Someone To Watch Over Her

by Margaret Watson

  “What do you mean?”

  “The rest of the resort is so civilized. This is elemental. It makes it hard to forget that Cascadilla is mostly a rain forest.”

  “The resort wants you to forget that,” he said, his voice dry. “They’ve done a lot of work to make it seem like a tropical paradise, but they can’t completely get rid of the jungle. It’s surrounding us.”

  “And that’s good for the kidnappers, isn’t it?”

  “They can use it to their advantage,” he said slowly, looking around at the remnants of the inhospitable jungle. “But then again, so can we.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’re going to turn the hunters into the hunted. And those pictures you helped draw are the first step.”

  She stopped and turned to look at him. It felt like she was assessing him. Finally she smiled. “I don’t think I’d want to be hunted by you, Marcus. I have a feeling that you don’t lose too often.”

  He’d lost in Madrileño, he thought sourly. Not only had he lost Margarita, but he’d lost Simon, as well. And if he was being truthful, he regretted Simon far more than Margarita.

  He slanted a glance at Jessica. Especially now.

  “Those kidnappers of yours are playing it smart. Apparently they’re laying low. My partners haven’t heard even a whisper about your kidnapping.”

  And that was because of Simon. He was certain of it. Simon would keep a short leash on his employees. He’d know that the surest way for them to get caught was to let them go to the dives of Cascadilla and allow liquor to loosen their tongues.

  “Then what makes you think they were here in the trees?” she asked in a low voice. Even though they were in the middle of a patch of jungle, both of them seemed inclined to speak in hushed voices.

  “Right here,” he said, pointing.

  She squatted to look more closely. Finally she glanced at him, her eyes troubled. “It does look like someone was here. But aren’t there animals that live in the jungle? Why couldn’t it have been an animal lying here?”

  “It could have been. But we can’t afford to assume that. We have to assume only the worst.”

  “All right. What are we looking for?”

  “Why don’t you look for something that doesn’t belong here? Candy wrappers, gum wrappers, soft drink bottles or cans, cigarette butts. Anything like that.”

  “What are you going to be looking for?”

  “I’m going to try and figure out where they came from and how they left.”

  They worked together in silence, the only sounds the hum of activity from the resort. It seemed far away and in another world. Marcus made sure that Jessica was never out of his sight, and at first he watched her work.

  She was careful and methodical, and he noticed that she went out of her way to disturb the area as little as possible. In short, she did everything he would have done himself, he was forced to admit.

  “You’re doing a good job,” he said gruffly.

  She turned her head to look at him. “It sounds like you don’t want to admit it.”

  “There are too many things I like about you already, Jessica.” He spoke without thinking, then wanted to snatch the words back.

  Her eyes softened as she rocked on her heels and faced him. “I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Her voice was a throaty murmur in the semidarkness, and her eyes gleamed. “Thank you, Marcus.”

  “Don’t let it go to your head.” His voice was rougher than he intended, and he could hear the fear beneath his words. He didn’t want to feel anything for Jessica beyond keeping her safe and using her to catch Simon. “I’m sure it’s your training as a scientist.”

  “I’m sure it is.” He heard the laugh beneath her voice and scowled at her. She didn’t sound offended by his words. If anything, she sounded amused. And that scared him even more.

  He had no business being interested in Jessica Burke. She was way out of his league, in more ways than he could count.

  He could blame it on proximity and adrenaline, but he was too honest for that. The truth was, she fascinated him. Everything about her interested him. When they were able to ignore the sexual tension that always hummed beneath the surface, they could talk for hours. And rather than dreading the next few days, when they would be spending a lot of time together, he was looking forward to them.

  Thank God she would be going back to her world as soon as they caught her kidnappers. He wasn’t sure how much restraint he was going to be able to exercise. Especially since she seemed to want him as much as he wanted her.

  “I’ve found something,” she called in a low voice, and he cursed himself for lapsing into a daydream.

  “What is it?” He scrambled to join her.

  “Take a look. I’m not sure.”

  He crouched beside her, and she pointed to a sodden, pulpy mass of paper. Taking a stick, he poked at it until he was able to turn it over. Then he pulled one of the plastic bags out of his pocket and slipped it inside.

  Once it was protected, he examined it from all angles. Jessica stared at it, murmuring, “I wondered what those bags were for.”

  “It looks like the packaging from some kind of snack food,” he said slowly, trying to flatten it and read the writing on the paper. “I don’t think it’s going to help, but we’ll hang on to it anyway. How did you find it?”

  “I was pushing aside the dead leaves,” she answered. “It was beneath them.”

  He nodded, staring at the spot she indicated and mentally measuring the distance from the crushed vegetation. “It’s probably not from whoever was here last night. But it was a good find.” He gave her what he hoped was an impersonal smile.

  “Why don’t you think it was from whoever was here last night?”

  “Because it’s too old. It’s been outside for a long time. Anything from last night would be a lot fresher.”

  “And it probably wouldn’t be hidden beneath the leaves, either.” Her voice was full of disgust. “I should have thought of that.”

