Charmed and Dangerous

by Lori Wilde

  Fifteen minutes later they were on the ground. Relieved to be out of the sky, Maddie retrieved her carry-on from the overhead bin, thankful she didn’t have to go through baggage claim.

  She had packed lightly on the outside hope she would be bringing Cassie home in record time and also because she had an innate distrust of baggage handlers. She’d once seen one of those hidden camera investigative news programs where they had secretly videotaped sticky- fingered ramp workers rummaging through suitcases. One tasteless employee had even stolen a female passenger’s panties. Creepy.

  Once inside the terminal however, she paused in confusion, not knowing what to do next. She was uncomfortable at not having hotel reservations or an itinerary to follow. She never traveled without detailing every eventuality.

  She spied a sign directing her to ground transportation and followed the arrows out of the concourse. So far so good, but where did she go from here?

  Argh.

  She was miserable at this spur-of-the-moment stuff. Where was Cassie when you really needed her?

  A balmy breeze licked her skin and the air lay heavy with the provocative scent of ocean and coconut and sugarcane. She stood waiting for inspiration to strike.

  And then there he was.

  David Marshall hailing a cab not twenty feet away.

  Impossible! How had he gotten to Grand Cayman ahead of her?

  Apparently, her sneak attack hadn’t worked. Well, never mind, she had a new plan. Stick to him like glue.

  “David!” She hollered and waved, but the slamming of the car door must have drowned her out. Either that or he was purposefully ignoring her.

  Not that she could blame him for being angry, but she’d be damned if she’d let him out of her sight.

  His cab pulled away from the curb.

  Maddie rushed to the taxi stand and flung herself into the back seat of the next vehicle in line. The dark-skinned, dimple-chinned driver turned to beam at her over his shoulder.

  “Where to Miss?” the man asked in an odd accent that was both British and island lyrical.

  She gestured frantically at David’s taxi careening through traffic. “Follow that car!”

  David checked into a low budget motel several streets back from Seven Mile Beach. The FBI frowned on agents squandering their expense accounts on high-end beach resorts.

  Then again, they also frowned on their agents recruiting citizens as informants when they’d specifically been told not to. Especially when those informants went renegade and turned into suspects. They also weren’t thrilled with agents who got pickpocketed by a suspect’s identical twin sister.

  At the thought of Maddie, David blew out his breath. He was still steamed over her stunt at the airport. It was damned unsettling having his badge stolen by a beguiling woman so distracting he hadn’t even noticed she had pinched his identity.

  For about the ninety-ninth time since it happened, he ground his teeth at his own stupidity.

  Luckily for him a federal air marshal, who’d once worked with David, had been transporting a prisoner through the terminal. The marshal had spied him getting frisked by the Dallas PD and he’d intervened, vouching for him.

  Contrite over detaining an FBI agent, security had gotten David on an American Airlines flight leaving for Grand Cayman thirty minutes after the Delta flight. Actually, it turned out to be a better deal. The Delta flight stopped in Atlanta, whereas the American flight went straight through.

  But dwelling on his glaring faux pas wasn’t going to help him catch Shriver. And thinking about Maddie would only agitate him. He had to focus on the task at hand and forget about her.

  David had no sooner accepted his key from the desk clerk, returned his credit card to his wallet and bent to pick up his carry-on when he caught sight of a very familiar pair of jaunty red sandals.

  Oh no.

  He groaned inwardly. He wasn’t in the mood for this.

  His gaze roved from cute feet to shapely ankles and on up divinely curved calves. He appreciated the tanned knees, the firm thighs and those rounded hips. He visually traversed her flat belly, narrow waist and nicely rounded chest before reluctantly finding himself face-to-face with Maddie Cooper.

  “Get an eyeful?” She sank her hands on her hips and glared.

  Audacious woman.

  He was the one who should be glaring. David shrugged. Hell, he was only human and she was some tall, cool drink of water. Nothing wrong with looking. If she didn’t want him to stare, she should wear a snow parka.

  “I should have known,” he said.

  “Known what?”

  “That you weren’t the type of woman to give up without a fight.”

  In spite of himself, David found his respect inching up a rung or two. She’d followed him, tracked him down and he’d never once suspected she was behind him. He made a mental note never to underestimate her again.

  “This is where you’re staying?” She scanned the lobby of the bare-bones accommodations.

  He shrugged. “I’m a government employee.”

  “I’m not exactly flush with cash myself,” she said. “I’ll stay here too.”

  “You know Peyton and your sister are probably living it up at the Hyatt.”

  That pissed her off. He could tell by the way her eyes flashed a brilliant emerald green and how she drew herself up tall and squared her shoulders. She could have been a swimsuit model with her height and that amazing figure.

  “Think what you will, Agent Marshall, but I know my sister. Which is why I’m here. To make sure you don’t falsely imprison her.”

  Man, but she sure had an unerring talent for ticking a guy off.

  She turned her attention to the desk clerk who’d been openly eavesdropping. “I’ll take a room for the night, please.”

