“There’s never been anything dangerous about the apples,” she reassured him. Still she held her breath when he flipped the box open. Nothing.
He scooped an apple out, and it bounced onto the table, then rolled off the edge to land on the floor. “Have you ever had the apples tested for drugs?”
“The first time, yes. They were normal.” She watched a second and third apple plummet to the floor. “They’re just meant to be a threat to my peace of mind. It’s a psychological game.”
“Yeah.” J.L. flipped the rest of the apples out of the box with his spatula. “But criminal behavior can escalate over time, when the creeps need a bigger thrill.”
“So far he hasn’t shown a desire to hurt me.” Olivia approached the kitchen table. “He just wants to manipulate me and keep a connection between us.”
“Because you two are destined to be together forever,” J.L. repeated what Otis had told his mother. “If he ever realizes you’re not agreeable to that plan, he’ll turn on you in a second.”
“I know.”
With the spatula, J.L. dug around in the green plastic grass that had cushioned the apples. “It seems all right, but we should still take this to Forensics and see if they can lift any prints off it. The creep obviously wanted to scare you by putting it inside your apartment, but it may have been a big mistake for him to deliver it himself.”
“I think he must be watching the apartment. He knew when I had left.”
“Good point.” J.L. tapped the spatula on the tabletop while he considered. “Let’s see if he’ll come back.”
Olivia and J.L. made a show of leaving the apartment, locking the front door, and driving off in his car. Then, a few blocks away, Olivia exited the car and J.L. proceeded to a nearby hardware store to buy a new lock.
She jogged back and hid behind a Dumpster to watch the apartment. No one approached. She sighed. It could be that the accomplice’s job was done and he’d left.
J.L. returned and installed the new lock while she finally put away the groceries she’d bought earlier. Wearing latex gloves, she returned the apples to the box and wrapped it up in a trash bag. They took it to the forensics department, then picked up a pizza on the way back. Even with the new lock, J.L. refused to leave Olivia on her own.
They sat on the love seat, eating pizza and discussing options. As the sun went down, Olivia finally decided on a course of action, but J.L. didn’t approve because it required a trip to Leavenworth to see Otis. He finally relented when she agreed to let him accompany her.
“You realize you’re doing exactly what he wants you to do,” J.L. warned her as he jammed the last bite of pizza into his mouth. “He sends the damned apples to lure you in.”
“I can’t threaten him without seeing him,” Olivia said. She jumped when a knock sounded on the door.
“Expecting anyone?” J.L. strode to the door while he unsnapped the shoulder holster containing his sidearm.
“No.” Olivia grabbed a napkin to wipe the pizza grease off her fingers, then rushed to the console where she’d left her weapon.
J.L. peered through the peephole in the door. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What? Who is it?” She envisioned a UPS man with fifty boxes of apples. Or maybe Otis’s enraged brother with a shotgun. She aimed her weapon at the door.
J.L. gave her a wry look. “Is that any way to treat your boyfriend?”
She blinked. “My what?”
He grinned. “Robby MacKay is on your front porch.”
CHAPTER 17
Right after hearing the message Olivia left on his phone, Robby made arrangements for Phineas and Connor to take over at Romatech. Then he teleported to the shadowy, overgrown area next to the parking lot. Now, on the front porch of her second floor apartment, he could hear her and a man talking inside. His heart sped up at the sound of her voice.
The door opened and a tall Asian American greeted him with a wary look. “You must be Robby.”
Robby shook hands with him. “Ye must be J.L.”
“Robby!” Olivia grinned at him.
“Olivia.” He strode into the apartment and pulled her into his arms. His heart swelled with joy when she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight.
He enveloped her, burying his face in her hair, breathing her sweet scent. She felt so right in his arms. In his life. What a fool he’d been over the last few months, courting her from afar. Now that he had her in his arms again, he never wanted to let her go.
“Whoa! Is that a sword on your back?” J.L. asked.
