Scent of Danger

by Judith Rochelle

  He’d teased Dan at the speed with which his and Mia’srelationship progressed from nothing to forever and now he was in the sameboat. He could never let this woman out of his life. Yes, this one he waskeeping, no matter what he had to do to accomplish it.

  He closed his eyes as sleep crawled over him, trying toimagine her naked. Oh, God, he was so hooked.

  * * * * *

  As the days passed Kelly felt herself growing a littlebolder, a little more eager for Rick’s touch. The sexual pull between them wasincreasing in intensity and Kelly wondered how long they’d be satisfied withteasing themselves this way.

  Often she could see his gaze following her wherever shemoved, his eyes nearly devouring her. She could tell he was straining at thebit to get out of there, angry at a situation he could do nothing about from ahospital bed. If this would help ease his situation, it was little enough forher to do.

  “I want to do things to this unbelievable body of yours,” hewhispered time and time again.

  “You embarrass me,” she told him, feeling shy and bold atthe same time.

  “Don’t feel that way.” He was holding her hand, strokingeach finger individually. “The last thing I want is to make you feeluncomfortable. But I watch you when you move, I see your gracefulness and I’mso hungry to see you naked and feast on you, it’s almost painful.”

  “Now I really am blushing,” she told him.

  Rick no longer needed support when he walked. In fact, Kellywould have had to stretch her stride to keep up with him except he insisted shewalk with her arm around his waist anyway.

  “This is just an excuse to get my hands on you, Red,” hewhispered as he kept her pulled into his side, his arm wrapped around hershoulder.

  She didn’t argue. She loved the feel of his muscles underher hand, the flex and movement. The heat of him. He was all male, leashedpower even in his present condition. Just leaning into him, his arm over hershoulder, made her feel warm and protected.

  Xena was their shadow every step of the way, growling low inher throat if someone she didn’t know entered their space. After the first timeit happened, Janet Houseman suggested they take Rick down in the elevator to asecluded garden for his exercise.

  “It won’t do me much good if my patients get eaten by alarge dog,” she joked.

  Like the military man that he was, Rick had a plan andproceeded to implement it as thoroughly as conditions permitted. Kelly hadnever met a man who aroused her so easily and so completely, who made her wanthim as much as Rick Latrobe did and they were barely past the kissing andtouching stage. When finally they would be in a position to let down all thebars and take either completely, she wondered if she’d be able to survive it.

  In the garden area Rick took every opportunity to touch her.Troy began to take himself off to a corner behind a tree, giving them privacywhile still being on the alert if he was needed. His presence had become morehuman bodyguard than medic by now and most of his time was spent on his laptopor his sat phone, taking care of business.

  “I wish you could take off your clothes and let me see younaked in the sunlight.” Rick’s voice was low and filled with need.

  Her own body responded to the image he created, nipples hardeningand moisture gathering between her thighs. “I think that might cause a bit of adisturbance, don’t you?”

  His smile was straight from the devil. “Yes but it would beworth it, don’t you think?”

  He was leaning against a tree at the moment, Kelly’s bodypulled up to his. She could feel every hard ridge and plane, every dip andswell. The thickness of his shaft as it pressed against her, thickening more atthe touch. His mouth had captured hers in one of the drugging kisses that madeher forget even where she was and left her body quivering with need.

  They broke the kiss only when they reached the point ofpossible oxygen deprivation. Rick cupped her face gently between in his handsand dusted her skin with light kisses. Every place his mouth touched her shefelt the heat of a flame. When he put his lips on hers she boldly licked at hismouth, then opened for his welcome tongue.

  “We’re going to drive ourselves nuts,” he rasped. “I don’tknow if a hundred years would give me all the time I want with you.” When shedropped her eyes he asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I worry that you’re confusing this with gratitude. Or thatyou’re just…” She bit her lip.

  “Just what?” he prompted.

  “Horny.” She felt herself blush as she said it.

