It didn't.
"And the other officer arrived to relieve Detective Albright?" Jason asked, reholstering his gun.
"Yes, about ten minutes ago." Despite the feeling that she was now living in a police compound, she welcomed the officer's presence. Having three cops in the house might allow her to breathe a little easier. Or at least it would take some of the pressure off Jason so that he might not feel totally responsible for Megan's and her safety. Of course, he'd no doubt feel that way if they had the entire police force in his living room.
"I don't want Megan out of the playroom," Jason continued. "And I also don't want either of you in any part of the house without an officer nearby, got that?"
"Agreed." He'd already told her that twice. With Jason's anxiety obviously near the boiling point, Lilly figured she'd hear it again soon.
"By the way, how are you holding up?" Jason asked. Not just a question, though. It was edgy and raw, like everything else about him.
Lilly sighed. Much more of this and he'd explode. It was time for action. Or rather, a good old-fashioned lecture. She shut the office door and leaned her back against it. "I want you to stop beating yourself up about all of this."
"I can't," he snapped. "This is my fault."
That answer didn't surprise her. "Noo-oo, it's not. It's the fault of that idiot in the other car."
Jason grumbled something she didn't want to interpret and started to pace again. "We can't keep going through this. We've been lucky, but we might not be so lucky next time. That's why I'm arranging for a safe house. An undisclosed location that only a handful of trusted cops will know about. It should be ready tonight. It'll have a solid security system. Plus, another officer and I will be with Megan and you at all times."
"That's good." Well, the security part was, but it meant they'd have no privacy. No real life. No real anything. They'd be on hold and all because of some unknown moron who wanted her dead. That moron wouldn't be shut away in some safe house, either. He or she would be out there, free, doing everything possible to find them.
So, just how safe would a safe house be?
"Nothing about this is good." Jason shoved his backup weapon into his ankle holster. "It's too little too late. Just how many sleepless nights will you have because I haven't been able to catch this guy?"
That did it. Lilly had had enough. She couldn't bear to see him like this. "How many sleepless nights will you have because of this nightmare that I brought to your doorstep?"
He dragged his hands through his hair again. "I'm not in the mood for sympathy and comfort."
"Tough. You're going to get it anyway." She snagged him by the arm when he started to pace by her.
Jason stared at the grip she had on him and then lifted his eyes to meet hers. "My advice? Back off, Lilly. I've got a lot of dangerous energy inside me right now, and you don't want any part of this."
"Oh, really? That sounds like a challenge," she said, because she thought they both needed a little levity.
The levity backfired.
Big time.
Adrenaline was high. Emotions, higher. Coupled with the attraction between them, touching him was indeed a dangerous prospect. She immediately thought of ways to defuse that tension. Well, one way in particular. Too bad it would have huge consequences.
Lilly tried to fight her way through her exposed emotions, the leftover fear and the fatigue. She tried to do the logical thing.
And failed.
When she realized her body wasn't going to cooperate with her attempts to think this through, she finally said to heck with it. She looked at Jason. At his face. At those intense gray eyes that were piercing into hers. And she knew exactly where this moment had to go.
Suddenly everything was crystal-clear. Razor-sharp. Powerful and honed. Like the energy spearing through her. She had the power to help him, to help them both. Human contact, human touch could undo a multitude of troubles. She wouldn't even think about the new troubles that it would create.
Before she could change her mind, or before he could stop her, she tightened her grip on his arm and pulled Jason closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until his chest brushed against her breasts.
He stared at her, the intensity in his eyes going up another serious notch. "Think this through," Jason managed to say. Not easily, though.
"I already have."
Without further words, she put her mouth to his.
And Lilly kissed him.
* * *
OH, MAN. This was so not good.
At least that's what Jason's mind told him. But the rest of him heartily disagreed. It wasn't just good. It was better than good. Exactly what he wanted.
Just when he thought he couldn't take any more without breaking, Lilly stopped the kiss. Maybe to catch her breath. Maybe to give him time to do something about this. And she stood there, staring at him, looking better than any woman had a right to look.
Her hair was loose, resting at her shoulders on the thin straps of her mist-green dress. And her eyes were making offers that he couldn't refuse. Everything about her, that face, those eyes, her mouth, called to him.
Cursing himself, cursing their situation, cursing fate and just plain cursing, Jason did the very thing that he knew he'd almost certainly regret. He gave in to the moment. Gave in to all the wants and all the primitive needs that were clawing their way free. He gave in to her.
He pulled Lilly to him. Knowing there was no turning back. Not caring. And knowing he would care and have regrets later. Still, that didn't stop him.
With the slight shift of movement, their bodies came together again. His pressed against hers. Her right leg wedged between his. They adjusted. Moved. So they could get as close as two people could possibly get. So they could do something about this ache. This need.
And the battle started.
Her mouth took his. Her lips moving against his. Not a soft gentle kiss of comfort. Not this. There was no comfort in the sensual moves of her mouth. This was all heat, fueled with lethal adrenaline and emotion.
