Checkmate

by Kris Norris

  “I doubt I’ll have that effect on her today. I don’t think she’s very pleased with me. My departure was rather abrupt this morning, and I don’t think she liked being told what to do.”

  “I don’t know why she gets so upset over that. It’s not like she listens anyway.” Trace motioned down the hall. “Is it okay to go do some work in the office? We’ve neglected the business long enough.”

  “Sure. I’ll get Agent Paterson to hang around until Mitchell finishes beautifying himself.”

  “Tell him to meet me in the office.” Trace headed down the hall toward another room.

  Dawson stepped out onto the porch, squinting at the bright light. The rain had given way to sun, but the clouds were already building again in the distance. He shielded his eyes against the glare, motioning to the man off to his left. Agent Paterson approached him, nodded his head and walked inside. Dawson sighed and walked over to Kendall. Her body was strung tight, the tension bunching the lean muscles in her shoulders. She was staring at the hills, the small mark he’d left on her shoulder peeking out from beneath her sweater.

  He groaned, remembering how close he’d come to loving her. He could still remember the flutter of her stomach as he’d inched his way down her body, stopping at the silky line of her panties. Her scent had been strong and sweet, the juices soaking through the fabric between her legs. She’d arched into him, and he’d had to bite his lip to stop from creaming the bed when her husky little moan had rumbled through his chest. He’d just taken the band in his mouth, feeling her hips press up in response, when his cell phone had rung, dragging him away from her. It’d killed him having to leave, and he couldn’t help but worry if he’d missed the only opportunity they were going to have to take their relationship to the next level.

  Relationship?

  He sighed. He’d never been good at relationships, never tearing himself away from the job long enough to make it work. But that’s not how he felt about Kendall. He wanted to be around her, needed to. He’d come to realize she’d never been just a client to him. He’d always seen her as more. And denying his feelings was just prolonging the inevitable. Sooner or later he’d have to tell her how he felt, not just the physical part. He needed her to know she was more to him than a hot body to occupy his bed. He’d fallen in love with her, and he needed her love in return.

  Dawson smiled at the cute pout pursing her lips as he stopped at her side, caressing her shoulder with his fingers. She shivered, and his smile widened. “I see you’ve taken up sulking again. I thought we were over that?”

  Kendall shrugged, not yet meeting his gaze. “We need to talk.”

  “Okay.” He sat down. “What’s up?”

  She looked at the men standing around the deck. “Not here.” She stood up and headed back inside, winding her way to the study.

  Dawson followed, his curiosity rising. He paused at the door as she sat down at the couch, motioning for him to join her. “Should I be worried?” he teased, sitting down beside her. Her expression never changed, and the look in her eyes sent a cold chill down his spine. “Kendall, are you okay?” He reached out, touching her on the shoulder. She was trembling.

  “I’ve been thinking. This person Garrick has working for him. It’s someone I know, isn’t it?” She looked into his eyes. “Or someone involved in this investigation. That’s how Garrick knew.”

  “How he knew what?”

  “About the engagement being broken. That’s how he knew.”

  Dawson looked at her. She’d lost him the minute she’d started talking. “You’re not making any sense. Could we start somewhere closer to the beginning?”

  “Remember in the hospital, I told you Garrick said things to me. That he knew things?”

  “You mean when you were alone with him. I remember.”

  “I need to tell you what he said. I think it might be important.” She turned and touched his hand. “Are you okay with that?”

  He squeezed her fingers. “It might make me want to kill him even more, but I can handle it, if you’re comfortable telling me. You cried for a long time the last time you tried.”

  “I might again.” She smiled and took a deep breath. “After you left,” she started, “and he took the knife out of my back, he slammed me up against the wall. He told me he’d waited a long time for this day, and that he was surprised I’d kept my promise. I told him I would and asked him not to be so rough. He laughed and said he owed me something. That’s when he hit me, the first time anyway.” She stopped, rubbing her cheek. “I’ve never been hit like that before. Knocked me clear across the room.”

