Inquisitive.
Determined.
Alive with doubt about that next step.
Jesse slipped his hand to the back of her head, cradled it in his hand, his fingers tunneling into the thick, silky strands of her hair. Urging her closer until his lips played on hers.
So smooth, he thought, rubbing his mouth along her lips.
So sweet as he allowed himself a taste.
Shock filled her warm brown gaze before her eyelids fluttered closed and she released herself entirely to the kiss. Her mouth moving along his, exploring it. Opening, the wetness of her tongue passing over the edges of his mouth, dragging a groan from him as his body responded. From somewhere, a persistent beeping penetrated his brain and was followed by the jangle of the doorknob.
They broke apart, breathing heavily, but seemingly in control as Carmen entered the room.
“I heard the warning signal from the pulse oximeter,” Carmen said, glancing at where their hands were still joined. Where Jesse’s hand was now minus the finger sensor for the monitoring device.
Liliana fumbled with the sensor. “I was just checking it out,” she lied, earning a knowing smile from her friend.
“Sí, I can tell you were just checking things out,” Carmen replied, choking back a chuckle.
Liliana glanced at her watch. The plasmapheresis had already been running for nearly an hour. Just another hour to go. “Let me just double-check Jesse’s vitals, and then you and I can go over what you’ve got.”
“You’re the boss,” Carmen said, but before she could leave the room, Whittaker returned with the other agent, who positioned himself by the door inside the room with them.
“Actually, I’m the boss,” Whittaker clarified, earning a glare from Carmen as she exited, brushing past the blond-haired hulk at the door.
“Then maybe you can do something important, like ask Bruno to pick us up some dinner. Jesse will be hungry by the time this therapy is done,” Liliana said, clearly also displeased with Whittaker’s high-handedness.
A dull rose color spread up from the collar of Whittaker’s starched white shirt. “Just give Bruno your order on your way out, Dr. Carrera.”
“Thank you, Special Agent. Is there anything else you need tonight?” she asked, pointedly arching a brow.
“I need to speak with Mr. Bradford. Privately, if you don’t mind.”
Liliana took a glimpse at Jesse, a slight furrow marring her brow. “Are you feeling up to it?”
He peered past her to Whittaker, noting the chill in the man’s gray gaze and the tight set of his jaw. Whether or not he was feeling up to it, Jesse would endure whatever was necessary to keep Whittaker’s fallout from landing on Liliana.
“I’m fine. Just a little light-headed.”
Preferably from her kisses and not the treatment.
With a sharp bop of her head, she rose from the bed and departed, closing the door behind her.
Whittaker crossed the room, hands jammed into his pockets and jingling the change in a habit that Jesse was finding to be increasingly annoying.
“What do you want?” Jesse asked.
“You seem to be getting quite friendly with Dr. Carrera,” the black-ops leader said.
Carelessly, Jesse swiped at his mouth and looked for any sign of lipstick, not realizing the import of what he had done until a sly grin came to Whittaker’s face.
“Very friendly, I gather,” the other man said.
“Nothing’s happened,” Jesse lied, grasping his hands together to keep away from any other incriminating actions.
“Actually, it’s very good that she’s getting to like you. Maybe even trusting you.”
Jesse wasn’t keen on where Whittaker was going. “What do you want?”
“The two doctors have an inhibitor complex they’ve been using on Caterina Shaw, apparently with some success,” Whittaker advised and approached the IV lines running into Jesse’s arm.
“That’s good, right?” Jesse asked and flinched as Whittaker negligently flicked his finger against one of the lines, causing the needle in his arm to pinch painfully.
“They don’t plan on using it on you. At least not yet, so—”
“We wait. I’m not feeling all that bad,” Jesse advised, but Whittaker got in his face.
“We can’t wait. I need that complex for the patients back at the lab. Your sister will need that complex eventually, so you’re going to get it for me.”
“How can I do that?” Jesse asked, unprepared for Whittaker’s response.