Robby lifted his face from Olivia’s curls. “Aye. I brought it for protection.”
Olivia leaned back in his arms. “I guess you got the message I left? You must have caught the next available flight.”
Robby knew she would assume he’d flown there. “I came as quickly as I could. How is everything?”
“You traveled with a sword?” J.L. asked, still eyeing the scabbard on Robby’s back. “What kind of sword is that?”
“A claymore.” Robby slipped the halter off his shoulders. He’d dressed in a black T-shirt and black jeans, to be less noticeable teleporting in. He offered the scabbard to J.L. “Would ye like to see it?”
“Whoa! It’s heavy.” J.L. unsheathed the sword. “Sweet! This is massive!”
“Are ye all right?” Robby turned back to Olivia and touched her face. “I was worried about you.”
“I’m fine. J.L. changed the lock.” She motioned toward the front door. “I should be safe here now.”
Robby shook his head. “There are ways to get past a locked door. Where are the apples?” He glanced about the room. The kitchen table was bare, and an empty pizza box lay open on the coffee table.
“We took the box to Forensics.” Olivia winced when J.L. swiped the sword through the air. “Careful with that! You nearly slaughtered the ceiling fan.”
“This is so awesome!” J.L. made a jab at an imaginary opponent. “I’ve got a Chinese sword and a samurai at home, but they’re not nearly as big as this.”
“Ye know how to fence?” Robby asked.
“Sure.” J.L. ran a hand along the flat of the blade. “I took fencing in college, but there’s not much demand for it at the Bureau.”
Olivia snorted. “They have this bizarre notion that guns might be more effective.”
J.L. rolled his eyes. “A sword like this is a piece of art.” He sheathed the sword and lay the scabbard on the table.
“I’ll be happy to spar with you sometime,” Robby said. “I could loan you a claymore.”
“You’re on.” J.L. motioned for Robby to join him at the table. “Dude, if you hurt Olivia, it’ll be more than a sparring match.”
She huffed. “I heard that. I don’t need big male protectors who like to play Conan the Barbarian.”
Robby smiled at her. “Even so, ye have two.” He rested a hand on J.L.’s shoulder. “I appreciate everything ye’re doing for Olivia. Ye’re a loyal friend.”
J.L. blushed. “Well, I meant what I said. You hurt her, and I’m coming after you.”
She groaned. “I can take care of myself.”
“I would never want to hurt her,” Robby confessed quietly as he looked at her. “I love her.”
She drew in a sharp breath and her eyes misted. “Oh, Robby,” she whispered.
“Okay.” J.L. grabbed his jacket off the kitchen chair. “I can tell when three’s a crowd.”
Olivia dashed over to hug him. “Thank you so much for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“If you need me, call,” he whispered. He glanced at Robby. “I wasn’t going to leave her alone tonight.”
“I’m staying,” Robby announced. “But I need to leave shortly before dawn.”
“You have to go back to New York?” Olivia asked.
He nodded. “They’re expecting me.” She would assume he was catching an early morning flight. He hated misleading her, but didn’t think this was a good time to
reveal his secret. She’d been through enough stress and turmoil today.
“Liv, I’ll check on you tomorrow morning.” J.L. fished his keys out of his jacket pocket as he headed for the door. “Good to meet you, Robby.”
Olivia gave J.L. another hug before he left, then locked the door. She turned to face Robby. “Well?”
Alone at last. His fingers curled with a sudden desire to grab hold of her. Her gaze wandered over him, and he could hear her heart rate speeding up. The apartment seemed suddenly smaller and warmer, as if a hot, humid cloud of desire had descended on them. His own heart rate increased, even though he tried to stay calm. He didn’t want his eyes to start glowing.
Think about something else, something not sexy. “I forgot how beautiful ye are.” No, that didn’t help.
She smiled. “I thought the same thing when I saw you in those wedding pictures.” Her cheeks flushed. “You looked very handsome in your kilt.”
