WindSwept Narrows: #17 Pepper Ambrose

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “You know I do…” he went to a locked cabinet and finessed the lock, sliding the drawer open and gathering what he needed. He looked at Chase. “You coming with us?”

  “She’s at work. I need to know. We spent the night there. If he’s listening or watching her…” Chase pushed himself out of the chair, nodding and going with them through the wide corridor.

  “How are you going to tell her?” Cassidy asked. “If we find something?”

  “I’m looking at houses now. I’ll tell her after I have her someplace secure and safe,” Chase answered confidently. “Shouldn’t be more than a week…I hope…”

  Chapter Seven

  An hour later, Mac was swearing; Cassidy was pacing and Chase was furiously trying to think without mayhem involved.

  “What the hell is wrong with humanity?” Mac swore loudly inside Pepper’s apartment, the small plastic bag with built in sound suppressors safe in his pocket.

  “It’s going to scare her, Chase,” Cassidy said softly. “She…she’s terrified of him. Of what he’s done to her friends. Male friends. I’ve researched him after we got her on staff. He’s a fruitcake. But never any proof…always made her look like it was her paranoia.”

  “I know it will, Cassidy, believe me, I know it will,” Chase ran two sets of hands through his hair. They’d found three high tech listening devices, one in each of the main rooms of the apartment. “Can you trace where the signal is going?”

  “It’ll take me a little time. Let me talk to Faith and Nate…” Mac nodded slowly. “But, yeah…these are the newest out there…very long range stuff bounced off satellite signals and cell towers,” his head shook ruefully.

  “The apartment’s clean now?” Cassidy went to the door. “This isn’t just about her invasion of privacy, it’s how the stupid things got here in the first place!” She threw the door open, the men behind her. “How the hell do people keep getting through our security for this crap? I swear…Logan’s out on baby watch. I’m going to have a talk with Donovan…I want all the apartments swept…can we block those without blocking other signals?” She saw the answer in the look Mac shot her and swore softly. “Yeah…I kinda thought that was a little out there…swell…just swell…” but she snagged up his hand and kissed him quickly. “I’ll call you later. I’ve got to go find Donovan and talk before I hit something. Thanks.” She took off at a light jog, weaving around people as she went into the employee corridor.

  “Thanks, Cassidy,” Chase watched her go, Mac striding along with him at a slower pace. “Thanks, Mac…”

  “No problem. I’ll have to do some research. See if there is anything new out there that’ll block something like this, but not personal cells and wireless. Talk to you later, Chase. Keep an eye on Pepper.”

  “I plan to…” he said, striding to the waiting car and sliding into the back seat with some clipped instructions.

  He stared into the darkened window for several long minutes. The fears he’d heard in her voice were obviously founded. And now her father, or whoever was listening in on her, now knew they’d spent the night together.

  He completely understood Cassidy’s urge to hit something.

  Taking a deep breath, she made sure everything was locked down and left her office shortly after one, heading to her apartment. She quickly checked to make sure she had everything before carrying her case and backpack to wait by the main entrance. She stopped at the main gate, slipping her ear pods in place and tapping in some music as she wandered toward the resort.

  Pepper sat cross legged on one of the wide benches, ignoring the drizzle. That was how Chase found her fifteen minutes later.

  He thought about the meetings that day. He thought about the comment from one of his managers about his temperament being more feral, more lethal than in the previous negotiations. The sale was now in the hands of the lawyers and would be finalized without a week.

  “Hey, lady, I got a shirt I can sell you cheap…” He slid over the bench next to her, one hand up and pulling a pink jeweled ear pod free.

  “Only if it smells as good as you,” she returned sweetly, dropping the other ear pod into her pocket and taking his hand. “Hi…how were the meetings?”

  “According to my admin, I was in rare form chewing nails,” Chase told her, pale brows wriggling expressively.

  “A little hard on the molars,” she liked the happiness in his eyes. Simple thing, happiness, she thought, unfolding her legs and stretching them out. “My car? Or yours.”

  “Greg is driving us up,” he reached down and lifted her case, handing it to his driver and extending his palm.

  “Are we hitchhiking back?” Pepper heard the faint chuckle from Greg. “I didn’t bring the right shoes for that,” she teased as she slid into the back seat.

  “I’ll buy you a new pair,” Chase promised, joining her and loosening his tie. “My SUV will be left in the parking area for us. I thought I could trust you to get us back here,” he closed the door and leaned against it. He raised a palm and crooked a finger at her.

  She looked at him with a little frown. “Hmm…” Her gaze shifted to the closed window between them and the driver, her eyes widening at the drape that was closed. “You closed the drapes?” She whispered hoarsely. She saw his mouth open and glared at him. “You know what he’s thinking, Chase?”

  “Probably a great deal more than is happening,” he said with a laugh, moving quickly and tugging her onto his lap before she could protest. “I missed you, Pepper,” he whispered before covering her lips with his. A soft sigh slipped from her mouth, her body relaxing into his. “And how was your day?”