  Dawson bowed his head. He was going to kill the son of a bitch. And it wasn’t going to be fast. “Kendall, you don’t have…”

  “It’s okay. I need to.” She took another deep breath. “Anyway, while I was lying on the floor, he walked over to me, all smug. He said he’d told me not to involve the Feds, and that I’d lied to him. Every time I’d talked about you I was lying to him. Then he asked me if I thought he wouldn’t figure it out. That he wouldn’t find out who you were, and that I’d broken the engagement. He also knew I’d taken quite a liking to you.” She turned to look in his eyes. “I didn’t tell anyone about Conner, not Trace, not anyone. Not until that morning in the kitchen when you asked.” She paused again, her chin quivering. “And then I told Jody and Logan outside a few days later. How did he find out?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Jody or Logan told some friends by accident. They didn’t know I was posing as you fiancé. Or maybe he was lying when he said he didn’t know Conner’s identity. There’re lots of possibilities.”

  Kendall shook her head. “He was fooled by the photograph, he said so. He had to have found out after. And how did he know about my feelings for you?”

  “That’s easy. I’m irresistible. It’s on my file.” He smiled at her.

  “Who am I supposed to trust? How do I know who’s lying to me?”

  Dawson put his arm around her shoulder. “I’d like to hope you trust me. But I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”

  She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I trust you. I’d like to trust my friends too, but…”

  “No buts. Not everyone is out to deceive you. I’ve done checks on everyone, and they came back clear. Now why don’t you leave the spy stuff to me and try to relax.” He stood up holding out his hand. “Come on. I heard you cooked again, and despite your brother’s warning, I’m up for the challenge.”

  She accepted his hand, smiling as he pulled her into an embrace. Her body was hot, like this morning, and he longed to feel it naked against his. But she’d raised the walls again, and he knew it’d be a while before she let her guard down. He cursed, reminding himself the information had been worth it, though his body—or should he say his cock—and heart didn’t seem to agree. He was still hard, and he doubted relief was coming his way any time soon.

  “I need to ask you a favor,” she said, rubbing her hips across his erection, smiling at the moan that rumbled from his chest.

  “What’s that?” he asked, taking the opportunity to caress the curve of her ass. Damn she was intoxicating, and it took all his strength to focus on her face and not the way her cheek fit perfectly in his hand. She smiled at him, but he noticed it didn’t quite touch her eyes. She was scared. He sighed and eased his hand up to her hip.

  “You’re not going to like it, but I want you to wait until the end before you yell, okay?”

  He chuckled, warmed by how well they knew each other already, even if she had distanced herself again. Maybe, if he could just be patient… “Okay. But I tend to be more reasonable when I’m not hungry.”

  “Fine. Then I’ll make you breakfast before I say another word.” She pulled out of his arms, pushed him aside and headed back to the kitchen.

  * * * *

  “No,” said Dawson

  “You said you’d be more reasonable if I fed you,” protested Kendall.

  “Reasonable yes, stupid no. And agr
eeing to that would be the latter.”

  “You’re not even giving me a chance to explain why!”

  “No, because ‘why’ won’t change my mind.” Dawson swallowed another bite of his omelet. “Jesus, Kendall, every time I think you’re finally going to make my life easier you throw something like this at me. I can’t keep up.”

  “It’s not like I’m asking you to let us tour the country. It’s a friend’s place for God’s sake. And it’s only for a few days.”

  “I have ten agents watching this place, and still Garrick managed to breach my security. Yet, you want me to let you go off to some cabin in the middle of no where without so much as an alarm system.”

  “Logan said you and Mitchell could come along, if you wanted to.”

  “Gee, two of us. That makes all the difference.”

  “You don’t need to get sarcastic. Besides, I thought you wanted us to disappear from here for a while?”