She was taking on a pinkish tint, and he didn’t think it was all due to her blush. He glanced down and rubbed his eyes.
“Are you tired from your flight? I can’t believe you came all this way. It was so sweet.” She rushed to the coffee table and folded the empty pizza box. “Sorry about the mess.”
“’Tis all right.”
She scurried into the kitchen with the box. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
She came out of the kitchen with two glasses of ice water. “Pizza makes me so thirsty.” She set the glasses on coasters on the coffee table. “Are you sure you’re not hungry? I’ve got chips and ice cream and—”
“I’m fine. But if ye wish to eat, please go ahead.”
“I’m full.” She clutched her hands together. “I’m just…nervous. It’s been so long since we were in the same room together.”
“I shouldna have stayed away so long.”
“It’s all right.” She perched on the green love seat. “I’ve really enjoyed our talks. I feel like I got to know you a lot better, and that’s important. If we had met in person, we might not have…talked so much.”
No, he would have been making love to her. “That is true.”
Her cheeks bloomed a brighter pink. “I’d forgotten how strong the…chemistry is.”
Chemistry? “Is that a nice word for wanting to throw you on a bed and rip yer clothes off?”
She drew in a sharp breath. “I suppose.”
He sat beside her. “Do ye remember our last night together?”
“Yes!” She jumped to her feet and strode to the door to check the lock. “It was very sweet of you to come tonight.”
“I dinna feel verra sweet when I heard yer message. Ye were so upset.”
“The box was in my house. I felt violated. And the creep took a pair of my underwear for a souvenir. Can you believe it?”
Unfortunately, he could. He still had a pair of her underwear stashed under his pillow at Romatech. “The bastard,” he muttered. “Would ye like me to speak to Otis for you? I could convince him to leave you alone.”
“How?”
Vampire mind control. “I can be verra convincing.” Though the mission would require a lot of planning, since he’d have to erase security tapes and the guards’ memories.
“I appreciate that, but I have my own plan.” She paced across the room. “I’m going to see him Monday.”
Robby winced. “I’m no’ sure that’s a good idea. I investigated the man, and he’s verra dangerous. I could take you away, if ye like, and hide you someplace he would never find you.”
“I’m not running away. I did that before when my supervisor insisted on it, but it didn’t work. And I’m not going to spend the rest of my life in hiding. I’m confronting him Monday. My mind’s made up.”
“And how are ye planning to make him stop harassing you?”
She explained her plan as she continued to pace. “Don’t worry. J.L. is coming with me.”
Robby frowned. “I’m glad ye have such a loyal friend, but it vexes me that he’s here for you, and I’m no’.”
“You’re here now.” She sat beside him once again. “And that means a lot to me.” She touched his cheek.
He took her hand and kissed the pad of each finger. “Ye’ve changed me, Olivia. I’ve seen people the last few months, people who aided and abetted the man who tortured me. Before, I would have wanted to kill them.”
“And now?”
He kissed the palm of her hand. “Now I realize they were victims, too. I want a second chance in my life, and I know ’tis wrong to deny others that same chance.”
“What do you want your second life to be like?”
He smiled. “Ever the therapist. I want it to be full of joy and laughter.” He smoothed a hand across her cheek. “I want it to be with you.”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes as he leaned closer. He pressed his mouth lightly against hers.
“Yes,” she whispered again.
Her eyes popped open when he scooped her up and set her in his lap. He scooted to the center of the love seat.
“What are you—this can’t be very comfortable for you.” She squirmed in an attempt to get up, but he held tight as her wiggling rump incited a delicious agony in his groin.
He moaned.
“I knew it. I’m too heavy for—”
He cut her off with a kiss. Not a gentle peck this time, but a thorough, demanding kiss. For a second she stiffened, then she melted, becoming limp in his arms.
