On His Watch

by Susanne Matthews

  He handed her a glass of wine and a serape to cover herself. He didn’t want her catching cold.

  “Thanks. Yes. She and the puppy are comfortably tucked in the bed. I won’t be able to get that dog to sleep anywhere else from now on, but it doesn’t matter. He comforts her, and with everything that’s happened, she’s entitled.”

  She stared into the fire. There was a deep sadness on her face, and he’d do anything to see her smile again. He led her over to the padded love seat and sat beside her, putting his arm around her. He definitely cared more deeply for this woman than he’d ever expected to.

  “This wasn’t the kind of homecoming I’d anticipated. I’d hoped you’d be happy to be home again.”

  She reached up and touched his cheek. Her eyes shone with unshed tears.

  “I am, Jason, I am. Can’t you see that this is the very best thing that could ever have happened? I’m sad, but I’m also relieved. I remember my son and my pregnancy. I loved him so much and I wanted that baby.”

  She lifted the glass of wine to her lips, drank, and continued to stare into the fire for a few moments.

  “It was the most incredible thing. The room shifted, and I saw him. He spoke to me and he was happy. Suddenly, it was as if the floodgates opened, and all sorts of memories of him and Mandy filled me. I don’t remember everything, but I recall enough to know I loved him, and he loved me.”

  Tears flowed down her cheeks.

  “He was crazy about baseball. Now that I remember him, it’s as if he’s still a part of me. He exists in my heart, and as long as he’s there, he’s real. I’m glad I made those plans to have his ashes exhumed and sent here. I want to visit his grave and talk to him. I have my son back. Thank you for bringing me, us, home.”

  He pulled her closer to him and held her, letting tears of shame run down his cheeks.

  • • •

  Nikki’s sobs woke him. He frowned. She hadn’t had a nightmare in the last two weeks, but today had been an emotional one. He sat up, reached across the bed, and turned on the bedside lamp. Her weeping tore him apart.

  He got up, padded down the hall, and realized she was caught once more in the nightmares that had plagued her in Colorado.

  She’d thrown off the covers. Her body, barely covered by a white lace teddy and the briefest of bikini panties, was bathed in perspiration, and she kept shaking her head from side to side. She mumbled unintelligible words, and tears poured down her cheeks. He sat on the bed and lifted her into his arms.

  “Wake up, Nikki. It’s just a bad dream. Come on, honey. Come back to me.”

  He felt her stiffen and then relax in his arms. The dream released her, but she continued to cry.

  “It’s over. You’ll be okay now.”

  He didn’t want to leave her, but it would be almost impossible to lie down and hold her tonight. Dressed the way she was, he’d have to really be an angel to keep from taking what his body craved so painfully.

  “Don’t leave me,” she begged. “Please don’t leave me.”

  He couldn’t deny her, even though holding her would be agony.

  “I won’t.”

  He stretched out on the bed beside her and pulled her spoon-like to him the way he often had. His body betrayed his need for her, and he hoped she wouldn’t notice.

  She turned over in his arms and faced him.

  “Make love to me, Jason. Make love to me and chase the monsters away once and for all.”

  The pleading in her voice tore at him.

  “You don’t know what you’re asking. Believe me, I want to, but once we do, everything changes. There are things you need to know . . ."

  “I don’t care about them. Make love to me.” Her voice was soft and determined. She lifted her hand and touched the side of his face, pulling him down to her.

  His lips touched her cheek and tasted the salt of her tears. His mouth moved to hers, and she responded so strongly he was lost. Whatever good intentions he’d had were gone, buried under need and desire. He could no more deny himself this than he could stop breathing.

  “I won’t be able to let you go, Nikki.” Having her once would never be enough.

  He rained kisses along the side of her face and down her throat. He nuzzled her ear, licked at the throbbing pulse in her neck, and kissed his way to the edge of the teddy. As he explored her throat with his mouth, his hand moved over her body slowly, softly, imprinting the texture of every inch of her in his memory. He’d fantasized being with her this way, but not even his wildest dream came close to the wonder of reality.