  Rick gave a strangled laugh. “That’s probably true.” Thenhis face grew serious. “But I told you. This is so much more than that, Red.This is more than anything I’ve ever felt before. For anyone. They might aswell have never existed. I want you to believe that. We haven’t known eachother that long but I want you in my life.”

  “Your life is all over the world,” she reminded him.

  “But I can live anywhere. Look at the Hallorans and Romeos.They chose where they wanted a home base. I can do the same.”

  “Don’t you think we’re rushing to that point a littlehastily? What if we decide we can’t stand each other?”

  He brushed his lips against hers. “Not a chance in amillion.”

  Xena, who had been sitting quietly at their feet, leanedagainst Kelly and nudged her toward Rick.

  “See?” he laughed. “Even Xena’s on my side.”

  Kelly looked at the dog who stared straight into her eyes asif sending her a message. “Xena and I may have to have a long talk,” she joked.

  Troy did his best not to notice the way their faces wereflushed when he collected them to walk back inside the building.

  With each passing day it seemed they took more and moreopportunity for contact. Sometimes it was just a brushing of hands. Sometimeswhen they came back from their walks it would be a hug, body pressed to body,racing pulses indicative of the heat they generated in each other. Rick seemedto have a hunger for her kisses that nothing could satisfy. At night when shefell asleep, Kelly could still feel the imprint of his lips on hers.

  Still, his every touch sent tingles through her body andheat rose in places that had been frozen and unaroused. By the end of thesecond week since her arrival, Kelly felt as if they’d known each otherforever. And with Rick growing stronger, he also became bolder.

  They talked about anything and everything. A lot. She toldhim how she’d gotten into the dog training business. About her research intoThe Lotus Circle. About different experiences with Xena. He told her about hisfootball days and his life in Special Forces. They discussed books. Music.Movies. Their lives growing up. Families.

  And she had to admit to herself he was right. It wasn’t justthe physical attraction that was growing between them, although they werenearly at the point of combustibility. The touches and caresses only ratchetedup the tension rather than easing it. Sometimes it took no more than a look ora slight graze of fingers against skin for the electricity between them tospring to life.

  She thought she had it under control until she woke up onemorning and discovered this man was truly becoming an irrevocable part of herlife. If she was any judge of people, she was having the same effect on him.

  Well, Mama, what do I do now?

  As his surgery healed, Rick’s impatience also grew. Kellyknew how hard it was for him being out of the loop this way. She was glad hispartners had insisted he have the time to heal but it was way past time to gethim back in the game, at least mentally. Troy called the office every day andgave him regular updates and the others stopped in as time permitted. But Kellyknew they were wrestling with the fallout from the Iraq situation as well ashandling other agency business.

  “I have to get out of here,” he kept saying when she triedto get him to rest. “If we don’t find out what happened to those weapons Phoenixwill be in bigger trouble than anyone can imagine.”

  * * * * *

  Nearly two weeks had passed since Kelly and Xena had arrivedat Dogwood House. They had all just come back from the garden and Rick wassprawle
d on the couch in the suite’s sitting room rather than in his bed whenMark and Mike arrived. Despite the grimness of their expressions, they bothallowed themselves small grins at the sight of Kelly sitting next to him, hersmall hand in his large one. Xena, as always, stood guard at their feet.

  “I always said there’s no medicine like TLC,” Mikecommented.

  Kelly felt heat rise in her cheeks but Rick just held herhand tighter.

  “Didn’t you say I needed someone taking care of me at alltimes?” he asked.

  “Well, yeah,” Mark answered. “But we meant Troy.” His facesobered. “But you know that’s not why we’re here.”

  “I hope it’s to bring me up to date. I need to know what’sbeen going on. And why no one wants to let me read the newspaper or watch thenews on television.” He made a face at Kelly. “Red, here, hides the televisionremote.”

  Kelly bit her lip and looked at Troy. He’d taken her asideand told her the media circus the situation was causing. They agreed itwouldn’t do Rick any good to see himself and the agency being crucified,especially when everything being reported was still just speculation.

