by Zoe Dawson
Austin glanced at Jenna, and he didn’t realize he was staring until Jack cleared his throat. Her back looked rigid, her shoulders stiff. “Won’t you stay for dinner, Detective Morton?”
He rose from the couch and adjusted his gun. “No, my wife is holding dinner, and I need to skedaddle, but you’ve got my home number. You need anything, just call. I have a uniform coming by this address every half an hour.”
Austin nodded, and Jack headed for the door. “Step into the hall for a second,” Austin said. Austin closed the door behind him. “I got a tip from Creepy Billy that Jenna’s neighbor has been overly interested in her.”
“I checked him out. He had an alibi.”
“Yeah, I know, but his girlfriend’s apartment isn’t far from here.”
“I got you. He could have snuck out and killed Taylor. I guess that’s possible. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we’ll talk about this some more.”
“All right.”
Jack eyed him, and Austin met his eyes, his attention sharpening when he saw the concerned expression on the cop’s face. Austin stared at him for a moment, then leaned his back against the door. “Something on your mind?” he said quietly.
Jack frowned and glanced down, his expression solemn as he adjusted his belt. “You tell me, Austin. I asked if the lady was going to be a problem. Seems like you’re on edge here. Normally, it wouldn’t be any of my business in these personal circumstances, but I have a fondness for her and for you.”
Austin looked away. “It’s complicated.”
“I got that. Look, this case is a bitch. There are absolutely no leads, nothing to go on. In this instance, look at everything again. Maybe we missed something. I’ll do the same. We’re not going to give up on her.”
“You might not, but NCIS isn’t going to let me stay here indefinitely. In fact, guarding her at my request didn’t go over all that well. I’m on borrowed time here, Jack. I can’t let her down, and I can’t leave her exposed to danger.”
Jack exhaled heavily and gave a terse nod. “Yeah, I get that. Rest assured, if you are pulled off and have to go back to San Diego, I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Until she goes back to DC. Then who’s going to watch out for her?”
Jack’s expression went grim and he stuck his hands into his pockets. “Ah, I see your point.”
“I think her ex-husband hired someone to kill her. I think there’s a specific way he wants her murdered. I know that coldhearted bastard. I worked for him when I was a Marine.”
Comprehension dawned in Jack’s mud-brown eyes. “That’s the way of it, then? She was married when you first met her.”
“Yeah.” Austin’s mouth tightened, the memories fresh and strong. “We got close and then the embassy was overrun. I hadn’t seen her since.”
Jack shook his head. “Unfinished business in the midst of all this turmoil and danger makes for a volatile situation.”
“I know, hence the edge.”
Jack heaved another heavy sigh. “The winds don’t help, but keep it together, boy. We’ll work this case until something pops. I’m with you. This ain’t over. I feel it in my gut. You make sure to call me if you need help. Don’t be a hero.”
Austin huffed out a laugh, and Jack slapped him on the back. His gaze somber, he leaned his head back against the door and stared after Jack as he went out into the wind, a whirl of dust and heat sweeping in before he closed the door. Austin stood there for a moment, then he turned and swore, slamming his hand into the door frame. Damn it! Why in hell did life have to be so freaking complicated?
With the heel of his hand throbbing, he opened the door and went back inside, securely locking it.
She was at the counter, cutting up garlic bread and setting the slices into a basket. Looked like dinner was almost ready. He walked toward her, and she went to the stove, turned the heat down under the sauce and dumped spaghetti into the boiling water. Setting the timer, she headed past him and disappeared into the laundry room, reemerging with a basket full of clothes, she settled on the sofa.
He folded his arms, watching as she pulled a shirt out of the bundle and started to fold it. With a little shock of surprise, he realized it was his. She’d done his laundry?
Her short haircut, the curls so dark against her creamy skin, clung to her damp cheeks. He closed his eyes as he suddenly remembered what it felt like to have the soft strands tickling his chest and abdomen. He clenched his jaw against the heated rush of physical response, knowing that after the way he’d been acting, she deserved more than a quick tumble. But with Jenna it was hard to go slow. She always made him feel…urgent.