Because he wanted more, and he wanted it now, he somehow managed to get her dress unzipped. It wasn't easy. His hands weren't too steady, and Lilly made things more difficult with the kisses that she was lavishing on his neck. A definite sensitive spot for him, and she'd figured that out right away. She kissed, using her tongue, pulling him tightly against her body. Drowning him in her scent.
Jason shoved her dress down to expose her bra. White lace. Definitely not modest, either. It kicked up his heart rate. Revved his body. Nearly made him beg. He took a moment to admire it and the woman beneath it before he caught the straps and lowered them, as well, to expose her breasts. She was small, firm.
Perfect.
Keeping his gaze connected with hers, he slowly lowered his mouth to one of her rosy nipples and nipped it with his teeth. A sharp gasp and Lilly grabbed him by the hair and pulled him to her, forcing him, until he took that nipple into his mouth. Leaving it shiny wet and pebbly hard, he gave the other one the same attention. She gasped. A sound of pleasure. And actually did some begging of her own.
It still wasn't enough.
Jason had to have more of her. All of her. Lilly obviously felt the same because she suspended her kisses, and struggling for position, went after his T-shirt. Like his, her movements were fast and frantic. It was a race. Against what, Jason didn't know, but it didn't matter. All he knew was that they had to have each other.
While she dragged his T-shirt off him, Lilly moved against him. Body against body. It was like striking a match. What little control he had left went straight out the window. He grabbed her by the hips and brought her roughly and precisely against him, aligning them.
"Jason," she whispered. She made a throaty sound of approval. "Yes."
He'd never been happier to hear a yes, and he was especially pleased that it had an urgency to it. He completely understood that urgency.
"I can't wait," she said.
And she meant it.
Lilly kicked off her strappy sandals and went after his zipper. She succeeded. And she didn't stop there. Locking her arm around his neck, she freed him from his boxers and took him into her hand. Jason was fairly sure his eyes crossed, and the pounding pulse in his ears made it seem as if they were surrounded by primitive war drums.
"Now," she insisted.
Jason obliged. He hoisted her up and wrapped her long, lean legs around his waist. He pulled off her lace panties and in the same motion, repositioned her so that her back was against the door.
Though his vision was blurred, he forced himself to focus so he could watch her. So he could see her face. Her eyelids lifted when he pushed into that heat. Into her. Into her moist, welcoming body. And a kiss caught their collective sighs of pleasure and relief.
The kiss lingered a moment so she had time to adjust to him. But Lilly obviously felt she needed no such adjustment or time.
"Don't stop," she insisted. Lilly shoved herself against him. Sliding against his erection. Taking every inch of him.
Jason took everything she was giving, as well. The passion. The sensations of their bodies joined.
No longer wary of her response, he pinned her hands to the door and was pleased when she jerked and twisted against him. Her legs tightened around him. Forcing him closer. Forcing him to penetrate her even deeper.
They matched each other. Move for move. Trying to hang on to every second, every sensation. Until the friction and the pleasure were unbearable. Until all Jason could see, hear, feel, smell and taste was Lilly. She became the pinpoint of his focus, of his universe.
She became everything.
She whispered his name in rhythm to the frantic strokes. Jason waited a moment. Holding off as long as he could so he could hear every syllable, so he could watch his name shape her lips.
"Now, Jason," she said.
He agreed. It was time. His body couldn't hold back any longer. Not with this intensity. Not with the fierce need he had for her. So, with Lilly's whispered pleas brushing against his mouth, with her heartbeat pounding against his, with their bodies damp with sweat sliding against each other, Jason gave them both what they needed.
* * *
THE SENSATIONS slammed through her, leaving Lilly hazy and feeling as if everything were right with the world. She didn't leave that hazy place immediately. She stayed there a few moments, letting her body slowly come back to earth.
Even though earth wasn't where she wanted to be.
She wanted to linger in that haze. And to linger in Jason's arms, a safe place where there were no problems and no one was trying to kill them.
"That was amazing," she whispered.
Even though Jason was looking directly into her eyes, he blinked as if trying to focus. And probably was. She wasn't anywhere near 20/20 yet, either. Sex with Jason apparently had the potency to blur vision—in a good way, of course.
His breath was coming out in hot gusts. "I can't believe we just did that."
"Please don't tell me you have regrets."
He shook his head and eased her legs from his waist. "No condom."
Those two words rang through her head and she nearly fell when she put her feet back on the floor. "Oh, sheez."
"But you're right, it was amazing. And this might be the lust talking, but it was worth the risk."
Lilly thought so, as well. She only hoped they both felt that way days or even weeks from now. She had too much on her mind to consider an unplanned pregnancy.
"I don't even know if it's the wrong time of the month," she concluded. "But with everything my body's been through, I doubt I'm ovulating."
Famous last words?
She hoped not. And while she was hoping, she added other issues to that proverbial list.
"I've considered just beating around the bush with this, but since time seems to be an issue here, I'll just come out and ask." Lilly fixed her dress, sliding it back into place, and she discretely stepped back into her panties. She didn't continue until she was done and until Jason's gaze met hers. "Having sex with me wasn't your way of working out our custody issues, was it?"
Jason blinked again, but this time he actually focused. "I'm going to pretend you didn't ask that."