  “Sent a couple vendors groveling…” She answered, slipping back to the wide cushions. She turned to the side, her knees drawn up beneath her. She took his palm between hers, peeking at him through lowered lashes. “I missed you…”

  “If I promise not to help you out of your clothing inside the car…”

  “I like the qualifier…” she laughed and moved into his arms. “It is crazy, isn’t it, Chase?”

  “Wild and crazy and why miss a single minute of it?” He said, contenting himself with holding her against him. “Maybe a little nap…”

  “We do have all weekend…” Pepper crawled slowly forward, her fingers tripping his buttons and soft palm sliding against his chest.

  “Oh, sweetheart…I have designs on you that stretch much longer than the weekend,” he murmured against her mouth, his palms sliding over her back and onto her behind.

  “You…are very bad for my focus,” Pepper reluctantly withdrew her palm and buttoned his shirt. “I’m not the one who will have a difficult time walking and dealing with registration…no matter how much I want you, Chase.”

  “Ahh…a logical, practical women,” he kissed her softly and set her back on the seat. He wanted much more time than they had. He pulled the tray down in front of him and reached into his briefcase, setting up his laptop. “Let me show you the additions.”

  It amazed him how easy it was to sit there with her, hip to hip, hands touching now and then as they went through the layouts and changes he’d had made that morning.

  A partner and lover, more than a friend or associate, and yet all.

  He was working on her question about maintaining the stability of the underwater portions of the facility when she excitedly gripped his arm in a tight hug. Wide blue eyes peered over at him from behind those oversized round lenses.

  “Chase, I am so, so proud of you! This is going to be incredible! Have you told your parents? Are they excited?” She stopped when she realized he was staring at her. “Chase? Did I say something wrong?”

  “I…no, no…not at all…I usually talk to them a couple times a month. They know it’s why I moved out here,” he lifted his palm from the laptop and stroked over her cheek, kissing her and repeating the process. “Thank you.”

  “Umm…okay…” A little confused, she went back to questions, fascinated by the process and the people and companies in
volved.

  By the time the car pulled into the unloading zone, they were packed and laughing. Pepper didn’t wait for anyone to open the door and burst out onto the concrete, zipping in front of the car and staring around at the large ornate entrance to the very expensive hotel.

  Chase stood talking to Greg while Pepper spun on her feet, taking it all in, including the massive blue of Elliott Bay off in the distance. She was on the curb, her pack slung over one shoulder and eyes darting around, taking it all in.

  “It’s different than the resort,” she said when he came to her side, their cases loaded on a small cart and being taken into the hotel for them and up to the large, gleaming front desk.

  “Different how?” He returned, pulling his wallet out and offering a smile at the woman behind the desk. “Montgomery, Chase and Pepper. I have reservations for one of the penthouse suites.”

  “The resort is for everyone,” she said after a quiet minute, her fingers wrapped around the strap of her pack. “This isn’t…” she wandered toward one of the shops, peering in the windows and moving to the next one.

  Chase just kept an eye on her. It wasn’t, he decided with a contented smile, a very difficult thing to do at all. He looked around at the people milling, registering, shopping…she was right.

  It was very different than the resort. Some looked at her very oddly because of the way she was dressed, their comments whispered and snickers barely contained. And she didn’t care, another something that made his smile a little broader as he came up beside her.

  “In the mood to shop?” He asked, bending just enough to brush her forehead with his lips. The soft scent of shampoo and lotion greeted his senses.

  “Hmm…in here? I’m way out of my budget,” she turned in the arm he had around her waist. “All registered? Where’s our stuff?”

  “Taken to the room and waiting. Did you have lunch?” He turned her toward the elevators.

  “A smoothie…I’m good…unless you’re hungry…I can pinch things off your plate,” she told him with a grin.

  “I think there’s something else I’d be more hungry for at the moment,” he whispered suggestively one they were in the elevator, his fingers tapping the fourteenth floor with barely a glance.

  Pepper let the happy laughter free, her arms up and circling his neck as the elevator climbed higher and higher. “Hmmm…a different hunger…can’t imagine what in the world that could possibly be…”

  “I’m very good at refreshers…I think I might even enjoy it…”

  “One can only hope…” She teased back, facing the opening doors of the elevator, their hands clasp between them as she fell in beside him. She slid her palm inside his shirt while he was fumbling with the key card and the door slot, his growl low and husky when she brushed her palm over the front of his slacks boldly.

  Breathless, flushed with healthy pleasure, they lay side by side an hour later staring at the skylight above the massive bed.

  “Eventually…” Pepper began in a low, mellow tone. “We’re going to be able to make it to the bedroom still wearing clothing…right?”

  “Hmm…I’m not sure…this is very new to me,” Chase told her, genuine awe in his voice. His fingers moved to the side and found hers. She pulled a blanket from the bottom, which she was closest to since they were in the bed sideways, and tucked it over them both as she curled against him warmly.

  “What time’s the benefit?” She asked sleepily.

  “We should get down about six-thirty,” he pulled a pillow from his left and tucked it beneath his head, his eyes closed even as the room was still flooded with greying lights bouncing off the water so far below.

  “Hmm…two hours…good…nice…oh…it’s your turn to collect the clothes,” she whispered in a soft sigh, snuggling closer and shutting down.