He wasn’t sure how to fix things, but he knew it wasn’t going to be by asking her about her day. He watched her as she untangled their clothes more easily than he could untangle how he felt about her. She set the neatly folded article on the pile that was growing on the coffee table, aware she was wary about meeting his gaze. If he’d learned one thing in the Marines and then in NCIS, it was the importance of hitting any problem head on. And by the stark look in her eyes, he knew this wasn’t the time to hedge. “Dinner smells good,” he started off and cringed. That was a lame way to start this conversation.
Her gaze swung sharply to meet his, the lamplight washing her skin in a golden hue. She stared at him for a moment, then looked away, suddenly intent on separating two sweaters and folding them.
Hooking his thumbs in the front pockets of his pants, Austin watched her, his expression solemn. He didn’t say anything for a moment, then he said, his tone slightly husky, “Come here, Jenna.”
He saw her swallow hard, then she met his gaze, her eyes dark and haunted. He shifted, widening his stance, then reached out his hand. “Come on,” he urged gruffly.
She set the sweaters aside, and drawing a deep, unsteady breath, she crossed the room, her body stiff with tension when she slipped her arms around his waist and turned her face against his neck. Drawing her hips against his, Austin exhaled heavily and drew her fully against him, resting his jaw against her head as he began slowly massaging the small of her back. Jenna tightened her arms around him, and Austin felt her shivering, as though she had expected pain. Shifting his hold, he cradled her head firmly against him and brushed a gentling kiss against her temple, feeling disquieted. He didn’t know what in hell was going to happen to them. And if he’d realized anything during the past few days, it was that resolving his personal relationship with Jenna hinged on getting her out of danger and safe from the bastard who had set all this into motion.
Time was running out for her. That had fueled his edginess because he was no closer to resolving this case and freeing her from the terror of living under the shadow of death.
He gave her a reassuring hug and pressed his mouth against her hair. Shifting his hold, he turned slightly, keeping her against him as he checked to make sure the spaghetti wasn’t one big lump of starch, then rubbed her shoulders. “Looks like we’re almost ready to eat,” he said gruffly. “I was thinking of taking a shower real quick. I feel like I’m coated in dust and sweat.”
Jenna exhaled heavily and reluctantly eased back in his embrace. Avoiding his gaze, she nodded. “It’s hard enough without those damn winds stirring everything up.”
Hooking his knuckles under her chin, Austin lifted her face and made her look at him, the heavy feeling in his gut intensifying when he saw the bleak expression in her eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, then tightened his hold on her jaw and brushed a soft kiss against her mouth. “This has been a bitch of a case,” he whispered huskily.
She gave him a shaky laugh and looked up at him, her eyes not quite so stark. “That’s an understatement. Our timing sucks big-time, too.”
He held her gaze, the corner of his mouth lifting a little. “Yeah, I got that. We’re out of sync.”
She stared at his mouth, the humor in her eyes lightening her expression. “The world can go to hell,” she answered, her tone fierce. “We’re going to do our own thing.”
>
When he grinned, she gave him another quick kiss, then turned him around and gave him a push toward the bathroom. “You’ve got ten minutes, Agent Beck, then I’m eating.”
“Ho, there. I really think that you could use a shower, too. You look hot and sweaty.”
She gave him such a pure feminine look of exasperation, he laughed. “I’ve been slaving over a hot stove,” she said matter-of-factly.
“I don’t want to let you out of my sight, Jenna. Humor me.”
Expecting some sort of smart comeback, Austin was caught completely off guard when Jenna buried her face into the crook of his neck. Swearing to himself, he stared down at her dark, bent head, trying to ignore the tight feeling in his chest. Why couldn’t they just be a freaking normal couple? He heard her take a ragged breath—a breath that sounded too much like a sob for him to ignore—and with his resolve evaporating like smoke, he caught the back of her head and tightened his arm around her waist. “Jenna, babe,” he whispered gruffly. “We’re going to be okay. And I think you still smell really good.”
