.

  “Where's my service pistol?” he whispered.

  Any erotic thoughts she’d been struggling to resist were immediately thwarted by his requesting his service pistol. Indy sighed softly, rolled onto her back, and looked at him through the dim glow of the television.

  “You don't need your service pistol,” she assured him, hoping he’d believe her.

  Harlan moved onto his elbow and hovered over her with a serious look on his face. She hadn’t realized how close he had been until now. He eyed her cleavage above her tank top then allowed his finger to trace the neckline while staring with fixation. Indy watched with surprise as he ran his finger along her cleavage just above her tank top. She knew she should stop his gently caressing finger while pretending it wasn’t a big deal, but it was a big deal. Unfortunately, it was a big deal for the wrong reason. She desperately feared he’d do something to arouse her beyond control. Indy knew she needed to get out of Harlan’s bed and resist his behavior, but she couldn’t force herself to do either of those.

  “I need to find the commander,” Harlan gently insisted. His words came across as stern and serious, but his tone and actions were playful and seductive. “I'm sure I heard something. It might be the coyote.”

  A second reference to the coyote was all she needed to hear to halt her arousal. Indy gently stopped his caressing hand and offered a sympathetic smile.

  “You're just hearing things,” she announced gently. “Go back to sleep.”

  His determination to fixate on the coyote wasn’t going to help him relax. She needed to work on another angle. Indy nestled against him, hoping her relaxed body against his would do the same for him. Surprisingly, it worked. Harlan held her in his arms and nuzzled against her. Her plan then immediately backfired. She felt his hand firmly caressing her hip and heard a slight groan escape his throat. Indy immediately tensed and pondered her next move. Keeping him calm and stopping him from probing her body was going to take some finesse--and a lot of restraint on her behalf. He nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head.

  “You must really want those disarming codes--”

  Her heart pounded to the comment. He was off in another world fighting some imaginary villains, and it concerned her with good reason. She needed to stay calm and not let him become worked up.

  “No, just a couple hours sleep.”

  No reaction seemed the best decision in their current situation. Ignore the behavior and it will stop. Not exactly out of the Flynn Stryker playbook, which leaned toward ‘drop and give me twenty’. His hand no longer caressed her hip. Indy was almost stunned that her way had worked. She’d be sure to gloat her success to her father later. Without warning, Harlan aggressively pulled her on top of him while simultaneously tossing himself onto his back. He swiftly placed her in a compromising position on top of him, forcing her to straddle his hips. She was moderately startled by his actions. He firmly caressed her buttocks while staring into her stunned eyes.

  “You can interrogate me all you want, but you won't get those codes,” he announced firmly but in a seductive tone as his hand traveled her body.

  Indy was suddenly concerned about his current state of mind. She no longer knew within what world he was living. Did he even know who she was? Or did he think she was someone entirely different? She attempted to pull away from him, but she wasn’t able to move. In order to get away from him, it would take physical force, and she was unwilling to go that route. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do, and there was also the possibility any aggression on her part would be returned. She didn’t need to get into a physical altercation with Harlan. If he played for keeps, she’d never win. Indy kept her arms tense, although it didn’t put much distance between them. She stared into his eyes while attempting to remain as calm as possible.

  “You're not just being playful, are you?” she gasped softly then attempted to mask her concern. “You're really lost inside your own mind this time.”

  Harlan appeared oblivious to her words as he pulled her hips firmly against his then affectionately kissed her cleavage. The duel sensation of his hard body pressing against her crotch and the warmth of his lips against her bare chest was enough to send shock waves of desire throughout her entire body. Even if she could turn off the erotic ima
ges from Christmas Eve, she couldn’t control the throbbing ache for him coming from her body. Indy shut her eyes and groaned softly. As he clutched her legs on either side of his hips, he grinded firmly and rhythmically upward against her. Her head was spinning, and all Indy could think about was shedding her clothes and allowing him unhindered access to her body.