  “To go to a safe house run by the Bureau, not some shack in the woods.”

  Kendall shrugged and gave him a calculating stare. “I don’t see what the difference is.”

  “You know bloody well what the difference is.”

  She sighed. After the incident in her room, she didn’t think he’d go for it, not a place he wasn’t sure he could secure. “Fine.”

  “You’re giving up?” Dawson raised his eyebrow at her. “That’s not like you.”

  “I’m tired of arguing. I can tell by your tone I won’t win, so why bother?”

  “Because you’re stubborn, and you like to get your way.” He smiled at her, but frowned when he caught her gaze. He stood up and crossed over to her. “Okay, why is it so important for you to go?”

  “Forget it. It’s probably better if we stay here.”

  “Kendall. Please talk to me.”

  She stole a quick glance, considering her response. “Jody’s the first real friend I’ve had. I just thought it’d be nice to spend some time with her.”

  “Nice try, but that’s not the real reason. Try again.”

  Kendall drew her lips tight. She hated he saw through every façade she created. Anger took over and she blurted out the truth before she had time to think about it. “I don’t want Garrick to come for me here. If he’s going to take me, I want it to be somewhere else. So Trace doesn’t have to live with the memory.”

  Dawson stilled for only a second. “So this is some kind of sacrificial offering?”

  “Yes… I mean no.” She groaned. “Why do you always change around what I say? We both know it’s only a matter of time before he succeeds. I just thought it might be nice to spend some time with the people I care about before that happens. Trace has been through a lot, and he deserves to have a moment of freedom, without always sacrificing his desires to protect me.”

  “I think it’s admirable you want to give that to Trace, but I promised you I wouldn’t let Garrick hurt you again, and I meant it. Please try to understand that.” He put his hands on her shoulders, and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I’m only doing what I think is best. And Trace would be the first to agree with me.”

  “I know.” She sighed. She could hear the love and honesty in his voice, and hated how it compelled her to concede to his wishes. She’d never felt so helpless against someone’s desires as she did Dawson’s. “I guess I was just hoping we could all forget about Garrick…just for a few days.”

  “The best I can promise is to ask the Director.”

  Kendall turned to him. “You’d do that?”

  “Yes. But I wouldn’t celebrate just yet. He’s very ‘by the book,’ though I will try to explain to him how important it is to you. But in the meantime, if we’re going to consider this wilderness retreat, you’re going to have to agree to something first.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “From now on, no more running off on me, or trying to go anywhere alone. That means everywhere, inside the house and out. If you take a shower, I hand you the towel, understand?”

  She crossed her hands beneath her breasts and gave him a provocative glare. “Isn’t that a bit extreme?”

  “Extreme seems to be the only thing you understand.” Dawson crossed his arms and returned her defiant stare. “If you’re not willing to agree, just start your sulking now, because I won’t call the Director unless you do.”

  “That’s blackmail.”

  “Call it what you want. That’s my condition.”

  Kendall stood in front of him, mulling it over. “I like the soft white towels, not the colored ones, and I always use a smaller one for my hair.”

  “So you’re accepting my condition?”

  “It appears that way.”

  “And you won’t try to get out of it?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. I’ll call the Director. He’ll take a day or two to consider it. But remember, you break our agreement, and I’ll tie you up and cart you away.”

  Kendall smiled at him, brushing her body against his. “Be careful what you threaten Dawson. I might enjoy that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kendall and Dawson dashed through door, their footsteps marked by muddy puddles.

  “You know, I’m as game as the next guy. But I draw the line at trail swimming.” Dawson peeled the top three layers off his body. He was soaked to the skin, and couldn’t stop shivering.

  “Look at it this way. Now we don’t have to drive anywhere if we want to practice with the kayaks,” she mused.

  He laughed, stripping the last piece of clothing off his chest, leaving only his running tights covering his body. Then he sat down, feeling her gaze on him as he strained to remove his shoes. He glanced up. Her face was flushed and she seemed to be breathing even harder than when they were on the trail.