  Chase was still chuckling when he fell asleep beside her.

  Pepper stirred as the sun was setting far over Elliott Bay, pale lashes blinking sleepily when a noise that had been regular, suddenly stopped and broke into her sleep. Her gaze landed on the clock. Just short of six. She rolled leisurely to her back, the blanket stopping just half way over her breasts. She stared into the big oval skylight above the bed and smiled.

  “Looking for a star to make a wish on?” Chase had seen her moving, his fingers working a link into the cuff of the white linen shirt.

  “Don’t need no wishes…” She told him lazily, leaning up and sighing. “You should have woke me…”

  “Did my power nap…worked a little…watched you sleep…”

  “Hmm…not sure about that habit,” she said suspiciously, scrambling to the floor and heading to the shower. “I won’t be long…” She promised, setting the shower to steam and stepping inside with a long sigh.

  He looked up from the laptop in time to see her drop a pair of shoes to the floor and work to right them with her toes. The long shades of gold hung free and wavy, over her shoulders and down her bare back.

  The little black dress she’d chosen had bare shoulders. The sleeves began about four inches down and went to the backs of her hands in a delicate flutter of black fabric. The top was a stretchy bubble fabric that clung to just past her hips where it turned into a soft cascade of chiffon that went just past her knees. A cluster of tiny black stones dangled from each ear and moved when she did, crossing the room to his side, wrap held in one hand. Bright blue eyes seemed all the wider without her glasses. He hadn’t known she had contacts until just then.

  “Miss Ambrose…you certainly clean up nicely,” he closed the laptop and went to his feet, his palm out to her. His fingers closed over hers, twirling her gently and grinning. “Keep in mind whose turn it is to collect the clothing,” he whispered against her mouth before turning her toward the door.

  Pepper laughed and liked the feeling of his hand at her hip, her head against his chest as they rode the elevator to the lower floor. Crowds of people weren’t anything new to her. She’d been involved in corporate gatherings most of her life, but tonight she noticed people looking at her, studying her. Or were they studying him? She wasn’t all that sure. He did cut a deliciously handsome swatch, she thought with a sigh, peering over the flute of champagne, a soft gulp when his fingers dipped inside the back of her dress.

  Pepper noticed the women watching him and smiled as they wandered through the rooms looking over the things for sale to benefit the hospital. She was standing in front of a painting when Chase found her, two hands on her waist from behind.

  “Saw Mac and Cassidy in the other room,” he commented, walking casually at her side as she continued around the room. “Very nice paintings.”

  “I don’t know who’s disturbed more…Cass complains about the publicity of being with an owner and Mac complains about idiot fancy suits but he seriously likes having Cass in a sexy dress,” Pepper chuckled, leaning into him and kissing him. “I personally like the fancy suits…very sexy…” She breathed against his mouth, watching the fire flare inside his eyes.

  “Hmm…I’m feeling incredibly distracted…however…I promised Pembrook that I’d stick until ten,” Chase kissed her nose and turned her to continue their browsing. “So what are you in the mood to buy tonight?”

  “You’re buying things?”

  “No point in a benefit sale without buying…I like the paintings.”

  “I know Diana…she’s amazing…she has the cutest little tiny baby girl now,” Pepper nodded at the meadow filled with sparkling water and tons of flowers. “I like that one…but I don’t have any walls for them. But I also know she sells them at the lodge,” she shrugged. “I wish there was a way to fund medicine that was easier…it would have been nice to have a…a place…but I guess laws don’t let kids go to medicine places without parents,” she rambled and sighed. “Did I ask how we were getting home tomorrow?” She asked with a little frown.

  “I think the question came up in between losing your shoes and my shirt,” he returned, snagging a glass of wine and handing it to her,
grinning at the attempt to scowl at him. “The SUV is out in the parking lot, remember? You’re driving.”

  “Ahhh…got it…now I remember…so what do you feel like buying? How do you buy something?”

  “Peasant…” he whispered in her ear, lifting a tag from the painting, betraying a sold sign. “Collect these…put them in an envelope with your name and contact information. I think the collection point is the admin area of the hospital.”

  “You’ve done this before.” She looked at the tag in his fingers as they continued strolling. “You better put that back.”

  “I’m buying it. I like it,” he told her with a wink that made her scowl. “Careful, sweetheart, you’re wrinkling,” his laughter was deep when she stuck out her tongue at him. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, something that made her blush and straighten her shoulders.

  Ten minutes before ten Chase put the back of his palm beneath her chin to close her gaping mouth. Humor filled his eyes when hers went from the envelope full of tags to the crazy man filling it.

  “Are you insane?”

  “Hmmm…last couple days, it’s been called into question,” he murmured, taking a pen from inside his jacket and printing neatly on the sealed envelope before handing it to the woman at the front desk who beamed deliriously.

  “What in the world are you going to do with all that…that stuff?”

  “Hmm…Christmas comes eventually each year…” his hand went to hers, swinging between them as they walked the wide, gleaming hallway.

  “You’re not very sneaky, you know,” she told him petulantly, stepping into the elevator.

  “I need more practice,” he admitted lamentably.