Sandy stiffened. “By ditch, you mean park it somewhere safe, right?”
Bella met his gaze again. He nodded. “For now.”
“Okay, then can I suggest near my apartment?” She looked hopefully at him. “Because my laptop is toast, and I need access to my backup files on my desktop.”
Shit.
“It’s the only place it’s backed up, Archer,” she said, covering his hand with hers, her gaze intense. Serious. “I need it. Not just for this case, but for others.”
He blew out a breath. “Fine. Let’s go rescue your hard drive.”
If there wasn’t time to take the computer apart and remove the hard drive, then they’d just take the whole tower.
But when they pulled onto her street fifteen minutes later, lights flashed as an ambulance and two police cars blocked the wraparound entrance.
Sandy stiffened and scooted closer to peer out his window. “What do you think is going on?”
“Looks like a body,” Bella said, slowing down to a crawl.
Sandy sucked in a breath. “Oh my God, Archer. I think that’s Rodrigo...”
It was. He’d gotten a good look as they drove past. His insides fisted, then twisted as a tear fell down Sandy’s cheek. He slid his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him. There wasn’t anything he could say so he didn’t.
“What do you want me to do?” Bella asked, meeting his gaze in the mirror.
Sandy stiffened then drew out of his arms. “What do you mean?” She frowned at Bella. “You have to stop. We need to get my computer.”
Archer reached for her hand. “Not right now.”
“But we have to—”
“I know,” he said gently, cutting her off. “And we will. But not now. We need the proper equipment.”
She frowned. “For what?”
“For disabling tripwires,” Bella said. “There’s a better than a hundred percent chance your place is rigged.”
He felt Sandy inhale, and her eyes were wide when they met his and blinked. He nodded. “We’ll get it. We just need to prepare.”
“Trust me.” Bella smiled at her in the mirror. “With the proper accessories, I can get in without tripping anything. Then disable, dismantle, and leave undetected.
He nodded. “It’s time we operate a step ahead.” Because he sure-as-hell was tired of working two fucking steps behind.
“Okay.” Sandy sighed and leaned into him. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
“Hey,” he said, slipping his arm around her shoulder again. “Whatever happened to Rodrigo was not on you or me. It’s on the bastards who did it.”
Or Rodrigo himself, if he was part of the group they were after.
She nodded, but more tears spilled down her face. His insides twisted again. He kissed her head and pulled her in closer. The woman’s compassion sucked him in, but he needed to keep his focus sharp.
As Bella turned the corner, he glanced at the scene, seeing it for what it really was, while he held Sandy close.
If he hadn’t been sure before, he was damn certain now.
That was a warning.
Whoever this was—whoever was doing this shit—they knew where Sandy worked. Knew where she lived. Knew where he’d hidden her. And now all three were compromised.
He needed to get her somewhere safe. Somewhere off the grid.
Somewhere off the Atlantic coast.
***
After parking her vehicle in a nice neighborhood—she’d insisted, because she was still paying on it, dammit—Sandy walked with Archer a few blocks to a nearby all-night food store where Bella met them with their new, temporary ride. A black SUV.
“Don’t worry, I’ll return it when we come back for your computer,” Bella assured her with a grin.
Sandy felt better knowing the owner wouldn’t be put out for long. It was one thing to interfere in the lives of criminals and those who intend to do harm, but causing chaos for the innocent didn’t sit right with her at all.
She nodded and got in next to Archer, only this time, she didn’t scurry over seats. She got in on her own side. The only downfall was not sitting close to him. Even just the slight touch of their knees or brush of their arms went a long way to calming her insides.
When Bella took the exit for the Holland Tunnel, Sandy glanced over at the silent SEAL sitting next to her. “We’re going to New Jersey?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “I want you out of the city. Once you have your computer, or your hard drive from it, you can just as easily work from my place as you can from another New York safe house.”
Her heart leapt and the force reeled her back slightly. “Your place?”
“Yes,” he said again. “I know you’ll be safe there.”
She wasn’t as sure. “Surely these people know who you are, since you’ve been around me at work. Won’t they know where you live as well?”
A sexy, sure smile pulled his dimples to life, and tripped her pulse. “No. I purchased my house and my boat through a silent corporation, not my name. I’ve seen too many things. Done too many things, to ever take that chance.”
“Oh.” She sighed, feeling oddly better when she probably should be alarmed. “So, are we going to your house or your boat?”
He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes for a moment. “I was originally thinking the boat, but the house might be better tonight.”
“Plus, you’ll be closer to the nest,” Bella said, meeting their gaze in the rearview mirror.
Sandy frowned, splitting her attention between them. “Nest?”
“Knight headquarters in AC,” the woman said, as if that made things clear.
It didn’t.
“What is the night headquarters?” she asked. “Do you have a different one for during the day?”
“No. Not, n-i-g-h-t.” Archer smiled. “K-n-i-g-h-t, as in Knight Agency. Bella’s boss.”
She blinked at Archer. “Oh, yeah...that’s right. You did mention they all worked for the Knight Agency.”
Bella grinned. “We’re on loan.”
