Fully Engaged

by Catherine Mann

  And even as she fought to catch her breath from the wonderful pleasure he’d helped her find again, she knew that untangling her mess of emotions for this complex man scared her far more than any combat mission.

  Chapter 9

  Breeze whipping off the marshy water and over him, Rick twisted the screwdriver on Nola’s mailbox, removing the last of the hinges holding the door. He might not have the answer yet for stopping the letter-writing, car-bombing, finance-sabotaging scum. But Rick intended to make damn sure there wouldn’t be any lethal surprises hidden in the U.S. mailbox, like a poisonous snake or spider, not to mention another bomb.

  He’d been working his way through the list of possible dangerous surprises and general handyman fix-its. Aside from wanting to help her, it felt damn good to be out in the world again. Never again would he gripe about mowing the lawn or changing out the heater-AC filters. Nothing like a year in a rehab center to cure a man of grousing about chores around the house.

  If only his body would cooperate with the length of his list. He rested his elbows on the mailbox to ease the pressure on his legs. The night of vigorous sex had tapped his reserves, too.

  He grinned. Well worth every aching muscle.

  So since he was done with the mailbox, why was he hanging out here rather than heading back inside with her? Giving Nola space.

  She’d trusted him with a mammoth revelation, and now she was scared. He’d faced fear—in others, and hell yeah, in himself—enough times in the field to recognize it in a heartbeat. Best thing to do? Watch her and take his cue from her. Protecting her had taken on a lot more dimensions than he’d expected.

  A shapely shadow stretched over him, reminding him of his primary purpose for being here—and it wasn’t about being in Nola’s bed, much as he enjoyed the pleasurable position.

  He needed to remember how easily this woman could distract him from watching the cars driving by, sparse though the traffic might be on the back road, especially on a holiday. All the same, a large blue truck approached, slowing.

  Rick knelt down to pull the hammer from the box and leaned against the mailbox as the truck neared to reveal…her neighbor, the ex-cop, Malcolm Cuvier. The truck pulled over onto the side of the road across the street, crunching downed branches.

  The burly man hopped out of the truck cab. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

  “Same to you. What can we do for you?” Had he really just said we in a territorial claim staking of his woman?

  Hell yeah.

  “Just doing a drive-by to make sure all’s well with Nola and that you aren’t having any more trouble from that bastard who’s been bugging her lately.”

  Rick assessed the older man through narrowed eyes and wondered what if… They surely wouldn’t get any support on that theory from the local police since Cuvier was part of the blue wall. This would be better mentioned to someone in the OSI. “All’s been quiet, other than some snafus with stolen credit cards. Child’s play to straighten out.”

  That would rile him into action if he was the perp, hopefully anger him enough to make a careless mistake.

  “Well, if there’s anything I can do, just let me know.” He backed toward his truck. “And tell Nola happy holidays for me.”

  “You bet.” Rick dropped the hammer into the toolbox with a thud as the man drove away.

  And speaking of Nola…

  She strolled his way down the stone walk, watching him through wary morning-after eyes. Her arms crossed over her chest reminded him of the main reason he needed to get his head out of his ass and scrounge up some “sensitive guy” stuff to reassure her.

  “Morning, gorgeous.” Not too original, but pretty decent in a pinch.

  And totally true.

  With her blond leggy beauty, she stretched those jeans and the simple green sweater out in all the right places. She continued her sashay down the stone walkway, towering oak trees casting a bower of branches and Spanish moss over her. With an extra kick of sass, she batted away the tire swing swishing in the wind. Rigged to lie flat, the tire swing swirled like a chocolate doughnut.

  He certainly did plan to have a Thanksgiving feast of her later on.

  “What are you doing out here when you should be propping up your legs?” she inquired with gentle censure. “You’ve already fixed everything that’s broken and a number of things that weren’t.”

  “Nothing major.”