Drawing a hard breath as if she was impatient with herself, she slipped her arms under his shirt and around his back. She laughed. “Is that what you’re using for an excuse to get me naked?” she whispered, her face wet against his neck, her voice breaking.
Tucking her head tighter against him, he savored the silky disorder of her hair, a flicker of amusement surfacing. Sweeping her hair back, he cupped the side of her face and brushed a light kiss against her cheek. “Naw, I just need someone to wash my back.”
He got an unsteady laugh, and he hugged her tighter. Jenna’s voice was a little stronger when she responded. “I think I have a wire brush around here somewhere.”
“Ouch. Good thing I only asked you to wash my back.”
He waited until he felt her begin to relax; then he eased his hold and lifted her face so he could see her eyes, his expression sobering. “Now that we’ve settled that, even though you smell good while being hot and sweaty, you’ll take a shower with me…sans wire brush.”
Her black lashes matted, her mouth not quite steady, she looked at him, her eyes so dilated there was hardly any color. She stared at him a moment, then said, her voice husky, “You’re no fun, Austin.”
He squeezed her and the timer on the stove went off. “Let me get this handled, and I’ll meet you in there.”
He nodded and backed away from her as she went to the boiling pot and grabbed it off the stove, draining the spaghetti and dumping in the sauce. He went through the doorway as she was stirring in the meat. He started the water heating in the shower and stripped off his shirt, glad for the release of the heavy cloth. The cool air of the bathroom felt good against his heated skin. This whole thing was hard for her. Not because she would evade the truth, but because Jenna had spent most of her life acquiescing to others, letting them drive. She didn’t know how to ask for something she wanted. Everything between them was uncertain, and that made for a messed-up mind. He should know.
She came abruptly into the room while he was standing there, musing. She stopped dead and stared at him. She released a pent-up puff of air in a slow breath. Her eyes traveled over him. “God, Austin, if I ever needed a distraction, you’d really fit the bill.”
Realizing that she was really struggling, he pulled her into a tight embrace and rested his head against hers. Not sure what they were getting themselves into or how they would come out of it, he let his breath go. “I’m glad I can do something constructive here.”
He felt her catch an uneven breath, and he tightened his hold, experiencing a sudden thickness in his chest. Waiting for the contraction to ease, he slid his hand under her hair and grabbed the collar of her sweater, yanking. Taking the cue, she lifted her arms and he pulled it off. She looked up at him, a trace of wry humor in her voice, “I’m not sure that’s what your boss had in mind.”
“I’m sure it isn’t,” he said, giving her an unsteady laugh.
“This feels like we’re breaking the rules instead of being cautious.”
He pulled her closer, the smile fading from his face. He agreed. This didn’t feel like being careful at all. Not a damn bit. “No,” he murmured, being completely honest. “This feels like falling.”
Her voice, husky and full of uncertainty, hit him hard in the heart. “As long as you catch me, I think I’ll be okay.”
His throat suddenly tight, he spoke, his voice barely a whisper. “I will, babe. I promise.”
He watched her eyes soften even more, the air between them heating and so damn intimate it was making his head swim. A peculiar soft feeling filling up his chest. His hands slipped over her shoulders to her bra straps. With a flick of his wrist and a gasp from her, it was off.
The first time she had taken the initiative had caught him by surprise, but he was sure she wasn’t used to seducing a man outright. She softly brushed her mouth against his, the warmth and moistness of the kiss making his pulse erratic. She licked his bottom lip slowly—very slowly. Opening his mouth to her seduction, Austin pressed in just enough to deepen the kiss, resolutely keeping his hands loosely on her hips. He wondered how far she would take it this time.
She changed the angle of her head, perfecting the seal of her mouth against his, then she smoothed her hand down his chest, dragging her thumbnail across his nipple. Austin jerked, her touch sending a sharp current of sensation through him, and his heart went into overdrive when she lightly rolled the hardened nub under her fingers.