Sandy rubbed her temples. It’d been another long day. Her mind was all jumbled. “So the Knight Agency has a headquarters in Atlantic City?”
“Yes,” Archer said. “Jameson Knight is an old SEAL buddy of mine. He has several agencies up and down the East Coast. Bella and Matteo run the AC satellite office.”
The name Jameson Knight sounded vaguely familiar to her, though. Probably through work. She stared at Bella. “And you refer to your AC office as ‘the nest.’”
“Exactly.” Their chauffer nodded. “After I drop you two off, I’m going there to meet up with Matteo, grab our gear, and head back to Queens to disable whatever surprises are in your apartment and secure your hard drive.”
Her heart rocked. “You’re going back tonight?”
“Yep.” Bella nodded.
“The sooner the better,” Archer said, placing his hand on hers. “Don’t worry. They’ll make sure your neighbors are safe.”
She blew out a long breath. “And I’ll feel better knowing they are when they’re done.”
“I’ll be sure to shoot Archer a text afterward,” Bella said, slowing down to pull into a driveway.
Sandy glanced at the dashboard clock and was shocked to realize they’d been driving for over two hours.
“Good.” He nodded, opening the door. “Tomorrow, we’ll meet up, regroup, and go on the offensive.”
“Roger that,” Bella said. “Have a good night.”
Before she could reply, Archer opened her door and helped her out. She managed to wave as Bella backed out of the driveway, then she turned to stare at a cute, quaint little cottage with the Atlantic Ocean as a backyard.
He opened the door, turned on the lights, and ushered her inside. The open-concept surprised her, and so did the warm, comfortable décor, but it was the view that beckoned. She walked straight to the back to look out the sliding doors.
“Go on out.” He unlocked the door and tugged it open.<
br />
Sandy eagerly stepped onto the deck, closed her eyes, and inhaled the ocean air. Perfect. Almost. She reached up, removed the elastic from her hair, and shook it out, enjoying the feel of the wind blowing through it.
Now it was perfect.
Opening her eyes, she exhaled and gazed out over the ocean. The moon shined brightly overhead, and the sound of waves crashing onto the shore immediately calmed her mind.
If this was her piece of heaven, she’d never leave.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” he asked quietly from behind her.
She could feel him standing close and it only added to the contentment washing over her. “Absolutely. I envy you this.” She turned to face him, fascinated at how the glow from the moon illuminated the silver streaks in his hair and turned the gray of his eyes a gorgeous, silver hue.
“My dad bought it,” he said, and went on to mention his fun childhood, and explained how he’d purchased the house from his mother and fixed it up to his father’s standards. “And I can’t believe I just told you all that,” he said, using a finger to brush a strand of hair behind her ear where his finger lingered.
She reached up to touch the wrist of that hand. “I can.”
He said her name on a sucked in breath and slowly lowered his mouth to hers, kissing one corner of her mouth, then the other, then slid full on to sweetly, thoroughly kiss the strength from her legs. Sandy moaned, and clutched his shoulders, loving the feel of his muscles bunching under her touch, while his tongue made slow, drugging sweeps of her mouth, over and over in a sweet assault on her senses.
When they finally broke for air, she realized he’d switched them around and maneuvered them so he was standing on the deck with his back to the ocean, and she was standing just inside the door.
“You are far too special for me to take that kiss where it was headed,” he murmured, brushing her cheek with his thumb before releasing her to grab the handle on the door. “Explore the house. Make yourself at home. Take whichever room you want. Take a shower, bake cookies, have a beer.” He smiled. “Do whatever you want. I’m going to hang out here for a bit and contemplate the meaning of life and possibly cool off in the ocean.”
She inhaled. “You can’t. The water temperature is too cold.”
It was only April.
He chuckled. “Not for my affliction. Trust me.” And with one, last, pained look at her lips, he closed the door and turned away.
Well...darn.
She drew in several deep breaths and steadied her erratic heartbeats. That was the sweetest, single most honest thing anyone had ever said to or done for her, and Sandy had the ache in her chest to prove it.
Out of respect for his respect for her...she forced herself to walk away from the door and explore his house as per his request.
The kitchen was a dream kitchen, plain and simple. New appliances. Big stove. Big sink. Attractive island/snack bar facing an open living room. A nice sized dining room table sat in front of the door she was staying away from, and the master bedroom and guest bedroom were cozy and inviting, but the bathroom was the room she hesitated to leave. There was a gorgeous soaking tub—she estimated was big enough for them both to fit at the same time—and a large, walk-in shower that made her whole-body tingle just imagining water running down the lean, muscular body of the man outside.
Since he was obviously trying not to think about those decadent things, Sandy figured she shouldn’t either. Walking into his kitchen, she thought perhaps she should whip them up something quick for a late supper. It’d been awhile since they’d had any food. The last thing they ate was...hot dogs from Rodrigo.
Her stomach clenched tightly. And what really sucked, was she had no idea if it was okay to grieve the young man...or if he had been involved with whatever the hell was going on. He certainly had no reason to be at her apartment in Queens. Especially since she’d just seen him less than two hours earlier in front of DHS.