  “At least you found something,” he said. “Let’s keep going.”

  But after another hour he was forced to admit that there wasn’t anything to find. “Let’s call it a day,” he finally said. “There isn’t anything here.”

  She stood and stretched, and he tried to look away from the sight of her body, illuminated by the dim, mottled light. But he couldn’t do it. Her breasts strained against her shirt, and her skin seemed to glow. It took all his self-control not to stand up and reach for her.

  She looked at him and froze. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he stood and deliberately looked away.

  “Let’s go get something to drink,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  “That sounds good.”

  Her breathing sounded harsh, like she’d been running. A fierce jolt of desire washed over him, and he took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he struggled for control. This was dangerous, he told himself harshly. God only knew who was close by.

  “Let’s go.”

  She walked with him toward the cottage. He didn’t dare look at her, but he was still too aware of her presence. Her scent surrounded him, faint but alluring. It managed to block out the moist smell of the jungle. And his skin crackled with electricity every time he brushed against her as they walked between the trees.

  Jessica looked at Marcus walking beside her. Tension emanated from him like a coiled spring, ready to explode into action. She wondered if it was because he had found something in the woods or because of the moment that had passed between them. She’d turned to find him staring at her, hunger in his eyes. And an answering hunger had swept through her.

  Whatever it was, she was certain he wasn’t about to tell her. She waited until they were inside, then turned to confront him. “What did you find out there?”

  He seemed startled by her question. “Nothing. I told you that.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  He
turned to face her. “What the hell do you think is wrong?” His eyes glittered, and his face was taut with passion. “I can’t keep my mind on my job. That’s what’s wrong.”

  “Oh.” She stared at him, stunned that she could inspire such passion in a man. Especially a man like Marcus Waters. She was caught in the pull of his gaze, lost in the hot depths of his brilliant blue eyes. “If it’s any consolation,” she said softly, “you make me forget why I’m here, too.”

  He closed his eyes, and she could see the struggle for control on his face. Finally he opened his eyes. “Don’t say things like that to me, Jessica. I’m having a hard enough time keeping my hands off you.”

  She opened her mouth to answer, and he held up his hand. “Don’t say it. We both know that it’s dangerous and stupid to get so involved with each other.”

  “I don’t know any such thing,” she said hotly. “I think you’re just afraid to get close to anyone.”

  She saw a flicker of pain deep in his eyes, then he shuttered them. “You’re right that I’m afraid to get involved with you. I told you I’d protect you. I’m doing a hell of a job, aren’t I? You weren’t in this house more than four or five hours and you’d lost your virginity.”

  “Why do you keep harping on that?”

  “Because it’s important.”

  “It’s only important if I say it is. I made a choice, too, Marcus. It wasn’t all one-sided.”

  “You were frightened and stressed. I took advantage of you.”

  She sighed. This was a battle she wasn’t going to win. “There’s nothing we can do about it now, is there? So why not forget about it?”

  “Because every time I look at you, I want to make love with you again. And I have to concentrate on keeping you safe.”

  Her heart leaped at his words, but she tried to face him calmly. “All right, then, we’ll leave the lovemaking question for later. What did you think about what we found in the trees?”

  She watched him shifting gears, fascinated by the way he was able to instantly shut off the emotional, physical part of himself. “You mean what we didn’t find?” he asked sourly.

  “Isn’t that just as important as what might have been there?”

  “Yeah,” he conceded. “It means one of two things. Either whoever or whatever was in the woods last night was nothing to worry about, or your kidnappers are smarter than we thought.”

  “And which do you think it is?”

  “I told you, I always like the worst option. And after what they managed to do on your father’s island, I have to think your kidnappers are pretty damn smart.”

  “But couldn’t it have been an animal?”

  “That’s possible. But we have to assume that it wasn’t.”

  She shivered at the thought. Was it possible that someone was outside this cabin last night while they made love? Was it possible that someone would be back tonight, waiting for an opportunity to harm them?

  “What do we do next?”

  “Not a thing. My partner is going to be in the woods tonight. If someone comes back, he’ll find them.”

  “I guess that means no evening swim,” she said wistfully.

  His eyes softened. “I’m afraid not. At least not until we know who was out there.”

  “I guess we’ll have to find another way to amuse ourselves, then,” she said mischievously.

  “There are plenty of books in here,” he said. “Or we can watch television.”

  “Or we can just talk. I like talking to you, Marcus.”

  She saw a yearning in his eyes, quickly hidden. “I enjoy talking to you, too,” he said gruffly. “You have an interesting view of the world.”

  “And so do you,” she retorted.

  Surprisingly, he grinned and held up his hand. “Not now. I have some things to do.”

  He reached for the phone that was never far from his hand and dialed a number. “It’s me,” he said. “There was nothing in the area.”

  He listened for a while, then said, “Sounds good. We’ll be here.”

  He folded the phone and set it on the table. “One of my partners will be watching the cottage tonight. We’ll be safe.”

  “You sound like you trust him completely.”