  “Good girl.” Mike nodded his approval.

  “Yeah, right,” Rick snorted. “Never get between a man andhis remote. So come on. Out with it. What have you been doing and what’s goingon? From the looks on your faces I’d say more bad news.”

  “Let’s say Charlie Grainger is doing his best to arrange forthe agency’s funeral,” Mark told him. “Dan’s meeting with him again even as wespeak. GC is out a truckload of money and that cargo was our responsibility.Not to mention the fact that we don’t know whose hands it ended up in. Or wherethey’ll use them.” He heaved a sigh. “But that’s not the whole thing.”

  Rick frowned. “You mean there’s more?”

  “We think someone’s been checking out your house and theairfield.”

  Rick pushed himself up straighter in the chair. “What do youmean? Did you spot something funny?”

  Mike leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Let’sadmit to the fact that we all know whoever’s trying to kill you isn’t going tostop. They expected you to be dead in Iraq. Unfortunately for them, yousurvived. Now they have to finish the job.”

  As if she actually understood the words, Xena pressed harderagainst Rick’s legs and made a low sound in her throat.

  “I swear to God she understands what we say,” Mark said, meetingthe dog’s gaze. “Listen, Xena. Just so you know. We’re keeping an eye onthings, just in case.” He looked back at Rick. “Dan assigned Alpha Team tomonitor any action in the areas where they might look for you. They justfinished turning in their latest reports.”

  “And?” he pushed.

  “You live in a quiet neighborhood. The traffic there is easyto identify. Whoever’s doing this obviously doesn’t know that, because too manystrange cars have been casing your house. Three or four different ones eachday, as if they don’t want any one to be too familiar with a vehicle.”

  “Dan said not to stop anyone,” Mark put in. “Just see if wecould track them. The cars were all switched in a downtown parking garage butthey turned out to be rentals and all the names are fakes. We’ve got picturesfor you to look at to see if you recognize anyone but personally, I’m not toooptimistic.”

  “The long-range cameras have also picked up the same carstrolling the airfield,” Mike added. “Whoever it is must be as frustrated ashell because he can’t find you.”

  Rick looked at the pictures Mark handed him and shook hishead. “Nope. Don’t recognize any of them.” He looked up. “Why is it soimportant for them to get rid of me?”

  “Because you know something,” Mark said, “even if you don’tthink you do. Somewhere in that brain of yours is the thread to tie everythingtogether and they can’t afford that to happen.”

  Kelly snapped her fingers. “The accident.” She looked atRick. “They didn’t want you going on that trip because you have too much knowledgeof the situation in Baghdad and could possibly screw up their operation.”

  Rick rubbed his forehead. “I wish to hell I could figure outwhat it is I know.”

  “Maybe where Jordan would disappear to? Or who he might havecontact with?” Mike shrugged. “I don’t know but we’re pulling out all the stopsand digging into every detail. Thing is, this wasn’t just your everydayinsurgent hijacking. This was a well-planned operation. Greg Jordan’s smart butnot that smart. And he doesn’t have the clout to pull off something like thisby himself. He’s taking his orders from someone with brains, money andcontacts. Someone who made millions out of this and who was sure they’d getaway clean.”

  “Whoever it is,” Rick said in a thoughtful voice, “did theythink I’d be the only one to go after them? Didn’t they know if they killed meyou guys would never rest until you found them?”

  “Maybe not and that makes them pretty stupid. Meanwhile,Janet says you can get out of here by the end of the week. That means we needto find someplace safe to stash you.”

  A determined look flashed in Rick’s eyes. “First of all, I’mnot letting them chase me out of my house again. Secondly, if I go into hidingwe’ll never be able to draw them out and I’ll be dodging bullets forever. Theonly way to get them to act is to put myself squarely in their line ofsight—and trust that you all will have my back. Don’t try to talk me out ofthis.”

