While she took care of business, Chase grabbed a few bottles of soda and water, along with some snacks. As Angela exited the bathroom, he threw a package of condoms on the checkout counter as well. When the clerk smirked, Chase shot him a look that dared the man to comment. Hurriedly, the man bagged the supplies and handed them to Chase just as Angela arrived.
Chase slipped an arm around her waist and guided her from the store, the bag under his arm. When Angela walked to the driver side door, Chase shrugged, opening the door for her and latching her seat belt before rounding the car to slip in the other side. “Where to, babe?” he teased.
“I thought I’d drive to Cat’s house.” She wrinkled her nose, confused by his question. To her, the destination was obvious.
“Tomorrow, babe,” he advised quickly. “It’s late, and we’re tired. Is there a hotel nearby?”
She nodded quickly. “There’s a good sized hotel right off Interstate 65 in Merrillville. It’s about ten minutes from Cat’s house.”
Chase closed his eyes but kept talking despite his obvious fatigue. “I thought you said Cat lived in Crown Point?”
“She does. Crown Point’s a small town so it doesn’t have any hotels. It has a nice downtown area with shops and restaurants. It’s fun to walk around there in the summer. Cat’s house is on the square. She runs her counseling business from the downstairs portion and lives upstairs.”
“What kind of counseling does she do again?”
“Primarily couples’ counseling. You know, like for couples who are considering divorce. She does some domestic violence counseling as well. That’s her personal passion, but unfortunately, it doesn’t pay the bills. Most of her domestic violence cases are pro bono.” Suddenly, the darkened interior of the car seemed too intimate so she prattled on. “It’s ‘cuz of her mom, you know. No one helped her, so Cat feels – I guess compelled is the best word – to protect other women. Her mom and dad were seeing a counselor that year, and the counselor heard her dad threaten to kill her mom. The counselor didn’t report it so Cat’s always been real mindful about protecting her clients. Some of her pro bono clients have actually come out of her couples’ counseling practice.” Angela paused for a second, thinking about some of the situations Cat had talked about.
“Most of her clients are run of the mill couples who’ve simply forgotten that they love each other or who can’t communicate. Cat tries to teach them how to reconnect. She’s had a few real conniving abusers though who’ve tried to use counseling to avoid being punished by the judicial system. Last year, she notified the authorities about one of the men she was counseling. They ignored her complaint, and he killed his wife. Cat was so angry we thought she might kill someone. She risked her license to report his threat, and no one bothered to even follow up. We finally hauled her up to Maddie’s cabin in order to calm her down.”
“The system doesn’t always work,” Chase admitted. “That’s why I could never work for the FBI or other law enforcement agency. Too many rules and restrictions preventing me from doing the right thing.”
Angela sighed loudly. “As an employee of the FBI, well, probably former employee at this point, I tend to agree. Procedure is more important than results all too often. I can’t imagine that it started out that way though. I wonder when justice started taking second place to method.”
“When the politicians started taking over,” Chase retorted.
“Don’t you work for the government, Chase?” She waited for his answer with baited breath, unsure whether the question was too intrusive.
“Officially, no,” he replied after a long pause. “Zach runs his own organization.”
“But you do government work?” she probed, curious to learn more about Chase and her godfather.
“We have no government protection.” His eyes twinkled as he avoided answering the question.
She groaned. “So, your ‘organization’ - and I use that term loosely - operates independently from the US government and without government protection or oversight. Do you work for the highest bidder then?”
Chase’s head snapped toward her. “I warned you I wasn’t a nice guy, babe. But to answer your question, no, I don’t work against my own country.”
She released her breath, relieved. She couldn’t imagine falling in love with someone who would betray their country. Falling in love? Oh, no. That’s not a good idea, Angela. Falling in lust, okay. But falling in love with someone who refuses to be in a relationship is a recipe for heartache.
“What made you join the FBI?” Chase changed the subject.
“I believed in truth, justice, and the American way. I wanted to be one of the good guys who protected the American public from danger. Dad wanted me to work for him, but I refused. Now I wish I had stayed with him.”
“This wasn’t your fault.” Chase placed his hand on top of hers on the steering wheel and squeezed once before letting go.
“Maybe not, but it sure feels that way. If I hadn’t left Manchester, none of this would have happened.” She clenched the leather steering wheel tightly as she navigated around a slow moving semi.
“Guilt won’t change things.”
Angela suspected that Chase understood that sentiment all too well. She pushed a wayward curl behind her ear and sighed. She had a feeling Chase wasn’t going to let the conversation end. “Intellectually, I know that, but it doesn’t change how I feel. Dad gave up so much for me, and I abandoned him. If I had stayed and worked for him like he wanted, he’d still be alive.” Her throat tightened and she choked out the last few words.