  He dropped the screwdriver into the small toolbox he’d found in her garage. He hadn’t found an elaborate workshop, but she had the basics. Rick mentally made a list of a couple more items he could pick up and teach her to use…for after he left? “Just tying up some loose ends to rig better security for your place.”

  “I spent a fortune on my security system after those letters started showing up.” She threaded her fingers through her damp curls, looking left and right down the deserted road. “The cops are doing drive-bys. What else could you possibly have in mind?”

  He patted the open mailbox. “A few simple techniques I learned in Terrorist Combat 101. And making use of more manpower.”

  “Manpower?”

  “Have you gotten to know your neighbors?” If they could be called that, all a mile or so down the road in sparsely populated subdivisions.

  “Um. I’m really never here and they all live pretty far away.”

  “I’m not pitching stones. My house is every bit as glass as yours is, lady. I figured it was worth my while to check out the locals in case you had some creepy lech with photos of you plastered to his bedroom wall.”

  Her eyebrows shot straight upward. “You’ve been checking out my neighbors’ bedrooms?”

  “I stopped in to say hi to a couple of the ones who lived closer when I saw them out doing yard work, wrangled my way inside for a drink of water, which led to a trip to the bathroom and enabled me to scope the house and get a feel for their personality.” He shrugged. “It’s not foolproof, but a quick look start.”

  “And you’ve told them my problems?”

  “I wouldn’t tell the divorced dentist next door jack about you because then he might make a move.” He looped his arms around her waist and buzzed her neck.

  She wasn’t as easily put off.

  “All right.” Calves cramping, he shuffled from foot to foot as unobtrusively as possible.

  What he wouldn’t give to have his old body back. He would fling her over his shoulder and haul her inside for all-day sex. “Not your problems exactly, because I did have to take into account that I might be wrong in my estimation. I told a couple of the older ladies who’re home during the day that we’ve had trouble with teenage vandalism. That we’d appreciate it if they would keep an eye out and let us know if they see anything suspicious.”

  “Oh.” She sagged back against a towering oak. “Good idea.”

  “Damn straight.” Joining her by the tree, he dropped onto the tire swing and hauled her onto his lap instead of over his shoulder, not too bad an alternative after all.

  He smothered her yelp of surprise with his mouth, lingered. Too easily he could hibernate here with her…

  Rick lifted his head and his thoughts back to the crispy fall moment. “Never discount the obvious help just because it’s not full guns blazing.”

  Hmm. Could that be a subliminal slip?

  Sitting crossways on his lap, Nola rested her head against his shoulder while the swing creaked back and forth on the thick branch. “I would have thought you would be all about the firepower.”

  “We make use of anything we’re given.” He hated self-pity, but he couldn’t shake thoughts of what he’d lost, memories of the man he’d been when she’d seen him five years ago, pumping push-ups on the floor.

  Heaven knew he was digging deep in his arsenal when it came to impressing this woman. Maybe he needed to take some of his own advice on looking for ways to make a contribution without quite the same level of firepower. His training for pararescue might be parlayed into something less adrenaline-pumping,
but maybe just as useful if only he could clear his head from the weight of frustration to figure out what in the hell that might be.

  Nola wriggled on his lap to sit more securely. “Okay, you don’t think any of my neighbors are stalkers. I guess that’s a relief, except we’re not any closer to answers.”

  Something he intended to do his best to change. Somebody needed to push the authorities harder, tap into some of the base intel personnel, none of which he could do until after the holiday.

  Which left him with time on his hands now. “In the interest of being open and honest and sensitive, I’ll own up to the fact that all this activity has my legs aching and your wriggling has another part of me aching.”

  She angled her face up to his, her blue eyes as clear as the sky he used to parachute through on a regular basis. “Are you angling for another massage of all your aching parts?”

  “Maybe a peek at that Jacuzzi tub of yours.” That should put them on a more even footing.