CHAPTER 12
Whittaker jabbed his index finger into Jesse’s chest, the tip of it painfully sharp. “Figure it out. The vials are on the lab table.”
“You expect me to just snatch them?” Jesse asked, narrowing his eyes as he judged the other man’s intent.
Whittaker cocked his head to the side. “I thought the sportscasters said you had the best hands in the NFL. Put them to use on something besides Dr. Carrera.”
Without waiting for a response, Whittaker hurried from the room, leaving Jesse to watch his retreating back and endure the smirk of the goon still standing by the door.
From his spot in bed, Jesse was able to observe Liliana and her friend as they moved back and forth between the microscope and two racks of test tubes a few feet away. He wondered if one of the racks contained the medication that Whittaker wanted him to grab.
The two women repeatedly huddled over the equipment, until after a few minutes, Liliana raised her face and shot a glance in his direction.
As she noted his attention, she smiled, but it was a tired smile and didn’t quite reach up into her eyes.
Carmen must have realized she no longer had Liliana’s attention. Once she tracked her friend’s gaze and confirmed what had caught her friend’s eye, she nudged Liliana playfully, urging her in the direction of the treatment room.
Liliana rolled her eyes, handed Carmen the file in her hand, and walked toward Jesse.
Was he imagining the sexy sway in her hips? Before he could decide, Whittaker’s instructions came rushing back.
Grab the vials. Steal them from Liliana.
Rob Liliana of the inviting walk and eyes as warm as freshly baked chocolate brownies. Those full lips, ends turned up in a smile, which had felt so wonderful beneath his.
Her touch. Tender. Caring.
Whittaker wanted him to steal from her. To lie to her. Again.
A sick feeling gelled in his gut, and Liliana was quick to move to his side. Uninhibited as she placed her hand over his, she took a spot on the edge of the bed and asked, “Are you okay?”
No, he wasn’t.
He might have been a womanizer and occasional drunk. He might have let fame get to his head and become a jerk, but…
He had never been a thief. Not even as a poor kid.
But if he didn’t get the inhibitor…
“Jesse?” she pressed again and gently squeezed his hand, her touch reassuring and kind.
It only increased the tension within him. If he didn’t get the drug, other patients might die. His sister might not get it when she needed it.
“Just feeling a little woozy still,” he fibbed, imagining that he might be able to use a bit of weakness quite effectively during his subterfuge.
She patted his hand and hurried around to where the pulse oximeter registered his vitals. Examining them, she shook her head. “Oxygen saturation and pulse seem normal.”
Snagging a stethoscope hanging from the cart, as well as a manual blood pressure device, she eased the cuff around his arm and measured his blood pressure.
“Also normal.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I’m just weak from hunger,” he teased, trying to keep things lighthearted to avoid any suspicions on her part.
She dropped her hands into her lap, still holding the stethoscope and blood pressure device, and peered at him intently. It was the kind of look a mother might shoot an ailing child on a school day. A school day with an upcoming test, he thought, afraid she was
not quite buying his act. But then she nodded and said, “We ordered some food from my parents’ restaurant. We’ll pick it up on the way home.”
Home, he thought, liking the way she said it. Allowing himself to imagine for the briefest of moments what it might be like to have a home with a woman like Liliana.
“Sounds good.” He relaxed back against the pillows and closed his eyes, unable to keep his gaze on her for fear that she would see through his deceit.
The caring pass of her hand along his face awoke need and guilt. Made him realize how long it had been since someone had shown any kind of real emotion toward him. Made him acknowledge that this was just another relationship he was going to fuck up.
He kept his eyes closed as he mentally counted down the minutes and listened to the sounds of activity outside the room. The soft murmur of the voices of the two women and the clink and clatter of the equipment as they worked.
He heard a softly muttered, “It’s time,” and wondered if they were talking about him.
He half opened his eyes. Liliana was approaching, the stethoscope draped around her neck. The ends dangled close to her breasts, and he dragged his gaze from them and up to her face.