  The thin young man flashed her a row of white teeth and held out his palm for her credit card. David had seen enough. He had to leave before he said something he would regret. He picked up his suitcase and headed for his room.

  “Wait,” she called. “Wait for me.”

  He ignored her.

  Five minutes later an angry rapping sounded at his door. He’d just taken off his coat and tie and was unbuttoning his shirt.

  “What?” he demanded, flinging open the door, his fingers twisting at the second button.

  “That was rude of you,” Maddie said. “Running off and leaving me when I asked you to wait.”

  “I thought we’d already established the fact that I’m a rude guy.”

  She forced a smile. “Call me optimistic, but I had high hopes for your rehabilitation.”

  “Don’t you get it, lady?” he snapped. “I don’t want you along.”

  “It’s not about what you want.” She blithely trailed over the threshold. “It’s about what’s going to happen.”

  “Excuse me?” he bellowed.

  She couldn’t have picked a more inflammatory tactic, waltzing into his room, trying to take control of his investigation. She must be a glutton for punishment. What was the matter with her? Was she one of those women who liked to be spanked?

  Well, it was time to turn the tables. He took an intimidating step toward her and undid another button. He wanted to see how long it would take her to run from the room.

  He undid another button and then another.

  His ploy failed.

  She pretended not to notice what he was up to and instead sauntered over to the sliding glass door. She opened the curtain, freeing bright late afternoon sunlight into the room.

  Then she spun on her heels to face him. “You’re going to make me your partner on this investigation.”

  He snorted.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I don’t know what schoolgirl fantasies you’ve got bouncing around in your head, but this isn’t a James Bond movie, kiddo.” He undid the next to the last button and took another step closer. “And I can’t make you an honorary member of the FBI.”

  “You recruited Cassie to wo
rk for you. Why not me?”

  “That was different.”

  “How was it different?”

  “I get it,” he said. “Severe case of sibling rivalry. You’re jealous.”

  “I’m not jealous,” she denied and her voice went up just enough to let him know he’d nailed her insecurity dead on. “Why would I be jealous of my twin sister?”

  “Because she’s not afraid to grab life by the throat and live and you are.” He undid the last button and now he was standing just a hand’s breadth away.

  Anxiously, she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

  Something about that nervous yet unintentionally sexy gesture gave him a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach.

  “Who says I’m scared of life? I’m not scared. I hopped on a plane and flew to Grand Cayman without a day’s notice, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, and it’s making you a nervous wreck.”

  “I’m not a nervous wreck.”

  “Then how come your thumbnail is gnawed to the quick and you’ve got a Rolaids wrapper dangling out of your purse?”

  Frowning, she tucked the errant wrapper back inside her shoulder bag and then jerked her ravaged thumb behind her.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter. You’re following Shriver and I’m following my sister so we’re always going to end up in the same place. Wouldn’t it just be easier for you to let me in on what’s going on?”

  He could tell she was trying not to look at his chest but every so often she would sneak a peek at the expanse of skin revealed beneath his open shirt. She raised a hand to her cheek and he saw she was blushing pink.

  Gotcha.

  “Are you trying to blackmail me?” he asked, stripping off his shirt and tossing it onto the bed.

  “No more than you’re trying to intimidate me.”

  “Am I?”

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Question is, do you like it?” he asked.

  The air in the room seemed miserably hot even though he’d twisted up the controls on the air conditioner when he’d walked in. Or maybe it was the heat of his blood rushing through his veins.

  “Nobody likes being intimidated.”

  “Don’t be so sure of that. Ever heard of a submissive?”

  “I’m not a submissive,” she denied. “Far from it.”

  “You sure? You entered a man’s room while he was getting undressed.”

  “That doesn’t make me submissive. If anything, I’d say I was dominant.”

  “You dominating me?” The notion was so foreign, so utterly ridiculous that David burst out laughing.

  His derision incensed her. She stabbed an index finger in his direction. “Maybe you’re the one who’s longing to be submissive.”

  “Oh yeah?” Swiftly he covered the remaining distance between them.

  She backpedaled until she ran smack dab into the wall. David grabbed both her wrists, pinned her hands above her head and swiftly shoved one knee between her legs, completely hemming her in with no way out.

  “This look like submissive to you, darlin’?” he growled.

  They were both breathing hard, their lips almost touching.

  “For your information I’m a third degree black belt in karate,” she said.

  “Bring it on. I’m fifth degree.”

  “You don’t threaten me.” She gulped, belying her own bravado.

  He saw the column of her throat muscles pump hard and he knew he’d succeeded in intimidating her, but still she held her ground. She might be scared, but she was too damned proud to run away.

  Dammit. Why did her bravery in the face of her fear turn him on so frickin’ much? He was one sick puppy.

  His gaze locked onto hers.

  She raised her chin. She was so close her body heat set him on fire.

  They stood there a long moment, neither of them blinking, neither wanting to be the first to back down. He forced himself not to think about how nice she smelled or how her chest rose and fell in cadence with his own raspy breathing or how much he wanted to kiss her at that very moment.