  “I do.” His face closed, and she realized he wouldn’t talk about his job.

  “Thank him for me the next time you talk to him,” she said.

  His eyes softened. “I’ll do that.” His gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he looked away. “Are you hungry?”

  Clearly the discussion about his job and his partner was over. “Starving,” she said lightly.

  “Then let’s find something to eat.”

  They spent the rest of the day in the cottage. Every once in a while, Jessica glanced out the window at the endless blue of the sky and wished momentarily that she were out enjoying the beautiful weather. But then she would look at Marcus and smile. She was perfectly happy inside, sitting with him, talking and reading. She discovered that Marcus could discuss books, world politics and sports with equal knowledge and passion. And she found herself leaning forward, eager to hear his opinions and discuss her own.

  Time flew by, and before she knew it, the sky outside the window was turning a dark, velvety blue.

  She leaned back and curled her arm around the sofa to stop herself from reaching for him. “I enjoyed myself this afternoon.”

  “I did, too.” He seemed startled to realize it.

  She smiled as she stood and stretched. “I think it’s time to eat again.”

  After they ate, they sat in the living room, each of them reading a book. Jessica found herself straining to hear, listening for sounds from the trees near the cottage. But all she heard was the faint sounds of music and laughter that came from the resort’s restaurants and lounges.

  “You’re not going to hear anything,” Marcus finally said.

  She glanced at him. “What do you mean?”

  “There could be a war outside the door and De…my partner will make sure it’s a silent one. We don’t want to attract any attention from the other guests.”

  “It’s just so hard to wait.”

  “I know.” She could see the sympathy in his eyes. “Why don’t you go to bed? You didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  She caught his gaze and held it. “Are you going to bed?”

  “No. I’m going to wait for a while.”

  “Then I will, too.”

  They continued to read, although Jessica couldn’t have said what was in her book. Finally, a little while after midnight, they heard the sound of soft footsteps on the porch and a quiet knock on the door.

  Chapter 9

  Jessica held her breath while Marcus peered out the window. She noticed that his hand hovered over the gun he wore in the waistband of his shorts. When he dropped his hand and pulled open the door, she let out the air in her lungs with a whoosh.

  One of the men who had accompanied the artist earlier that day stepped through the door. He nodded to her, then looked at Marcus. “It’s okay. You don’t have to worry that Ms. Burke has been found, or about anyone watching the cottage.”

  Jessica saw Marcus’s eyes narrow. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” The other man relaxed enough to allow a small smile to curve his lips. “Your mystery intruder was a couple, and they came back to the spot tonight. From what I heard, they’re both single parents who are here on vacation with their kids. They needed a place to, um, get together, and they chose the woods. Apparently it’s a lot more discreet than sending the kids out to the pool.”

  She saw the amusement glittering in Marcus’s eyes. “I hope you left equally discreetly.”

  “As soon as I realized what was going on.”

  Marcus held out his hand. “Thanks a lot, buddy. I appreciate it.”

  “No problem. Call if you need anything else.”

  “Will do.”

  The other man slipped out the door as quietly as he’d arrived. She glanced out th
e window, but he had already disappeared into the shadows. When she turned to look at Marcus, he was watching her, his eyes hooded and brooding. He looked like a stranger, and a dangerous one, at that. Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried to act nonchalant.

  “All that worry for nothing,” she said lightly.

  “It wasn’t totally worthless,” he said in a low voice.

  “What do you mean?”

  “It gave me an idea of how you’d react in a crisis.”

  “I could have told you that.”

  He shook his head. “I doubt it.” He glanced at her, and the hard look on his face eased. “Or maybe you could have, but I wouldn’t have believed you. I had to see for myself.”

  “And do I pass?” she asked, curious about his response.

  “You know you do,” he said, and his eyes pierced her with their intensity. “You did exactly what I hoped you would do.”

  “What is that? Stay out of your way?” she joked.

  He shook his head, his gaze steady on her. “You didn’t panic. You used your head and were able to help me. You thought about what we needed to do. And you did what I asked, without questions.”

  “Don’t get used to that,” she warned with a weary smile. Now that the danger was over, all her energy had leached away. “I like to ask questions.”

  “I’ve noticed.” His gaze was unreadable. “But you didn’t ask them today. And I appreciate that.”

  “Today was a little different. I figured I’d better leave it to the expert.”

  “You’ve surprised me at every turn,” he said, watching her with a burning intensity. “I don’t know what to make of you, Jessica.”

  “You pretty much get what you see with me,” she said, shrugging.

  The evening was taking on a surreal quality. Three days ago, she couldn’t have imagined she would be having a conversation like this with her lover. Three days ago, she wouldn’t have dreamed she would have a lover. It had been the last thing on her mind. And now she was sitting here in this cottage, alone with Marcus, discussing their expectations of each other.

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve spent enough time with you to realize that.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and whirled around to look out the window again. “We’re stuck in this tiny cottage together twenty-four hours a day. And I can’t think of another person, besides a fellow cop, I would rather have with me right now. That scares the hell out of me.”