  Kelly watched the byplay between the men with interest. Sheknew Rick would prevail. She’d learned in this short time that was just the wayhe was. He assessed the situation then acted and no one could deter him.

  “I guess you’re right,” Mark agreed with obvious reluctance,“although I hate putting your ass on the line like this.”

  “The only way we can do it is if we set up Alpha Team onwatch for the next attempt.” He looked over at Kelly and Xena. “But if you planto hang yourself out there for target practice, we need to send Kelly and Xenaback home. They’ve been here for two weeks and luckily there hasn’t been anattempt to breach the security here. But I’m sure you’ll agree we don’t need toput them in harm’s way.”

  “Wait a minute.” Kelly dropped Rick’s hand and stood up,anger streaking through her. “I think I have a say about this.”

  Rick reached up and grabbed her hand again. “Hold it, Red.Mike’s right. There’s no way I’m taking a chance with your safety. Period.That’s not even up for negotiation.”

  She glared at him, fury making her heart race faster. “I’mnot asking you to. I’m putting myself there.” She looked from one man to theother. “I can shoot a handgun and a rifle, I know close quarters combattechniques and I have a weapon that no one else does.” She pointed to Xena.“And she becomes a protector for both Rick and me. Didn’t you want that extrascent of danger? Isn’t that why you have us here?”

  I’m not letting them shut me away from him. Not now. Notwith things growing between us.

  The men all looked at each other, then back at her.

  Rick cleared his throat. “Listen, Red…”

  “Don’t you ‘Listen, Red’ me. I’m coming home with you andthat’s final. If it was okay for me to go to Iraq, then it’s okay for me to gohome with Rick. Get over it.”

  Mark and Mike exchanged a glance.

  “Sounds like someone I know.” Mike’s lips twitched in abarely concealed grin.

  “All right,” Mark said. “I won’t say it doesn’t make me feeleasier to have Xena there because it does. But we set the ground rules and youfollow orders at all times. Right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And you don’t go out of the house at all. No runs withXena. She gets her five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night, byherself and that’s all.”

  “Agreed, agreed, agreed.” She’d agree to whatever she hadto. There was absolutely no way she was leaving him now. She dropped back downto the couch next to Rick. “So you’re stuck with me.”

  He laced his fingers through hers and lifted her hand to hismouth, placing a soft kiss on it. “I can’t
imagine anything I’d like better, aslong as we keep you safe.”

  “What about your business?” Mike asked.

  “I made arrangements before I came down here. I have verygood help. They finished with the dogs we had and turned them over to theclients. Everyone’s on paid vacation right now.”

  And when this is all over, that’s first on my agenda.

  “The agency will cover that cost,” Rick said. “And noarguments from you, Red,” he added when she opened her mouth to protest. “It’sa done deal.” He pulled her against him and brushed his lips against hers.

  When she sat back up, Kelly noticed that the other two menwere studiously avoiding commenting on the byplay in front of them.

  “When will we be leaving here?” she asked.

  “Sunday’s a good day,” Mark said. “Gives us time to checkthe electronic security setup again and get Alpha Team briefed and in place.”

  “All right, Sunday it is.”

  * * * * *

  The first raid in northern Iraq had gone extremely well.Al-Dulami had drawn the borders of the territory he wished to recapture innorthern Iraq, then divided it into sectors. They would do this one village ata time, setting up an outpost in each place as it fell to their control. By thetime the firefight in the first village was over, the villagers had acceptedtheir fate, many of them actually welcoming al-Dulami’s return and he had lefta cadre of his men in charge.

  The second and third were equally as successful,consolidating the area under al-Dulami’s control and invigorating his men withthe adrenaline of success.

  It won’t be long now, he told himself. Thenthey’ll see where the power is.

  But something went wrong with their next foray. Thecoalition forces, receiving information on the other raids, had time to planand prepare and were waiting for him. Rather than sacrifice his men to a losingcause, al-Dulami had opted for a strategic retreat and time to revise his plan.