  “Are you teasing me on purpose for going running?” she asked, raking her eyes over his body as if she planned on devouring him right there.

  He moaned at the image, standing up next to her. She hadn’t made any indications yet that she wanted to pick up where they’d left off, and he’d forced himself to wait for another sign. He didn’t want to chance scaring her by pushing too hard, too fast, especially when he was certain Garrick had done more than just hit her. But his patience was waning.

  “The thought had crossed my mind.” He stepped closer, brushing against her. “And if it weren’t for the fact Mitchell and Trace are standing behind you, I might’ve taken it a step further.” He caught the towel Trace threw at him.

  “I thought you guys might get a bit wet.” Trace handed one to Kendall. “You were gone a long time.”

  “We had to circle around a few places.” She wrapped the towel around her shoulders. “If no one minds, I’m going to hit the shower before my muscles seize up and I freeze to death.”

  She bolted for the stairs, getting halfway down the hall before Dawson grabbed her by the wrist. “Have you forgotten your promise already? No where alone, remember?”

  “You already searched my shower today. I hardly think Garrick’s hiding in there now.”

  “No. Where. Alone.”

  “Fine. Then come along and search it again.” She grabbed his hand and dragged him up the stairs, pulling him into her room. “There you go. Feel free to search to your heart’s content.”

  “This isn’t about the shower. It’s the principle of the promise that matters. You’re just too quick to run off by yourself. That’s what I’m trying to change.” He walked into the bathroom. The stall was empty and both windows were locked. He checked the closet and behind the door before heading back out. “You’re free to shower, just keep the windows locked and this door open. I’ll wait here.” He crossed his arms, hoping the shivering didn’t make him appear any less imposing.

  “I’m not trying to go against your wishes.”

  “You could’ve fooled me. You fight me at every turn.”

  She sighed and walked over to him. “I’m just not used to having anyone care about what happens to me. Except for Trac
e, no one ever has.”

  “I’m sure it has nothing to do with how difficult you are.” He watched as her expression changed. She tensed her jaw, and he could tell he’d hurt her.

  She hesitated for only a moment, but her voice was shaky when she spoke. “Thanks for checking. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

  He grabbed her arm as she tried to brush past him. “Kendall, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. Difficult isn’t bad.”

  “It’s okay. I know I’m not the easiest person to get along with. You’ve been extremely patient.” She pulled away.

  “Dammit. I can’t even apologize without you making it hard. Don’t agree with me. Why is it every time I think I’ve got you figured out you change? Two days ago you wanted me to make love to you, but ever since we got interrupted, you’ve been distant again. These walls of yours get higher every day!” He backed her into the wall, pressing his body into hers. “Do you want me as your lover or not?”

  Kendall held his gaze. Her eyes were dark, almost black, and they burned with the desire he knew was mirrored in his. “You know I do. I think I’ve made that quite clear.”

  “Nothing is clear with you! It’s that head of yours. You’re so worried about whether I might think you’re weak, or God forbid, that you may need me, it gets in the way of what’s important. I want you to need me, Kendall. I want to be strong for you.” He took a deep breath, calming the pounding in his chest. He could feel her heart racing with his, but he wasn’t sure if it was passion or fear. “It’s Garrick, isn’t it?”

  “He takes everything I cherish. He’ll come for you.”

  “I’m not an easy target.”

  “I’ll be my fault! It always is.” She rested her head on his chest, skimming her fingers up his arms. “Sometimes I think it’d just be better if I went to him.”

  Dawson pulled back, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Don’t ever think that. I’ll never let that bastard have you!” He paused, his gaze still holding hers. “You’re mine.” He kissed her, hard and deep, crushing the walls with a single blow. If she wanted him to fight for her, he would. And he wouldn’t stop until she realized she was his.