Where someone was attempting to shoot her...
She slumped against the kitchen counter and stared at her feet.
She’d eaten from his cart outside the World Bank, then the next morning someone tried to barbeque her. She had another hot dog from him today, and a half hour later, someone tried to shoot her. Damn. She sighed and the sound echoed around her in the quiet house. He definitely had something to do with the mess going on.
But was his involvement voluntary or unknowingly?
She was determined to figure that out.
The sound of the sliding door opening disappeared under the roar the waves made hitting the beach outside. Archer stepped inside and closed the door, muffling the sweet symphony of the shore. His clothes were dry, so no swimming took place, she was happy to note.
“How was your...contemplation?” she asked, straightening from the counter.
He stared at her from across the space of two rooms, yet it felt like they were mere inches apart. “Too long.”
“Long?” She glanced at the clock on the microwave and chuckled. “You’ve only been outside nine minutes.”
“True.” He left his stance by the door and strode straight to her, his gait determined and sure, his gaze deliciously dark, with a heat that set her temperature to slow burn. “Nine minutes I could’ve spent in here with you.”
Chapter Eleven
Sandy’s heart rocked, and she couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. As always, Archer’s presence was all consuming, but with his attention, his focus fully on her, she felt...everything and all at once. The strong, sexy SEAL was saying things she’d secretly longed to hear for years. Awareness tumbled down her body, and she leaned against the counter again for support, while her mind tried to compute what her eyes were seeing.
He stopped in front of her and palmed the cabinet behind her head. Sandy’s attempt to suck in some air ended up clogging her throat.
Was this really happening?
Or was he going to back off again? They seemed to be involved in a pull and push dance the past few days. But was Archer actually coming on to her this time?
It’d happened countless times in her dreams. Right now, though, Sandy couldn’t tell fantasy from reality.
“It’s no use.” He lifted a finger to trace a path from her ear to her jaw, his gaze focused on the movement. “I was trying not to cross that family off-limits line, but you and I both know we charged right over it on that street corner near the bank.”
With her voice still stuck in her clogged throat, she nodded. What an amazing charge it had been, too. The hottest kiss of her life.
“So...now we have a problem. No matter how many scenarios I run through my head, and trust me, I’ve run many,” he said, voice low and so damn sexy she shook. “We have a big problem.”
The only problem she analyzed was the amount of clothes separating their bodies from a release she knew they both needed. Fighting this chemistry was no longer an option for her.
She cleared her throat and held his gaze. “What problem? Maybe I can help.”
“Help?” His finger skimmed her lower lip, sending jolts of heat straight to all her good parts. “Can you stop looking at me like you want me inside you?”
She inhaled and slowly shook her head, causing his finger to brush more of her lip. “No.”
His eyes darkened on that one and jaw clenched tight. “No?”
“Not when you touch me,” she replied. “Or look at me like you want to inhale me.”
He did inhale—not her—but air, then removed his touch and moved until the kitchen island separated them. “Then we definitely have a problem, Sandy, because I can’t seem to keep my damn hands off you. And I want to be in you. I want to taste you, make you mine...make you scream my name while I come inside you.”
Swift and hot, desire rushed through her veins with a velocity that propelled her forward. His words and rough tone—raw with the same fierce need trembling through her—stole the strength from her legs. She reached for the island and gripped tight. “What if I w
anted all those things, too?”
Muttering a curse, he white-knuckled the counter across from her, but remained silent. Just held her gaze.
Sandy decided to go a little further. Get a little brazen. “So why don’t you?”
Archer closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Ditto,” she muttered, her body hot and shaky.
Opening his eyes, Archer stared at her, gaze full of hunger, yet clouded with restraint. “I want you, Sandy. Very much. But...your son is a SEAL.”
She blinked.
That’s what this is about?
Her attraction for Archer back then had been unexpected, but she’d managed to squash it down. She knew the score. Knew the family off-limits code. But it no longer applied, and she was done putting her needs second.
“I know.” She nodded. “And I think I’ve been a pretty good mom. When my husband died, I buried my needs and my wants. I put my child first. I was his mother and his father. He was my world. Still is...but he’s living his own life now, and it’s time I started to live mine. Besides, Brian is no longer under your command.”
Archer lifted his chin. “But you are.”
“True.” She sighed. He was her boss. “So...I guess that means I have to bury my wants and needs again.”
He blew out a breath and nodded. “As will I. But only until the job is done, Sandy.”
She smiled, despite the disappointment swirling inside. “Okay.” She liked the promise in his tone and gleam in his eyes. It would be worth the wait. And she certainly didn’t want to compromise his beliefs or command.
He nodded again, then pivoted on his heel and marched out of the house and onto his back deck again. A second later, the sliding door clicked into place, leaving her alone with her unsatisfied desire and raging disappointment.
She’d get over it. She was used to putting herself second.
But only until the job is done...
A thrilled rippled down her body, stoking a few of desire’s lingering embers. Archer’s words—his promise—remained in her head. The determination that had glinted in his gaze left her in no doubt that the man would make good on that promise. And when he did...it would be happy birthday to her.
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