"All right, so if that wasn't about custody, was it anger sex?"
He zipped his jeans as if he'd declared war on them. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"
"No. But it probably seems that way to you. I'm actually trying to understand what just happened."
"You tell me, Lilly. If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who started it by kissing me." He held up his hand in a defensive, wait-a-minute gesture. "Oh, are you trying to tell me it was sex to stop me from leaving?"
She was on shaky turf. "It started that way, yes," Lilly admitted. "But then it sort of took on a life of its own, wouldn't you agree?"
Jason was no doubt spoiling for a fight. Not necessarily with her. But with the person who'd been trying to kill them. Still, he couldn't help those emotions erupting. And she was right in his path.
"I'm not sorry for what happened," she said. However, it didn't ring true. Not totally. She might not be sorry, but she'd no doubt regret it. Sex complicated things, but it wasn't that complication that bothered her the most.
It was her feelings for Jason.
Mercy. How was she supposed to deal with all the other things they were facing when all she wanted was to pull him back into her arms and kiss him again?
Lilly gave that question some thought, and she didn't like where that thought was leading. This sexual encounter hadn't solved anything. In fact, it'd done the opposite. It'd made her realize just how empty her life would be without him.
Yes, empty.
Jason made her happy, and as silly and cliché as it sounded, he completed her. She understood that now. Understood what was truly at stake here. Not just Megan. Not just Jason. Her future with both of them was at stake.
Before Lilly could even begin to think about spilling what was in her heart, there was a tap at the door. "Jason?" It was Detective O'Reilly. "Did Lilly tell you that the other officer is here to assist with security?"
"She told me." Jason lifted an eyebrow. Lilly lifted hers, as well. "What about the suspects? Have they been located?"
"Not yet."
That sent Jason to the door. He opened it with a fierce jerk. "None of them?"
Lilly had to hand it to Detective O'Reilly. He looked as if he wanted to take a huge step back, but he held his ground. "Wayne Sandling and Raymond Klein aren't at their residences. Erica Fontaine isn't at her hotel. And there's still no luck finding Ms. Davies, dead or alive."
Jason obviously didn't care for that information. "What's the latest from the lieutenant?"
"I just got off the phone with him," O'Reilly said. "He needs you to come down to headquarters and fill out your report about discharging your weapon."
Lilly groaned and shook her head. "Can't that wait?"
"I don't want it to wait." Jason reached for his jacket. "Now that the other officer is here, I'll do the report and then see if I can find our suspects."
Lilly went to Jason, blocking his path toward the door. "I thought I'd talked you out of doing this."
In fact, that was what she'd done for the first half hour after they'd arrived back at the house. However, Lilly wasn't under any misconception that she'd been able to convince him to stay put. His staying probably had less to do with her convincing than it did with the fact that his departure would have left Megan and her alone at the house with just one cop—O'Reilly. Now that the other officer was in place, that was no longer an issue.
"I'm going to find them," Jason insisted.
Her hands went to her hips. "Excuse me, but how do you plan to do that?"
"I'd like to know that, too," Detective O'Reilly added. But his comment only earned him one of Jason's prizewinning glares.
"I don't know how just yet, but I can't sit here and do nothing." Jason made a vagu
e motion toward the outside. "I want to find them, and I want them to tell me everything they know about any of this."
A dozens arguments came to Lilly's mind. Good arguments, too. But she didn't get to voice any of them. Jason pressed a kiss to her mouth and moved her aside. O'Reilly didn't hold his ground this time. He stepped out of the doorway so Jason could leave.
"I have to do this," Jason said as his goodbye.
And because Lilly knew she couldn't stop him, she just stood there and watched him walk away.
"Oh, God," she whispered as a prayer.
The fear and dread were immediate. A sickening feeling that knotted her stomach. The taste was suddenly bitter in her mouth. Because Lilly had a feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
That was her first thought.
Quickly followed by another that was equally unnerving.
She hoped she got the chance to tell Jason something that she'd just realized.
She was in love with him.
Chapter Fifteen
"Have I mentioned that this is probably a huge waste of my time and yours?" Jason heard Sgt. Garrett O'Malley say.
The question didn't stop Jason. He simply gave his phone headset an adjustment so he could respond, and he kept on driving through the upscale neighborhood that Wayne Sandling called home. "Yeah. But a possible waste of time is better than nothing."
O'Malley made a sound to indicate he wasn't so sure of that.
Jason countered it with a grumbling sound of his own. "I guess that means there's no sign of Raymond Klein?" Jason asked.
"Nothing. And I do mean nothing. Not even a dog walker or a jogger." Garrett was several miles away, driving through Klein's neck of the woods, and though they'd both been at it for nearly an hour, things weren't looking good.
Their suspects had seemingly disappeared.
Of course, in Corinne Davies' case, she was possibly dead, but that left three others—Wayne Sandling, Raymond Klein and Erica Fontaine. Jason wanted to speak to all of them, and he didn't want to wait another minute to do it. Too bad waiting seemed to be on the agenda tonight.
"Why don't you go home to Lilly and Megan?" O'Malley suggested. "I'll keep looking around. If any or all of our suspects surface, I'll call you."
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