by Bella Juarez
“Now how hard was that?” Cheryl asked, arching a perfect eyebrow.
“For you or me?” Amy stood.
“Now, don’t flinch every time he tries to touch you. Honey, looking like that, he’ll try. He can touch, a little. He gets a little bolder, then push him away…slowly,” Cheryl advised as she moved her hands away from her body in a smooth motion. “If he wants to kiss you good night, that’s okay. No damn tongues, not tonight, you cut that shit off right away. Tell him good night and go inside. Make him work for it, baby.”
They heard the doorbell. Amy closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Cheryl put her hands on Amy’s shoulders.
“Stop that! Everything will go fine. I’ll get the door. I want a look at tall, dark, and smoking,” Cheryl said.
* * * *
Gavin waited after he rang the doorbell. The door swung open and he was caught off guard. The woman that answered the door wasn’t the same one who came to the door with Amy last week. This one was drop-dead gorgeous. Shit! Did I die and get sent to Wisteria Lane? Where in the hell have all these hotties been hiding?
Gavin was still a man, after all, and he wasn’t blind or dead. He redirected his focus, he was here for Amy. Just the whisper of her name made him shiver slightly. He looked at the woman and realized even though she was stunning, she couldn’t draw the same kind of reaction from him that Amy seemed to manage without effort.
“Hi, can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m here for Amy. Is she here?”
“Yes, you must be Gavin. Come in. I’m Cheryl, Amy’s friend.” Cheryl opened the door wider.
“Thank you,” Gavin said as he stepped into the entryway.
“Amy!” Cheryl called, walking into a room off the side of the living room.
Gavin glanced around the house from where he stood. It was a nice house. He looked toward the kitchen and felt something in the room change. Amy was standing at the entry where Cheryl had disappeared. All thoughts of another hottie vanished. He had to calm himself so he wouldn’t have an instant hard-on because Amy was looking good enough to devour. He said nothing. He couldn’t speak. She looked away and walked toward the kitchen.
“I’ll get my bag,” Amy said quietly.
Cheryl excused herself and walked out the front door, closing it softly behind her. Gavin barely heard her leave. He waited for Amy to reappear from the kitchen. He knew he had to speak eventually. She returned and he smiled nervously.
“Ready?” Gavin asked.
Chapter 5
Texas Seafood
Victoria, Texas
November 16, 2007/0026 Zulu
Gavin had picked the dinner spot. It was a seafood restaurant near the house. The movie theater was also in the same general area. They waited at the bar for their seating. He asked Amy if she wanted anything to drink, but she was very quiet. This wasn’t like the other night when they seemed to just hit it off.
“How was work?” Gavin asked.
“Good.” Amy nodded.
Gavin was stumped for a moment. He was expecting her to elaborate a little more. He tried a different tactic.
“I promised David before I went to the gala that I would get a library card. What do I need to do?” Gavin asked.
“We just need proof of your address. We’ll get you a card before you leave. What kind of books do you like?”
Gavin had to think a minute. He hadn’t really cracked a book since he had left the Navy. His job as a SEAL required him to travel, so he always carried a book because it passed the time on really long flights. Truthfully, he read more periodicals than anything else right now.
“I don’t know…thrillers. You know, military stuff, the world’s coming to an end and they only have five minutes to save it.”
“Have you ever read Rob Morgan? You’d probably like him. He writes a lot of stuff like that. His hero is a CIA agent,” Amy offered.
“I’ve heard of him. One of my buddies was always trying to get me to read one of his books,” Gavin replied
They were called to their seat and perused the menu. The previous date they had talked about David and Irene, the police department, and Victoria in general. They placed their order and awkwardly glanced at each other a few times. Amy cleared her throat.
“Gavin? You’re not from here, are you? Texas, I mean. I got that impression the other night.”
“Nope, I was born and raised in Bangor, Maine.”
“Wow! Maine? You’re a long way from home, aren’t you? What brings you here? Work?” Amy asked.
“Kind of, I haven’t lived in Maine since I was eighteen. I joined the military right out of high school and pretty much lived where they sent me,” Gavin explained.
“I lived in Syracuse, New York, for a while. I went to school there.”
“Really? How long?” Gavin asked, surprised.
“About seven years. I got my bachelor’s and my master’s degrees from Syracuse University.”
“Did you like it?”
“I loved it.” Amy beamed.
“Why didn’t you stay?”
“I really wanted to get my doctorate and I was running a little low on funds, so I came back to Texas. I went to Austin, got picked up on a professorship at the University of Texas and later their doctoral program.”
“You were a professor, Amy?”
Gavin was beginning to feel a little out of his league with her.
“Yes. I taught American literature.” Amy beamed.
Amy seemed genuinely happy talking about her days as a professor. But something didn’t sit right with Gavin. She was a highly accomplished lady running a small-town library.
“Amy, you’ve done some pretty impressive things. Why did you come back here?” Gavin asked.
Amy seemed to deflate. She smiled weakly.
“It’s a long story for another day.”
“So, what movie would you like to see?” Gavin asked, changing the subject.