  Her skin was damp and hot, silky smooth, flawed only by the minor scars left from the surgeries. His senses reveled in the moment. Her body seemed to flare hotter as his hand caressed her. She smelled of vanilla and lavender.

  Her breathing was heavy as her arousal increased, and the sound excited him. He shifted his position and removed her scraps of lace and his pajama bottoms, wanting to touch all of her with all of him. He lay on his side, admiring the faint glow of her alabaster skin in the dim light from the bathroom. He’d never seen a more magnificent woman in his life.

  She was small and delicate, but everything about her was proportioned. She might be an artist, but she was a work of art herself. Had Botticelli seen her, he’d have known he’d found his Venus.

  He cupped first one and then the other of her flawless breasts, teasing the nipples erect. His mouth closed over the tender buds, and he laved them. He felt her shudder at his ministrations, and soft moans of pleasure escaped her. He moved his mouth lower, and her breath came in shallow pants. He kissed the tender flesh of her tight abdomen. He moved his hand to the apex of her thighs, felt the moisture there, and knew she was ready for him. As much as he wanted to pleasure her and drive her to climax, he couldn’t wait a second longer.

  He rose on his knees above her, careful to keep his weight off her delicate body, and eased himself into her, joining their bodies together. For the first time in his life, he felt complete. With each thrust, he felt the primal rhythm of life flowing through him. He drove them higher, and when he felt her climax grip her, he cried out her name and joined her.

  Exhausted, he rolled off her, and pulled her close to him. His heart pounded out a staccato in rhythm with hers. With his hand, he pulled the blankets up over them, and together they fell into a deep sleep. He knew he’d never be able to let her go. He only hoped she felt the same way.

  • • •

  Nikki awoke, stretched, as contented as a cat, and reached out for Jason, only to find she was alone in the bed. Disappointment filled her. Making love had been the most incredible experience. She knew, regardless of her incomplete memories, she’d never felt that way before. She sighed. This was what it felt like to be well loved. She looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was barely after six, and yet despite the night’s activity, she felt energized.

  She got up, went into the bathroom, and turned on the shower, allowing the water to invigorate her. When the shower door opened and Jason entered, she smiled. Last night, she’d barely glimpsed the magnificent body she’d explored with her hands and mouth.

  She blushed, thinking of the liberties they’d taken with one another. He had a dusting of golden hair across his chest, and the only marks on him were two scars—one on his left shoulder, the other under his right arm. His was the body of an athlete with rock-hard abs and muscles that rippled down his arms and legs. He was overwhelmingly sexy with a narrow waist, lean hips, and long, muscular thighs.

  Her eyes were drawn to his magnificent erection, and she wanted him again just as much as she’d wanted him last night.

  “I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed.” He pulled her slick, wet body next to his and kissed her. “But I see it’ll have to wait. I have more pressing things to do.”

  She laughed at the teasing in his voice. “Oh yeah? And what might that be?”

  He smiled wickedly and raised his eyebrows. “Why, Ms. Longtain, you need your back w
ashed, and I’m just the man to do it.”

  Hearing him call her by her rightful name thrilled her. The paperwork would arrive in the next week or two. She’d changed Mandy’s name, too. She wanted no reminders of either Thomas Lincoln or Sam Hart.

  “Why, Agent Spark, I’d be honored to have you wash my back and anything else you think might need cleaning.”

  “That’s an invitation I’m not going to turn down.”

  The feel of his soap-covered hands on her body was the most erotic sensation she’d ever imagined. He stood behind her, his erection smooth against her back, and rubbed circles on her breasts. The nipples hardened to the point of discomfort, begging for his touch.

  His hand moved lower, his fingers filling her, and within moments she climaxed hard, flying apart in a shower of stars, calling his name in her ecstasy. When he slipped into her molten core, she convulsed around him again and rode the wild and wonderful waves of heat that surrounded her. She felt him explode within her, crying out her name in his release as he’d done last night. If he hadn’t been holding her, she’d have fallen, weak from the wonder and beauty of his lovemaking. She leaned back against his chest and panted.