  As her sexual desire began taking control of her mind, she was reminded of the guilt she’d felt after their last incident. Indy made a conscious effort to stop him. She immediately tensed and pushed against him. He was unprepared for her sudden force and movement, and she was successfully able sit upright while still on her knees. Unfortunately, her current position straddling his hips didn’t exactly help the situation. Harlan seemed particularly pleased with the move. Before she could move off him, he clutched her hips and held her straddled over him, continuing his firm yet slow thrusts against her. Her new position allowed for greater penetration of the thin clothes between them, and a new sensation flooded throughout her body. She gasped softly and immediately cursed herself for the pleasure to which she’d allowed overtake her. Indy endured the pleasurable feeling only for a moment before guilt again returned. She caught his hands clinging to her hips and successfully stopped his grinding against her. He met her gaze as if it were all part of foreplay. She inhaled deeply and smiled timidly.

  “Why don't I fix you a drink while you review the notes in your laptop?”

  Before he fully understood the words she’d said, Indy removed his hands from her hips, and scrambled off him. She jumped off the bed with such vigor that she nearly fell to the floor. His little seduction scene had left her moderately weak and almost dizzy with desire, if that was even possible. Harlan moved to his elbow, seductively reclined, and watched her with a lustful grin across his face.

  “Will you finish interrogating me later?”

  Indy looked at him with some surprise while attempting to catch her breath. She smiled despite her flushed feeling, removed his laptop from the nightstand, and handed it to him.

  “Read your notes,” she again announced.

  He reluctantly accepted his laptop. She knew she needed to get away from Harlan before she talked herself into doing something she’d later regret…again. Indy hurried for the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Only a moment later, Indy appeared on the backstairs to the dimly lit kitchen. She repeatedly ran her fingers through her mussed hair while simultaneously fighting her guilt and lust. She approached the refrigerator, hoping a cold drink would help douse the fire burning within her. She suddenly shivered from how cold the kitchen felt, appeared bewildered, and looked to the partially open back door. It only took a split second for alarm to sweep through her. Indy ran for the stairs. A man, dressed head-to-toe in black, suddenly appeared before her, blocking her path to the backstairs. Indy jumped back a step with a startled scream. As he lunged for her, she spun into a roundhouse kick and struck him in the chest. He was thrown backward and roughly into the kitchen door, slamming it shut with his body. Indy attempted to run past him for the stairs. The intruder recovered too quickly and tackled her to the floor. His weight combined with the hard landing nearly knocked the wind out of her, but she managed to struggle against him as he fought to subdue her. More so than a cry for help, she needed to get out a warning to the defenseless, nearly clueless man upstairs.

  “Harlan!”

  There was a faint thump from upstairs followed immediately by a crash. Indy’s heart leaped into her throat. Someone was already upstairs! She’d left Harlan alone and defenseless in his confused condition. Her momentary hesitation was all the man on top of her needed to subdue her. He caught both her wrists, pulled her to her feet, and body slammed her on top of the kitchen table. His hand gripped her throat, nearly suffocating her while holding her to the table. She struggled against his crushing hand while gasping to catch her breath. He was no ordinary intruder. She was almost certain he could crush her windpipe, if it had been his intention. As she struggled to loosen his grip, she thrashed with her legs in a frantic attempt to kick any part of him she could reach. Her attacker seemed to know exactly where to stand to avoid her kicks. With his free hand, he removed a hunting knife.

  There was a loud thump from upstairs, indicating Harlan was in trouble. For a split second, Indy’s mind commanded rational thought if she intended to save Harlan. Despite her slightly dizzy feeling from lack of air, Indy assessed her position and the intruder’s. He stepped in closer in order to plunge the knife downward into her chest. It was the split second she needed to connect with his body. Indy found her connection point and kicked the man in the groin. It wasn’t her best shot, but it was enough to send the man back a step and clutch himself in agony. Indy sprang up from the table and barely took a moment to catch her breath.

  “Harlan, I'm coming!”

  The intruder had recovered quicker than anticipated, stepped in front of her, and blocked her path while holding the knife clutched firmly in his hand. To his surprise, Indy kicked the knife from his hand, knocking it across the floor. Before he could react, she kicked him in the ribs and then in the head. As he fell against the counter, Indy followed through with two karate punches to his face. As she went for the third, he grabbed her wrist. This time she was ready for him. Indy kneed him in the ribs then spun into a high roundhouse kick, striking him in the face. He was thrown violently to the floor from the hard strike.