“It really doesn’t matter,” Amy said as the food was being served.
Gavin decided to take a gamble and open up to her. Despite the intense physical reaction he seemed to have every time he was around her, he realized it was much more. They seemed to be able to talk so easily. Amy’s gentle voice seemed to calm the demons inside him. He could feel himself relax. The jittery restlessness and nervous suspicion that ruled his life seemed faded when she was around. He felt for the first time in a very long time he could trust a woman.
“Amy, I’ll tell you a little secret about me.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve got this really strange sense of humor. I like really silly comedies. You know slapstick, stupid kind of stuff,” Gavin confessed.
“Really?” Amy asked with a smile.
“Yeah, in fact, have you ever heard of Mel Brooks?” Gavin asked.
“Yes,” she said quietly.
“His movies are some of my all-time favorites.”
“No way! Have you ever seen To Be or Not to Be?”
Gavin was surprised. It wasn’t one of Mel Brooks’s best-known films.
“Yes, I’ve seen it. In fact, I own it,” Gavin said.
“He’s one of my all-time favorites, too! I have every one of his movies, except that one.”
“Do you remember the bird scene in High Anxiety?” Gavin asked with a smile.
“Do you remember the Abby Normal scene in Young Frankenstein?” Amy asked.
They were both laughing themselves silly by this time. Throughout dinner they continued throwing out scenes from other silly movies.
“It’s so cool to find out someone else has your same sense of humor,” Amy said finally.
“Yeah, it is. So, I was thinking about seeing Fred Claus. Is that okay?” Gavin asked.
“I was planning on sneaking out Thanksgiving afternoon and seeing that one. I’ll be over at David and Irene’s.”
“Me, too. Irene stopped by and invited me,” Gavin informed Amy.
“Oh?” Amy asked, surpri
sed.
Gavin smiled inwardly. Amy still hadn’t caught on to Irene’s little matchmaking game.
“So what do you want to do? Fred Claus today or Thanksgiving? We can do a DVD either day. We don’t have to go to the movies,” Gavin said.
“Either way, I’ll get to see something I want to see,” Amy said with a smile.
They decided to go to the movie and still sneak out together on Thanksgiving. They would meet at Amy’s house and Gavin would bring a movie. For the first time he felt really comfortable with someone who wasn’t like him. Amy was soft and gentle, contrasting his hard harshness. She was intelligent, observant and witty. He had never known a woman with such class and grace. He wanted to be a better person around her. She put him at ease and she was comfortable and fun to be with. They seemed to have so much in common when they started talking about the latest news, music and movies. It was very rare that he got to take a date to a movie he really wanted to see.
After their movie was over he took her home and he noticed on the drive she seemed to be nervous again. They got out of the car and he walked her to the door.
“I had a really good time, Amy.”
“I did, too. Thanks for inviting me.”
Gavin wanted so badly to kiss her. Actually, what he really wanted was to push her up against the nearest flat surface and fuck her unconscious. He soothed the beast inside as he took her hand. He leaned over and kissed her on her check, cursing himself for touching her again. He had been touching her on and off all night. That damn sweater she had on was more temptation than he could resist. He couldn’t stop from touching that sweater and her. They were both so soft. He felt the rush of blood into his rod once more.
Gavin had to leave. There was no way he would even suggest she let him inside. For the first time he wanted a relationship with a woman to be special. He not only wanted Amy for a lover, but he wanted her friendship. He needed to think and decide the direction he truly wanted to take. He had to consider how much time and effort he wanted to spend developing something really exceptional with this woman. Sleeping with her would take away the opportunity for something extraordinary, if it happened now.
“I’ll see you at the library tomorrow when I get my card.” Gavin turned and left.
Chapter 6
Victoria Police Department
SWAT Group Office
Victoria, Texas
November 17, 2007/1202 Zulu
Gavin arrived at his office and noticed he had a voice mail notification on his cell. He listened to his messages and discovered one from Captain O’Malley. Jorge Rivera would be released on Sunday afternoon, a few days earlier than scheduled.
Gavin noted he had a couple of hours before the library opened. He sat at his desk and thought a moment. He needed to take a drive to Beaumont and find out who would be picking up Rivera. He did a little checking around on the FBI server. When he looked up it was almost nine thirty.
The library wasn’t very far from the police station, so Gavin decided to walk. When he arrived, Amy was sitting at the front desk checking in books. The library was dead because it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. The school would be open only two days this week. He noticed a few people at the public computers. She smiled as he approached the desk.
“Good morning,” Amy said.
“Good morning, Dr. Livingston. What do I need to fill out?” Gavin asked.
Amy took the paperwork from the desk and directed Gavin on filling it out. As she took the paperwork and began working on the card, he walked to the new-book display and noticed that an author he had read before had a new book out. He opened the cover and noticed that this was the second book in a new series. He walked over to the fiction stacks and looked for the first book. Reading would break the monotony of his little stakeout this weekend.
The book he wanted wasn’t on the shelf.
Gavin returned to the main desk and asked Amy about the book. She handed him his new card and checked for the book in the system. It had been checked out.