She was staring at him. Her expression concerned, intense.
“Hey, Doc.” He shot her a smile.
She sat on the bed and grinned, but as he had noted before, it didn’t quite reach up into her eyes. He could understand why.
“It’s been a rough day for you,” he said and cupped the side of her face in his hand.
“Not as hard as for you.”
He shot a half glance at the connections running in and out of his body and shrugged. “I’ll take this over being sacked by the defensive line any day.”
Her smile brightened with that, awakening glittering bits of gold in her otherwise dark brown eyes. “My brother Tony probably would agree with you. He was a quarterback in high school.”
Her affection for her brother was obvious. Jesse wanted to hear more. “Does he still play?”
Liliana shook her head. “He’s concentrating on school now. And working at the restaurant. It’s the only way to make ends meet.”
“I understand,” he said, and he did. He had lived that kind of life early on, always struggling to keep ahead. The battle to just survive had been a major driving force in his desire to be the best so he could change things for his family.
“I know you do,” she replied and touched a sympathetic hand to his. Her hand was so small and delicate. So trusting, which only made his gut tighten with disgust at what he would have to do.
Her eyes narrowed for a moment. She was too keen an observer and had likely noticed the tension in him, so he brushed it off by saying, “Just thinking about my sis. I miss her.”
Liliana bought his explanation and relaxed. Slipped her hand into his, urging it from her face and down to rest in her lap as she sat beside him.
“I’m sure your sister thinks about you. Worries how you are. Maybe when this is all over—”
“I’ll call her,” he said, hoping that he would still be alive when this was all over.
“I’m going to disconnect you from the machines and take another blood sample while I’m doing it. Then we’ll get you patched up, pick up dinner, and get you home.”
“You’re the boss,” he said and smiled, dragging a reluctant grin to her lips.
“Don’t let Whittaker hear you say that.”
“Fuck Whittaker,” he groused, wishing he actually could tell the black-ops leader to take a flying leap.
“Stuff it, Bradford,” Whittaker’s guard said from his spot at the door.
Liliana rolled her eyes and said, “Let’s get going.” In her no-nonsense way, she made short work of getting him disconnected, taking the blood sample, and helping him dress so they could leave.
As he let his legs slide over the edge of the bed, he didn’t have to feign a sudden bout of dizziness. The room spun for a few seconds. She rushed to his side, providing her shoulder so he could steady himself.
“It may be a few days while your body readjusts to the change in blood volume. No exercise or intense activity. You’ve also got to watch for bruising of any kind, because we gave you an anticoagulant.”
“Got you, Doc,” he said and gingerly stood, relying on her assistance for balance.
When he stabilized, he cautiously trudged out to the lab. Bruno and Howard immediately fell in step behind him. As he neared the worktable in the middle of the lab, he spotted the two racks of test tubes. One set glowed with neon color, while the tubes in the other rack contained a clear liquid.
The inhibitor complex.
Beside him, Liliana took a step toward those racks, the test tubes with the blood samples she had taken in her hand. As she laid the tubes on the counter, he made his move, faking a stumble. His one hand skidded across the surface of the worktable and upended the racks with all the samples, sending test tubes skittering across the surface of the table and onto the floor of the lab.
Liliana was instantly at his side, steadying him. Her obvious concern was for him and not the materials he had sent flying.
“Are you okay?” she said, allowing her gaze to travel over his face while her hands grasped his sides.
His hand was only an inch from one of the test tubes Whittaker wanted. Just an inch away, only…
He couldn’t do it.
He couldn’t betray her trust, fragile as it was.
Suddenly firm hands were on him, grabbing his shoulders and hauling him upright. Yanking him away from the samples he was supposed to steal.
“I’ve got him,” Bruno said and jerked his head in Howard’s direction. “Help the docs clean up while I get Bradford to the car.”
A pained look crossed Jesse’s face, forcing Liliana to admonish Bruno. “Take it easy. Jesse’s still weak from the plasmapheresis.”