  They stood slumped together against the wall, letting the water massage their sated bodies. Recovering first, Jason turned off the water and opened the door. He dried off quickly, turned, and wrapped her lovingly in her robe.

  He picked her up and carried her back to bed where a carafe of coffee sat on a tray beside two cups. He stood her up and poured coffee into her cup, added cream and sugar, and handed it to her.

  “Happy Thanksgiving, Nikki,” he said. “This year I really have something to be grateful for.”

  She put down the coffee cup and reached for him. “As do I.”

  By the time they got back to the coffee, it was cold.

  Chapter Twenty

  “I am so stuffed,” Nikki said, “I won’t be able to eat for a week. Pam’s a fantastic cook, and she made me feel so welcomed.”

  “I know what you mean,” added Jason, checking in the rearview mirror to see if Mandy was still awake. She had her headphones on watching a movie. The drive out to Rick’s ranch was a half-hour long, an eternity in Mandy’s eyes. “My sister-in-law’s a great woman. Rick’s lucky she waited around for him to make up his mind. I think she finally convinced him to propose by suggesting she’d move away and take her baking with her. I had two pieces of sweet potato pie.”

  “Mandy did too, but I think she ate the marshmallow topping and fed the rest to Danny. Let’s hope he doesn’t get sick.”

  “That goes double for me. There are a lot of things I can handle, sick puppies aren’t among them.”

  She laughed. “A big, tough FBI man like you, taken down by a little doggy spit-up? This I got to see.”

  “It’s not a pretty sight.”

  For the first time in his life, he should be content. He’d heard from Ivan, and they’d tracked The Butcher’s last contract payment to a bank in the Cayman Islands—the same bank that handled all of Scarletti’s money, including those assets in his daughter’s name. There was no question Carlotta was the employer. It was just a matter of time before they’d find her. Nikki and Mandy were safe, and he had the family he’d wanted and the woman he loved. What more could a man ask? Getting rid of a guilty conscience, perhaps?

  He changed the topic. “Have you given any thought to Christmas? It’s just around the corner.”

  “Actually, I have.” She sighed. “It’s funny, but somehow I pictured us in Colorado for the holidays. I imagined this big pine tree and snow.”

  “I didn’t think you’d ever want to go back there. I was considering putting it back on the market. I’d planned to retire there, but . . .”

  “I love that house. Please don’t sell it, unless you sell it to me. I want to go back, maybe learn to ski. I’d like to paint Flagstaff Mountain.” She spoke softly. “There are no bad memories there for me. I’ll remember seeing Cassie give birth to Nick, and you saving my life again. Mandy wants to go back, too.”

  Nikki looked over her shoulder, no doubt checking to see what Mandy was doing, then leaned closer to him. “I’m thinking of getting Mandy a pony for Christmas,” she whispered. “She certainly enjoyed being around horses at the ranch today.”

  “She’s got a good seat, too. I’ll talk to Rick. I’m sure he’ll know where we can get her a horse. He’ll probably offer to board it for you for cost. Pam’s planning to open a riding school in the spring. Nikki could be one of her first pupils. Pam won lots of riding awards in her younger days.”

  “That sounds great. If she’s going to learn to ride, she should have lessons. I think I ride, but I won’t know until I get on a horse. I know I like them.”

  He chuckled. “Then, the next weekend we get mild weather, I’ll take you back and we’ll see. Now, if you’re serious about Colorado, let’s do it. The repairs are finished. The only catch is Mandy gets to pick a new room for herself—upstairs. We can go out and cut our own tree. Make our first Christmas together special.”

  “You’re on, but I’m going to have to work off some of this food tomorrow or none of my winter clothes will fit.”

  “I can think of a few ways we can burn off the calories when we get home.”

  “You want to have another paddle boat race? I’ll beat the pants off you,” Nikki teased.

  “Well, having my pants off was part of my thinking, but not the paddle boats. By the way, remind me to call Junior down at the lumberyard and see if he knows someone who can fix the boathouse door. I can’t imagine why your husband, as persnickety as he was, didn’t get it fixed.”