Chase placed a warm, reassuring hand on her thigh but remained silent. Angela focused on the road, grateful for his silent comfort. Sympathy was the last thing she needed right now. They drove quietly for the next hour until she pulled off the highway and entered a busy parking lot lit with soft, ambient light. Cars buzzed by her as people exited the area.
“What’s going on?”
Angela’s eyes lit up. “The hotel’s attached to a large theater. There was probably a concert or a play tonight, and the locals are heading home. Maddie and I brought Cat here for her birthday last year. We had dinner at the restaurant, attended the concert, and then hit the poolside bar before collapsing in one of the suites.” She raised her right hand and playfully admitted, “I promised Dad I’d never drink and drive, so we stayed overnight even though Cat’s house is only a few miles away. We slept late and ate a huge brunch the next morning before hitting the mall. Talk about a fabulous weekend.”
“Will they have any rooms left?” Chase stared out the sea of cars.
“I hope so.” Angela hadn’t considered that possibility. “I’ve never had a problem getting a room. Now suites can be a problem. They hold a lot of wedding receptions here so the suites tend to be taken up by the brides, grooms and other guests. I doubt that’s an issue in the middle of the week though.” She led the way under the awning and into the glass atrium. While Chase took in his surroundings, Angela marched up to the reception desk and requested a room. When she opened her mouth to provide her guest information, Chase smoothly interrupted, handing the woman a drivers’ license and American Express card. The clerk stared at the card for a moment before excusing herself, and Chase tensed. He automatically stepped back from the desk, keeping Angela next to him while planning an escape route.
“What’s wrong?” Angela whispered as Chase anchored her more firmly to his left side.
“Clerks don’t usually walk away from customers during the check-in process.” Chase reached for his weapon when he spotted a man who resembled a security guard entering the atrium from the northern section of the hotel. Keeping his eye on the man, Chase nudged Angela and ordered in a harsh undertone, “Take the keys from my pocket and get ready to run. Go directly to the car and start it. If I’m not right behind you, take off without me. Understand?”
She nodded mutely, her face expressing her fear and dismay at the situation.
“Good news, Mr. Rivers,” t
he clerk interrupted their conversation, her bright and cheery tone at odds with the rather somber atmosphere. “We’re running a promotion with American Express right now. If you charge the room to your card, you receive a free upgrade and breakfast at our restaurant. Luckily, we have a junior suite available with a king bed on the third floor here in the atrium. It’s one of our finest rooms. Will that work for you?”
Chase inclined his head in agreement while watching the security guard pass the reception desk and give the clerk a small wave. Although Angela relaxed immediately, he remained coiled like a tight spring, ready to unleash his wrath upon anyone who tried to come between them. A few minutes later, Chase hurried Angela to the glass elevator, key cards in hand.
“What about…?” Angela started to ask when Chase squeezed her shoulder. She winced in pain at the pressure. Chase had forgotten about the stitches.
“Sorry, babe,” he apologized, dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll handle the luggage once you’re secure in the room,” he murmured as the elevator rose smoothly. “I’m not entirely comfortable with what happened there, so I definitely don’t want you out in the open more than necessary.”
Once the doors opened, Chase hauled her out and hurried down the hall to the room. As he swiped the key card and opened the door, Angela grumbled, “For heaven’s sake, we got a free upgrade. What in the world are you complaining about?” Rolling her eyes in exasperation, she sauntered through the living room area into the bedroom, smiling broadly at the plush king size bed with its down comforter and stack of feather pillows. She poked her head into the bathroom, relishing the thought of a long, hot shower. Turning, she spied Chase leaning against the door frame and waved him off. “Well, shoo!” she ordered. “I’m perfectly content to stay here and enjoy the shower while you play porter.”
Clearly amused by her mood swing, he stalked toward her and pulled her flush against his body. “Don’t open the door,” he warned as his hand slid down to cup her butt. Angela smiled as he hardened against her, the thought of her naked and wet in a steaming shower clearly affecting him. Chase nuzzled her neck, alternately nibbling, sucking and kissing his way down to her shoulder. A smile spread across his face as he lifted her and carried her to the bed. After placing a lingering kiss on her lips, he eased back.
“Chase?” Angela asked as he unwound her arms from his neck. He kissed the back of each hand before strolling toward the door.
As he looked over his shoulder, he grinned wickedly. “Just doing as you ordered. You did tell me to shoo.” She groaned and collapsed backwards onto the comforter, enjoying the lingering sound of his laughter as he departed.
Angela remained prone on the bed for a minute before bouncing to her feet. Playful Chase was so much fun. She could certainly get used to him. Her mischievous side woke and she headed for the shower, determined to play with Chase a little upon his return.