  He eyed the marshy shore just beyond her house and wished for warmer weather. Swimming with Nola, making love in the natural watery environment would be awesome. In spite of his injuries, he could seriously hold his own in the water.

  Would he still be in the area in the spring to live out those fantasies with Nola? A weighty thought, premature at that. Right now, he could focus on the Jacuzzi and a more immediate, simple surprise for her.

  “I believe that could be arranged.”

  Fixing things around her house, getting to know her neighbors. Coming up with ways to surprise her, win her over.

  This felt too much like digging in, planting roots.

  Damn. He missed the old days when the stakes weren’t scary as hell, when he only faced catapulting himself out of an airplane into a jungle full of live fire.

  Nola plunged her body into the churning bathwaters in the Jacuzzi, her body already tingling long before the frothing jets caressed her skin.

  Rick had created an amazing seductive spa setting with a Thanksgiving feast surprise she would never forget. The man certainly had a creative way with making a personal moment from things scavenged during a simple grocery store run.

  Bunches of mixed flowers in large tumblers surrounded the tub interspersed with candles. The scents clung to the humidity, saturating the air and her awakening senses as the tub’s motor hummed softly underneath her. And her own motor was pretty well humming by now, too.

  Best of all, beside the faucet rested something that meant more than all the candles, flowers or security upgrades in the world. An ice bucket holding four…

  Milk shakes.

  Vanilla. Chocolate. Strawberry. And something green she really hoped was mint because no way would she hurt his feelings by doing anything other than tasting it with a grateful smile and yum.

  “Happy Thanksgiving,” Rick called from the doorway, one shoulder braced, his honed body on display and awesome even in jeans and T-shirt. “I wasn’t sure about your favorite flavor, but I wanted to add something to the meal.”

  She scooped the strawberry shake from the bucket, lounged back and enjoyed the view along with a few memories from their night together that she couldn’t wait to repeat. “So this is what you put in that bag of yours when you snuck off at the grocery store.”

  “That and the condoms.”

  “Ice cream and condoms. A man after my own heart.” She put the straw in her mouth and drew on the creamy shake, holding his gaze.

  His eyes narrowed. “A woman who doesn’t give a crap about flowers.” His voice went husky as his attention stayed right on her gently sucking on the straw. “A woman after my heart.”

  She let her laughter float as freely as the bubbles rising toward her chin. How long had it been since she’d had this much fun? She never would have imagined being this lighthearted while some crazed nutcase gunned for her.

  “You found my blender and everything.” Leaning forward, she traded the strawberry shake for the green. “You really went to a lot of trouble. I feel guilty. All I did was order the grocery store’s premade Thanksgiving meal.”

  “I’m sure the pilgrims would have preferred the premade, hands down, if they’d been given the option.”

  “Thank you.” She tasted the green shake—oh, chocolate mint. “How about you get rid of those clothes and join me?”

  “Well, since it’s the doctor’s orders and all.”

  “You want to play doctor?”

  Barefoot, he shoved away from the doorjamb and lumbered toward her, shucking his shirt. “Among other things.”

  He popped the top button free on his jeans to reveal his washboard stomach and her mouth dried right up. She brought her drink back to her lips and his pupils widened, his brown eyes darkening to cloudy skies.

  Kicking his pants and boxers aside, Rick shook his head slowly. “Lady, your mouth is pure sin.”

  She set her drink aside and held her arms open for him to join her. He lowered his body into the tub behind her, his thighs brushing her legs with tantalizing effect.

  Nola settled back against his chest, sloshing bubbles over the side onto the rag-tie bath mat. “I did plan a more personal surprise for you later this afternoon.”

  “Does it involve us staying naked?” He nipped her shoulder, his arms looping around her stomach.

  “No, but that certainly would make the event all the more memorable.” She swallowed back a laugh at the thought of the two of them, naked, while… She couldn’t even finish the thought. It would be too funny. Too much of a fantasy.