  Before Indy could react, there was a loud thumping on the backstairs as someone tumbled down them in the darkness and collapsed to the floor at the bottom of the steps. Indy gasped with horror and ran for the motionless man. As she was just about upon him, she suddenly stopped. It was the second intruder who had fallen down the stairs! Indy was suddenly grabbed from behind by the man whom she thought had been disabled. He clutched her around the waist with one arm and had her in a chokehold around her neck with the other arm. She fought against him, but he held her in a python like grip. The intruder subdued her then glared at the second man lying on the floor.

  “Come on, man, get up!”

  The second intruder finally groaned and slowly moved to his feet while gingerly touching the blood on his temple. Harlan silently appeared on the backstairs in only his boxer shorts. He hadn’t made a sound and his emotionless stare was cause for alarm. The second intruder saw him out of the corner of his eye, appeared alarmed, and attempted to bolt away from him. Harlan grabbed his arm and kicked him several times in the ribs with precise, fierce jabs. He released the intruder then spun into a high roundhouse kick, striking him in the face, and propelling him onto the kitchen table. The heavy table squealed as it moved several inches from the hard hit. The first intruder appeared alarmed as his partner lie motionless on the table. He looked back at Harlan while clinging to Indy. His arm tightened around her neck in a position she’d recognized as a neck breaker. Whoever they were; they were highly trained.

  “Stay back or I'll snap her neck,” he warned Harlan with a hint of fear in his tone.

  Harlan’s expression was impossible to read, and there was no telling what was going through his mind. He stood perfectly still in attack position, as if awaiting some secret signal to strike. Indy knew the situation was a setup, and neither of them were meant to survive the home invasion. It was life-or-death, and she needed to make a decision. With every ounce of strength she could manage, Indy rammed her elbow into the man’s ribs. She knew it wouldn’t be enough to take him down, and he’d kill her after the split second it took him to recover. In the brief second he released her, Indy leaped onto the island counter to put as much distance between her and the intruder as possible. She was accurate on his quick recovery, but that split second was all she needed.

  Harlan reacted with no warning, immediately striking. He spun into another high, fast roundhouse kick, striking the first intruder in the head. He was thrown roughly against the counter, almost flying into Indy where she sat clinging to her knees to avoid the
collision. He bounced off the granite and dropped to the floor. The second intruder rolled off the table with his knife clutched in his hand and attempted to slash Harlan, whose attention remained on the man hitting the floor. Although it seemed as if Harlan hadn’t been paying attention, he deflected the blow and gave the intruder a sharp shot to his wrist. The knife flew out of his hand and up in the air. Harlan caught the knife mid-air, skillfully flipped it, and thrust it into the man’s neck. He gurgled a gasp as blood ran from his mouth while staring Harlan in the eyes. Harlan’s expression remained unchanged and without emotion or mercy.

  As the second intruder sank to the floor, Harlan stared at the dead man a moment then claimed the first intruder’s discarded knife. He clutched it in a fashion that sent fear through Indy. He looked at Indy, who remained on the counter while breathing heavily as she stared at the man bleeding out onto the floor. She couldn’t be certain, but she believed the man at the base of the counter was dead also. Harlan’s expression finally softened and a strange realization seemed to cross his face as he stared at her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

  Indy met his gaze and attempted to relax as she slowly slid off the counter near him. She continued to breathe heavily and had a hard time getting the words to come out. She managed a nod.

  “Yeah,” she gasped softly.

  Harlan’s entire body sagged with relief as he pulled her into his arms and held her against him. She trembled slightly in his arms. She’d never witnessed that side of Harlan before. Her father had been right; she didn’t really know who Harlan was. The more her body trembled, the firmer he clung to her in an attempt to stop her trembling. He suddenly gasped and pulled back to meet her gaze. His eyes were wide with a look of panic in them.