Chapter 23
While Angela started the water, Chase bounded down the stairs and wandered the main floor of the hotel, cataloguing the exits. As he passed the reception area, the clerk called him over with a wave. “Oh, Mr. Rivers!” she called out with a flirtatious smile. Chase approached the desk, his face unreadable. “I thought you might like a complimentary copy of our local paper. It’s tomorrow’s edition, hot off the press.” She traced his forearm with her fingertips. “If there’s anything else I can do for you, just let me know.” From the expression on her face, Chase recognized precisely what anything included. Accepting the paper with a singular nod, his face still impassive, he brushed her off. “My wife and I will be sure to contact the front desk if we need anything.” Turning on his heel, he caught a brief glimpse of the woman’s chagrined expression.
The automatic door slid open as he approached, and he glanced down at the paper in his hand. His good mood evaporated when he noticed the picture at the bottom of the front page. After collecting their luggage, Chase stormed back to the room. He heard the shower running and rapped on the bathroom door. “Angela?” he barked, opening the door and entering the steam filled room.
“Geez!” Angela shrieked. She slipped and fell on her butt. Hearing the thud, Chase stepped closer and placed his hand on the curtain just as her head peeked around the corner. “You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he replied sounding anything but as his eyes heated. Angela squeaked as Chase’s gaze remained firmly on the thin white curtain that revealed her silhouette. With an inhuman groan, he finally dragged his eyes upwards to stare at the ceiling. Shaking his head once to remove the image of her wet, naked body from his mind, he asked. “How many times have you visited Cat here?”
Quickly rinsing her body, Angela replied, “A few. Why?”
“Because there’s an article about you in the local paper,” he responded.
Ripping the curtain open, Angela stood before him, dripping wet, her face pale. “What? Why?”
Chase took a step toward her, his eyes scrutinizing every inch of her body before he recovered enough to slap a hand across his eyes. Blindly, he grabbed a thick, white towel from the rack and threw it in her direction. “Cover yourself, or I swear I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
Hearing no movement, Chase peeked through his fingers and noticed Angela biting her lip as she eyed the towel at her feet. He suspected she was considering pressing the point and refusing the towel. Slowly, though, she bent over and picked up the towel from the floor. Chase caught a glimpse of her firm butt and groaned. Angela wrapped the towel around her torso and secured it between her breasts before removing Chase’s hand from his eyes. “What kind of article?” she demanded. “And geez, you’d think you’d never seen a naked woman before!”
“I’ve never seen you naked before,” Chase retorted, placing his hand on the back of her neck and pulling her flush against him. “You have no idea what that does to me.”
Wiggling against him, his hardness pressing firmly against her belly, she grinned. “Oh, I can feel what it does to you.”
“Shit!” Chase stepped back and dragged her from the bathroom. “You keep sidetracking me,” he complained, sounding like an aggrieved little boy. “Get dressed,” he demanded. When she simply stood there, the towel starting to slip, he pleaded, “please” before stomping into the living room area.
Chase could hear her digging through the bag he had dropped on the bed and sighed as he pictured her in the simple white bra and panties he had purchased. Somehow he found her as enticing in plain cotton as other women would be in sheer black lace. He returned his attention to the open doorway and groaned when she appeared wearing only one of his t-shirts. It hit the top of her thighs, leaving plenty of skin exposed. Angela faltered as she stepped through the doorway, and her eyes met Chase’s penetrating gaze. His green eyes smoldered with passion as he scanned her skimpy attire.
They both stood as still as statues for several beats before Chase tore his eyes from her body and stalked to the mini-bar. Grabbing a beer, he popped the cap on the bottle. Taking a long drag of the cold brew, he fought to regain control of his libido. He really shouldn’t drink on the job, but she was driving him crazy.
He threw the newspaper at Angela before sprawling on the couch. “Read that,” he ordered. He knew his body would spring to life again the second she moved or smiled. God help him. He had it bad and he knew it.
Angela slid gracefully into the cocoa colored armchair, tucking her legs under her. Chase adjusted himself as he caught a glimpse of one delicate white thigh.
Angela shrugged as she read the article. “So?” she asked. “I imagine there are articles about the FBI analyst wanted for questioning in the murder of a man in her home in lots of papers.” Angela’s voice was even, but her hands trembled.
Although Chase’s face remained impassive, his eyes lightened as Angela worked to control her emotions. Get it together, soldier. Your mission is to keep her safe. You can’t protect her effectively if you get too close. Unfortunately, his heart chose to ignore his head’
s advice, and he moved toward her instinctively. Brushing her disheveled curls away from her face, he perused her sapphire eyes, seeking some sign that she too felt the heat building between them. When she leaned into him, he placed a light kiss on her petal pink mouth.
“Get some rest,” he commanded, his voice strained. “We’ll check out your friend’s neighborhood first thing in the morning.”
Angel on Fire Page 14