  If he kept thinking like this, he’d be rock hard in a matter of seconds. He was halfway there already.

  “Yep,” she said, “I’ll be out there on my own, no protection, no gun, a woman traveling alone. You know I’m gonna be pretty well defenseless.”

  “You’re about as defenseless as a porcupine.”

  But even as he denied her vulnerability, he felt his guardian instincts charge to the forefront of his emotions. He’d always possessed this need to defend the underdog. It was one of the reasons he’d become a cop. Unbelievable how this irksome woman had figured that out about him.

  How had she known the one thing he simply could not refuse was a damsel in distress? She didn’t seem the type to take advantage of her femininity but here she was suddenly giving him a wide-eyed, helpless look. He knew he shouldn’t fall for it, but damn his hide, he did.

  “You’re going to plague the living crap out of me until I agree to take you along.”

  “Pretty much.” She nodded.

  Sighing, he let her go and stepped back. “I can’t trust you.”

  “Why not?”

  “I can’t have you trying to one up me again like you did at the airport. And speaking of that, give my badge back.” He held out his hand.

  She fished in her purse, found his badge and passed it over to him. “I won’t try to one up you again. I promise.”

  “Oh, that makes all the difference in the world,” he said sarcastically.

  “I’ll swear on a bible.” She raised her left hand while splaying her right hand over her heart. “Got a bible? Betcha the Gideons left one in the bedside table, they’re reliable that way.”

  “No need to be a smart-ass. This isn’t a court of law, you don’t have to swear on a bible.”

  “Then how are you going to know you can trust me?”

  “Swearing on a bible won’t make me trust you.”

  “I never break a solemn vow.”

  The expression in her eyes told him that she meant every word. He decided to surrender, mainly because he knew if he didn’t he would end up spending more time fighting her than chasing after Shriver and Cassie. But he also gave in because she seemed so earnest and a little desperate.

  Besides, if she was with him, he could control her. Out there on her own she was a wild card and he couldn’t afford to let her run amok and screw up his investigation.

  “All right,” he said after a long moment. “You can come.”

  Her shoulders sagged visibly at her hard-won victory. She blew out her breath with an adorable sound that made him feel warm and protective inside. Ah hell, he liked her.

  “Thank you,” she said, and headed for an overstuffed chair in the corner. He noticed her hand quivered ever so slightly as she lowered herself down. A cloud of dust motes drifted up. “Now let’s establish some ground rules.”

  “Ground rules?” he echoed.

  How cute. She still had the illusion that she had some measure of power in this crazy relationship. Mind- boggling. Give the woman an inch and she took the entire freeway.

  “I promised not to one up you, but now you’ve got to promise me something.”

  “Like what?”

  “No more using sex as a weapon.” She nodded from his shirt to his bare chest. The heat of her gaze scorched his flesh.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard what I said.”

  “Wait a minute. Simply because I took my shirt off you think I was using sex as a weapon?”

  “Don’t forget calling me submissive and then pinning me to the wall with your knee to try and prove your point.”

  “How could I forget that?” He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

  “Ah, ah.” She pointed a finger. “See there, you’re doing it again.”

  “You call eyebrow wriggling a sexual weapon?”

  “It’s innuendo.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “
Oh, give it up. You know what you’re doing and I know what you’re doing and as long as we’re working together I won’t stand for any more of your masculine intimidation tactics. Got it?”

  She was like an impudent kid, trespassing on a farmer’s land, cockily waving a red flag at the bull in the pasture.

  He could have replied in a thousand different ways, each and every response designed to put her firmly in her place, but somehow David managed to restrain his tongue.

  Maddie was worried about her sister and even though he fought against the guilt, he felt responsible for what had happened. He had known Shriver had a spellbinding effect on women. He had also recognized Cassie was gullible and yet he’d enlisted her anyway. He’d used her hunger for excitement to fulfill his own needs.

  Man, it hurt when your selfish decisions came back to bite your butt.

  “No more using sex as a weapon,” he agreed.

  Maddie looked surprised at his capitulation. “Thank you. Now could you, um, cover up?” She waved a hand at his naked chest.

  Grinning, he slowly leaned over, making sure she got an extra good view of his muscles and plucked his shirt off the bed.

  “Any other rules I should be aware of?” He might as well know what her rules were so he could systematically set about breaking them.

  “That’s all for now, but you should prepare yourself for future rules as they arise.”

  He slipped on the shirt but didn’t move to do up the buttons. He could tell she was still struggling hard against her desire to look at him. You couldn’t deny it. They had sexual chemistry, no matter how unwanted it might be on both their parts.

  “I can’t promise you anything. I’ll be fair with you, but that’s all I can offer. Take it or leave it.”

  “I suppose I’ll have to take it.” She hopped up from the chair and edged toward the door, giving him a wide berth.

  Good. He’d rattled her at last.

  “Wait just a minute.” He reached out and touched her elbow. She sucked in an audible breath.

  “Yes?” her voice was soft, but her skin was softer.

  “I have a few ground rules of my own.”