He wanted to grab her and drag her against him, but this was her show. With a wild flurry of excitement building in him, Austin tightened his muscles against her tormenting touch, yielding his mouth to hers as she deepened the kiss. Just as she pushed her tongue into his mouth, she trailed her fingernails down his abdomen to his waistband. His breathing turned heavy, and it took every ounce of control he had to remain still and unmoving beneath her lightly exploring hands.
This wasn’t sex or seduction, this was… He closed his eyes against the bump his heart made. Love. He loved her. He was involved here, and as she grabbed hold of his waistband, he knew he couldn’t deny her a thing.
Case or no case, he wanted to be with Jenna for the long haul, but there were definitely obstacles to cross. As her mouth became more ardent, he lost the thread of his thoughts, his chest filling with something fuller than he’d ever felt.
Yeah, he was freaking in love with her.
His thoughts fragmented as she cupped his hard, thick arousal. He sucked in a ragged breath, releasing a guttural sound against her mouth when she trailed her fingernails between his legs and down the sensitive base.
Working her mouth slowly against his, she shifted slightly, then used both hands to undo his belt. Austin stood there without moving as she pulled the belt free of the loops and dropped it on the floor, then slid her long fingers beneath his waistband. Her intimate touch electrified him, and he lifted his head and drew her tongue deeply into his mouth, the pulsating hardness in his groin nearly exploding as she carefully drew his zipper down. With the same slow care, she freed him, and Austin abruptly ceased to breathe.
Unable to remain passive one second longer, he caught her by the back of the head and ground his mouth hungrily against hers, heat searing through him as she lightly smoothed her thumb over the moist, slick tip of his arousal.
Grasping her face between his hands, he gazed at her, his breathing labored. Her eyes dark and heavy-lidded, her full, sensual mouth swollen from the urgency of his kiss, she was his weakness, his future, just his.
She caught his face between her hands and stared at him, then she leaned into him and gave him a soft, comforting kiss. The feel of her hands against his face, the absolute comfort in her touch, made his throat cramp up and he closed his eyes, experiencing such a surge of emotion that he was damned near upended by it. Opening his mouth against hers, he cupped her breast, rubbing her velvet nipple with his thumb.
Dragging her mouth lower, she kissed her way down h
is body, sinking to her knees, sending another jolt of sensation through him. Bracing himself for what was coming, he twisted his head to one side and straightened his hips to give her access, his face contorting in an agony of sensation, his whole body going rigid as she lowered her head. He closed his eyes and ground his teeth together, her touch setting off a chain reaction that made him stiffen and groan. And with a blinding surge of sensation, he gave himself up to her moist, questing mouth.
Twenty minutes later, they ate their warmed-up meal at the table. Jenna was quiet, almost as if she were giving him a breather. He’d always had the ocean and surfing when the winds blew, and he could work out the excess physical energy on the waves. Jenna’s seduction went a long way to helping with that, but now she was the one who seemed edgy. He’d been locked up inside all day. Maybe it was her turn.
He didn’t like the idea that she was keeping the peace for him. Her past was full of men taking care of her. That wasn't a bad thing, but he wouldn't want to control her like her ex-husband. He wanted that to stop with him. But the circumstances set him in that role. Jenna wasn’t big on confrontation, and given the choice, he suspected she would still skirt one if at all possible. He figured it was tied up with vulnerability and self-doubt and a nearly disabling insecurity that came from her father and ex-husband. That would leave deep and indelible scars. Was she too afraid of risking emotional exposure, where her personal insecurity was on the line? It was just too big a risk. He understood it, but he didn’t like it. He didn’t want any kind of power over her decisions.
“Would you like some more?”
Shifting his gaze from the swirling winds, he glanced at his plate, then at her. He shook his head. “No, thanks.”
She stood up and reached for his empty plate, and Austin saw the misery in her eyes. He reached out and caught her wrist, taking her dish from her and setting it on top of his. Pushing the plates aside, he exerted a steady pressure on her arm and went to the couch.