  “You make him sound like a fussy, old lady when I’m discovering he was a cruel and spiteful man.”

  “Well, whatever he was, he was an idiot if he hung that door.”

  Jason slowed the car as the light turned red. Nikki looked around.

  “Damn, I meant to get milk. Can we stop at Ed’s Convenience store? It’s still open.”

  “Not a problem.” Jason answered as calmly as he could. His heart was in overdrive. He hadn’t been in the store since that night.

  The light turned green and he signaled before pulling into the parking lot. When he turned off the engine, Mandy looked up.

  “Can I get a candy bar?”

  “As long as you promise to save it for tomorrow and share it with Lily,” Nikki said.

  “I will.” Mandy unbuckled herself and waited for Jason to help her out of her car seat.

  “Danny has to stay in the car, honey. The sign says no dogs allowed.”

  “Okay, Mommy.” Mandy spoke to the sleepy dog, who didn’t seem to mind being left behind this time and ran ahead to the door.

  “You do realize she’s going to pick out the largest candy bar in the store, don’t you? It’s what I’d do.”

  Nikki laughed. “Let’s hope she’s not as devious as you are.”

  The bell attached to the door tinkled. The television above the counter was tuned into the football game.

  The lanky youth behind the desk looked up and smiled.

  “Well, hello. Long time no see, Mr. FBI man. You haven’t been in since you stopped in for beer the night of the big massacre. I thought you’d gone back east. You must have got that call just as you left. You turned on the siren. It took you what, five minutes to get there? You saved the kid’s life. Hey, that’s her isn’t it,” he pointed to Mandy. “Glad you’re back. I feel safer with you in town although I did read they got the guy in Colorado.”

  “Good news travels fast.” Jason prayed Nikki hadn’t heard what the clerk had said. Mandy put the candy bar she’d chosen on the counter.

  He turned and Nikki stood behind him, her complexion as white as the milk in the jug she carried. Her hand trembled as she placed the jug on the counter. His heart plummeted. She’d heard. She’d heard every last word.

  He paid for the items and hurried after her to the car.

  “Nikki, I can explain . .
.”

  She lowered her voice. “Not now. You will explain everything as soon as she’s asleep. Take me home.” It wasn’t a request.

  • • •

  Jason sat on the recliner in the sunroom waiting for Nikki to come downstairs. He cursed fate for sending him into that store tonight. Why hadn’t he waited in the car with the dog? The kid wouldn’t have recognized Mandy or Nikki. Now, because he’d gone inside, the secret he’d kept hidden all these weeks was exposed, and he was seeing his future go up in flames.

  He heard her footsteps on the stairs. She went into the kitchen. The sound of the cork popping was loud in the silence. She entered the sunroom carrying two glasses of red wine and handed him one before sitting on the new sofa.

  “I want the truth, Jason. When did you get the 911 call? I may not remember that night, but I’ve pieced together enough to know I made the call well before I was beaten. If you were at Ed’s when you got it, five minutes away—I timed you—what took you so long to get here?” Her words were slow and measured, and she held onto her emotions by the thinnest thread.

  He stood, took a mouthful of the wine that tasted like vinegar to him, and set the glass on the table. He paced, clenching and unclenching his fists. Finally, he stopped moving and knelt down in front of her.

  “You’re going to hate me after you hear this. It’s the reason I didn’t tell you in the first place. Truth is, I was at Rick’s old place on the other side of town watching the football game when Molly called me about your 911 call.”

  She gasped. “And you stopped for beer on the way?”

  He reached out to touch her but pulled back at the last second. The last thing she’d want was his touch now.

  “Nikki, it wasn’t like that. I thought it was a butt dial. Rick had answered several of them since I’d been here. Bad things never happened in Larosa. I thought maybe your son was playing video games or something. I got the information from Molly, went and cleaned up a bit, and got my gun. I left the house and stopped at the red light—the same damn red light we got tonight. I saw the store and knew I’d finished off most of Rick’s beer, so I got a six-pack and some gum. When I got back in the car, I realized it had been almost twenty minutes since Molly had called.”