“Yeah, right,” Bruno said and dragged Jesse away.
Liliana turned to help Carmen clean the mess, but Howard was immediately there and snapped up his hand. “Careful. There’s broken glass all over. I’ll take care of this.”
Howard then carefully collected the scattered tubes that were salvageable and placed them back in the racks.
Carmen advised Liliana, “I can see that you’re worried. Why don’t you go see what’s up with Jesse while we finish up in here.”
Liliana didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her purse and medical bag and hurried outside to where the big black Suburban was parked in front of the lab building. With the dark-tinted windows, she couldn’t see what was happening, so she walked to the driver’s-side door and rapped on the glass with her knuckles.
The glass inched down guardedly, and at her questioning stare, Bruno said, “He’s in the back passenger seat.”
Liliana popped open the door behind Bruno and sat next to Jesse. His eyes were closed and his hand rested on the seat, palm up. She eased her hand into his. A chill lingered on his skin, probably from a combination of the cold in the treatment room and a possible drop in blood pressure.
“How are you feeling?”
Like a royal shit, Jesse wanted to say as he faced her. He had almost betrayed her, but in not doing so, he had possibly harmed the other patients and his sister.
“I’m okay.”
Her eyes narrowed as she observed him, obviously concerned, intensifying his guilt. With a quick dip of her head that sent the silky locks of her hair waving with the action, she said, “Maybe you’ll feel better after you’ve had a chance to eat.”
Howard pulled open the front passenger door and jumped up into the seat. “We’re set to go,” he said and tapped the dash several times in a signal to his partner to get a move on.
Bruno whipped onto the roadway. Early evening had little traffic volume, and in no time they had made it to Liliana’s parents’ restaurant.
El Mirador was on the main drag in Bradley Beach, and there wasn’t an empty spot anywhere nearby. Bruno pulled up into the alley behind t
he restaurant.
“I’ll be back in a second,” she said, exited the car, and entered through the service entrance straight into the kitchen.
Her mother was prepping a plate but smiled as she noticed Liliana. “Mi’ja,” she said and wrapped her arms around her daughter.
Liliana hugged her back hard and, after they separated, pointed to a bag on a nearby table. “I’m assuming that’s for me.”
Her mother pressed the paper bag into her hands. “I made some of my special sopa de pollo for your friend. To help him feel better.”
She grinned and shook her head. Her mami always thought food could cure most anything. “I know he’ll love it,” she replied and hugged her mother good-bye.
“I’ll be by tomorrow,” she tossed out as she paused to hug her father and then exited.
The Suburban waited in the lot, intimidating in the growing dark of the night.
She jumped back into the passenger seat, and the aromas of dinner quickly escaped the container, seasoning the air with the enticing scents from the food her parents had prepared.
“It smells wonderful,” Jesse said and rubbed his flat midsection as if in anticipation of the meal.
She grinned back. “It is, and Mami even made some soup just for you.”
His brows knitted together. “Just for me? Why?”
“It’s super special. Sure to cure the common cold and an assortment of ailments.”
Jesse’s grin widened, bringing alive the engaging dimple to the side of his enticing lips. “I could use something like that right now.”
She eased her hand back into his and squeezed gently. “You’ll feel better in no time.”
Jesse twined his fingers with hers, enjoying the repartee, with his guilt somewhat diminished. He hadn’t stolen the inhibitor, which would displease Whittaker. But he hadn’t betrayed her trust.
At least not tonight.
They traveled in silent camaraderie for the remaining few minutes to his home. Howard and Bruno were quick to urge them from the vehicle, with Bruno providing minimal assistance to Jesse.
Jesse plopped into a chair by the kitchen table while Bruno, once again displaying his domestic abilities, laid out the placemats, dishes, and cutlery. Howard assumed a place just beyond the table, hands held before him in that stereotypical cop pose.
Stronger than Sin (Sin Hunters) Page 11