“Do you want me to put it on reserve for you? When it comes in we’ll call you so you can pick it up,” Amy offered.
“Sure.” Gavin shrugged.
Amy typed for a moment and then checked out Gavin’s new book.
“It will be due back in two weeks. You can call or go online if you need to extend the time you want it,” Amy informed him.
“If I don’t bring it back in two weeks, what happens?” Gavin teased.
“I’ll come for you. I know where you live now,” Amy said, holding up the library card application.
I wish you would. “I’ve got to work really late for the next couple of days. We’re still on for Thanksgiving, right?”
“Absolutely!”
“Okay, see you on Thursday.”
Gavin walked out into the day and returned to the station, throwing his book in the truck before he went back inside. He did a little research, looking at the layout of the area around the prison. It was pretty sparse. The parking lot was huge and Sunday was a big visitation day. The prison would be full of strangers in the parking lot and going in and out of the area.
Gavin went home and made himself sleep. Sleep on command was a skill he had acquired during his days as a SEAL. Special operations took him all over the world. He had to learn to sleep when he had the opportunity.
When he awoke he was refreshed and ready to begin his drive to Beaumont. It would take about three hours to get to his destination. As he drove he tried to piece together the connections between Lima and Rivera. He thought about all he had read in Jorge Rivera’s file. There was something missing. Why would they hook up? It didn’t make sense. Maybe the whole “smuggling terrorists into the country” thing was a fit, but M-22 could do that with no problem.
Gavin pulled into the parking lot and smiled. It was just as he suspected. There were already a lot of people waiting for the prison to open so that they could have their turn at visitation. He managed to get a spot near the one entrance and exit.
Intentionally, Gavin had left the parking spaces on either side of him open. He also had a view of the two portable restrooms that were in the parking lot. He smiled as a huge truck pulled into one of the spaces. It concealed him perfectly. He had a clear view of the entrance and exits. He was fairly certain that whoever picked up Rivera would not know him. He could move around relatively easy, but cautiously. He didn’t want anyone to know who he was or what he looked like.
As Gavin waited, he read, scanning the parking lot when he sensed movement or arrival. As morning broke, the parking lot started filling up pretty fast. He had managed to read a good one-third of the book that he had brought. It had turned out to be a real page turner. He put down the book for a while and put on his sunglasses and leaned back. To anyone passing by, he looked like he was sleeping. He watched as people passed in front of the vehicle. Many of them went to the portable restrooms at the end of the parking lot. He watched as a man in a black hoodie passed. He was automatically suspicious because it looked like the man intentionally hid his face. He watched as the man waited his turn at the Porta Potty and suspiciously scanned the parking lot.
Gavin recognized him instantly once he saw his face. It was one of Rivera’s henchmen. He observed the man and noted that he had parked a few rows behind him. He jotted down the license plate number and called Mac. It was early Sunday, and while Mac was probably at home, he could always go to the office and get him the information he needed.
“Yeah, Mac?” Gavin asked when his cell phone rang.
“Do you not know today is Sunday, badass?” Mac asked.
“Yeah, I know what day it is.”
“What the hell? I’m not your secretary! This can’t wait until Monday?” Mac demanded.
“I would’ve called you Monday if I could wait.”
“Don’t you have people that can do this for you?”
“Yes, but right now I don’t want those people to know what I’m up to.”
“
This something you and Rock are working?”
“Sort of. I’m sure Rock will be interested in the movements of my guy when he intersects with your guy,” Gavin replied.
“All right, give me an hour to get into the office and I’ll see what I can find out.”
Gavin ended the call and picked his book. He still had a while to wait. It was only six in the morning.
* * * *
Jorge Rivera arrived at the processing area early in the morning. He was glad because it had been eighteen months of boredom and waiting. It was hard to run an organization behind federal prison walls. He knew that his most trusted man was waiting to take him home to Victoria. He had copped the manslaughter plea just to move on. It had turned out to be the best decision of his life. He had landed the big time, M-22.
Rivera processed out and changed into the clothes he had been wearing when he came through the bars in Victoria County. It had been August then and he wished he had other clothes for today. The wife-beater and shorts would not work in late November.
Rivera signed papers and took his personal belongings. The process seemed to take all day. It felt as if he would never leave. He smiled as they opened the gates and he saw his man standing at the entrance, waiting.
“Homes!” the man said. They shook hands and embraced briefly.
“Let’s get the fuck outta here. I need a jacket, man. We need to stop somewheres,” Jorge said.
“Okay, bro.” The men walked out into the parking lot.
The air seemed different on the outside, Jorge noticed. Smells like money. He skimmed the parking lot. There were too many people here for his liking. Which meant too many witnesses and no clear view if anyone had been sent to watch him. Kids were crying and people were sitting in their cars waiting their turn to enter the prison, or waiting for people to come out after visitation. As they got to the car Jorge watched the other cars pull in behind them. There were too many people coming and going. They pulled into traffic on the highway leading from the prison.
“Do you want me to head to town, bro?” Jorge’s man asked.