He invaded her mouth, exploring and tasting. His first taste of pizza. So much more spicy and flavorful than the steady blood diet he’d consumed since 1746.
She broke away from the kiss, gasped for air, then kissed him again. Evidently the limp phase had passed. She was now more aggressive, digging her fingers into his hair to pull him closer. She invaded his mouth and stroked his tongue. Her boldness made his groin swell and his heart pound with sudden urgency.
He’d waited too long for this. He slipped his hands under her T-shirt. Her skin was warm and smooth, and her back arched when he pressed against the sweet curve of her spine. He found her bra strap and unhooked it.
She continued to kiss him as he slipped his hands underneath her loose bra. The bottom curves of her breasts were so soft and full. When he palmed one of her breasts and squeezed, she gasped, breaking the kiss. Her breath puffed softly against his cheek as he drew circles around her nipple. The tip hardened, and he rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger.
She moaned, her head falling back. Her neck was exposed, the carotid artery throbbing. He nuzzled his face against her neck, inhaling the scent of her blood. Thank God he’d drank two bottles of synthetic blood before coming. He could resist the temptation of feeding, but the scent of her blood and the throbbing of her veins added to his sexual hunger.
He dragged his tongue along her carotid artery, knowing his saliva would heighten her sensitivity. She shuddered.
“Please,” she breathed.
“I will please you,” he whispered in her ear, then tickled it with his tongue. “All night long.”
“Yes.” She reached for the hem of her T-shirt.
“Let me help you.” He pulled the T-shirt over her head and tossed it onto the coffee table.
She slipped off the bra and threw it on the floor.
He paused a moment to look at her breasts. The nipples pebbled and darkened before his eyes. “Lord Almighty,” he whispered. “Ye’re so beautiful.”
Her eyes glimmered with tears. “Robby, I’m in love with you.”
“Olivia.” He kissed her briefly. “Sweetheart, I love you, too.”
“Will you make love to me?”
“I thought I was.” He brushed a thumb over her hardened nipple.
She drew in a sharp breath. “It feels so good. I can’t think when you’re—” She groaned when he took her nipple into his mouth.
“Robby.” She sounded breathless. “We…we should talk before—” She sh
uddered when he flicked his tongue.
He suckled her and teased her relentlessly. He didn’t want to talk, dammit. He knew he should tell her he was a vampire before making love to her, but if he told her, there wouldn’t be any lovemaking.
He released her nipple and smiled grimly at the distended bloodred tip.
“Robby, wait a minute.” She gasped when he took her other nipple into his mouth. “I–I should tell you I’m on the pill. I started it at Quantico when all the exercise was messing up my period, and I wanted to be regular.”
“Hmm.” He continued to suckle.
“I just thought you should know that I have about a two percent chance of getting pregnant.”
More like zero percent on account of his dead sperm. “I understand.” He blew on her wet nipple.
She shivered. “But I do want to have children someday.”
“So do I.” He unfastened the top button of her blue jeans.
“Wait. I have to know if you have any diseases.”
He paused with his hand on the zipper. “Diseases?”
“Sexually transmitted ones. I can’t continue with this unless I know you’re…healthy.”
“I’m verra healthy.” Except for the part about being dead during the day.
She bit her lip. “We’d better use a condom just to be safe.”
She thought he had the pox? He stiffened with indignation. “I havena been sleeping with prostitutes.”
“You can get a STD almost anywhere. To be perfectly safe, it’s best to require a medical report prior to engaging in certain activities.”
He blinked. Since when had lovemaking become a business transaction? “I can e-mail you a report tomorrow.”
“Oh. Okay.” She frowned. “I guess I can trust you.”
“Thank you. That’s verra kind of you. And while we’re completely destroying the romantic mood, how do I know if ye’re healthy? Do ye keep yer medical report in yer bedside table so ye can whip it out at the appropriate time?”
“No, of course not.”
He arched a brow. “I guess I’ll have to trust you.”
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