  She brought the milk shake to her mouth again and sucked, the creamy drink flooding her senses—and apparently her savoring driving Rick more than a little crazy because the next thing she knew he’d snatched her glass from her.

  “If we’re not gonna stay naked,” he said. “Take back the gift.”

  “Seriously now. You’ll really like this.” She hoped he would. God, what if she’d made a colossal error in judgment and hurt him with this? “Although since I made the reservation with my credit card which is officially frozen thanks to the creep, you’ll have to pay for your own Thanksgiving gift.”

  “Will it bankrupt me?” He leaned back and snagged the vanilla shake for himself while his other hand disappeared under the water between her legs and…

  Oh.

  Her eyes fluttered closed for a second before she wrapped her hand around his so she could finish talking. “I make less than you do, pal, even with whatever your child support payments must be, so I seriously doubt this will throw you in the poorhouse. And no worries. When we untangle my finances, I fully intend to pay you back.”

  His hand slid from the water and he flicked the water free. “You don’t have to. I owe you rent…”

  “You’re helping out with the protection factor, remember?”

  “We’ll discuss it later.” He flipped his hand to link fingers with hers. “Will it freak you out if I call my ex? Something wasn’t right with Lauren’s call yesterday.”

  “That parent radar?”

  “I don’t know if I can claim that. I’m not around her enough to call myself perceptive. Even a moron would know she’s upset.”

  “I’m sorry.” And she was. It would be petty to mind him calling his ex, she just wished she didn’t have to listen in. Jealousy made her look petty and she hated such small emotions—not to mention what it said about how tangled her feelings for Rick had become in a short time.

  Okay, they were sleeping together again, not in a one-night-stand capacity.

  Determined to enjoy this Thanksgiving afternoon with Rick, Nola slid deeper into the bubbles, savoring his stroking touch between her legs. Not to mention the firm press of his erection against her, reassuring her that he wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him. As if she didn’t have enough to make her jittery hoping she hadn’t goofed with her surprise present.

  Life would be far simpler if she could just fish out her earplugs and pretend she didn’t care about his phone call to his ex-wi
fe.

  Behind the wheel of the new SUV rental he’d put on his credit card when Nola’s bottomed out, Rick drove while he thumbed numbers on his cell phone. Calling his ex-wife never ranked high on his list of favorites, but they had a child to bring up. They may have sucked as a couple, but they loved their kid and Lindsay was a good mom.

  This new guy entering the picture, however, he didn’t know jack about. Why hadn’t Lindsay phoned to let him know?

  Nola sat beside him in the passenger side, periodically piping up with a “turn left” or “turn right,” but otherwise silent. He wondered about her surprise because he couldn’t plan protection from the stalker when he didn’t have a sense of where they would be. Stubborn woman refused to pony up the info. He grinned—

  The cell phone stopped ringing and his wife answered. His smile faded.

  “Lindsay, Rick here. I got a call from Lauren.” Might as well skip the niceties and cut right to the chase. Besides, Nola had said her surprise wasn’t much farther down the dusty county road. “She said you’re getting remarried.”

  Nola went still beside him and Rick wondered for the first time if perhaps he should have had this conversation in private after all.

  “Well, hello to you, too, Rick,” Lindsay answered with a touch of sarcasm. “I’m doing fine. How about you?”

  “What’s the point of wasting time dressing this conversation up with a bunch of pretty chitchat?”

  “Direct and to the point. You haven’t changed a bit.”

  Nola had said she liked that about him. He found himself smiling and not so totally pissed off about having to play the Lindsay game right now. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine, thank you. Very happy right now, as a matter of fact.” At least she had the grace to pause. Awkward silence crackled for the next four telephone poles whizzing past. “I was going to call and tell you about the engagement.”

  “That would have been nice, but it’s not the point.” Although it was a subpoint. He would have liked a heads-up when talking to their kid. “She’s upset. Actually that’s an understatement. She’s really shaken up enough to say she wants to come live with me.”