Code Red (5 page)

Kieran took a final glance toward her
apartment and drove away.

CHAPTER FOUR

Two months since being shot, Jess could now
move around without a cane. She still limped occasionally, but with
physical therapy her doctor was confident she’d be walking “like a
runway model” by the end of the year.

It was seven o’clock and time to hit the
books, time to kick out Marcia Wolfe, the newest resident of town
and one of her closest friends. Marcia had arrived from Toronto the
day after Kieran dropped her off from the hospital, moving into the
apartment downstairs. She tended to live inside Jess’s apartment
whether Jess wanted her there or not, which made her the perfect
companion to keep loneliness at bay.

Dressed in a burnt-orange wool jacket, black
jeans, and black biker boots, Marcia looked drop-dead gorgeous and
kickass cool. Jess, on the other hand, wore plaid pajama bottoms
and an oversize gray sweatshirt. After a full day at work, and with
only her books to keep her company at night, why worry about
appearances?

“Are you bowling tonight?”

“I can’t. I have to study.” She was
so
close to finally finishing her degree,
and as much as she enjoyed spending time with friends, she wanted
to quit working at the bank and find a teaching position more. And
Kieran was coming tomorrow. She hadn’t seen him, but he’d called
her weekly since he left for Washington DC. His confident and calm
approach to everything flowed through the phone and soothed her
broken heart. With him in her life, she believed in fairy tales,
even delayed ones.

Work had overwhelmed his life, he’d said, but
he’d promised to return his first free weekend. And this was
it.

“Too bad you’re such a bookworm. The boys
miss you.” Marcia carried her coffee mug over to the sink and
rinsed it out.

Most of the town had conveniently forgotten
her month of drunken antics, so she’d tried to forget too. Her
renewed dreams didn’t leave time for excessive drinking or
carousing with random guys, but the local male population, led by
Adam, had decided she needed extra protection after being shot.
Whenever she emerged from her home they circled her like a tribe of
older brothers.

Jess laughed. “You’ll manage. Every single
guy in this area has hit on you at least three times since you
arrived.”

“That’s because I can outshoot them all at
the range. And my gun is larger than theirs. Men are simple like
that.”

Marcia really could outshoot everyone in
town. The woman was more ninja than artist. Marksmanship had seemed
a weird skill for a sculptor taking some time away from the big
city, but Jess had quickly gotten over that. She went with Marcia
to the local shooting range every week. Marcia had also gotten Jess
into some self-defense classes and taught her a few hand-to-hand
combat moves, which helped make Jess feel more confident living
alone. After the incident with Max and the drug dealers, she’d felt
incredibly unprepared.

“I prefer men with decent-sized weapons—and
lots of ammunition,” Marcia said, waggling her eyebrows. “I’m
surprised you can get a date around here at all. The men all treat
you like you’re made of glass.”

“You’re right, I couldn’t get a date even if
I wanted one,” Jess said, half-laughing. “But I won’t be lonely for
long. Kieran will be here tomorrow, so I need to get my work done
tonight.”

“He sounds like a real keeper. Have fun.”

“I will.”

Marcia waved before disappearing down the
stairs. Jess should have followed her. Studying was impossible when
all she could think of was Kieran. The deep feelings of attraction
and belonging she felt each time she spoke with him overpowered the
little voice in her head warning her to protect her heart. Kieran
wasn’t Robert. He never promised anything except companionship. He
often spoke about his plans to move to a seaport when he retired,
but he never invited her along. After all, he’d just met her. It
wasn’t his fault if she hoped he’d someday want her to go with
him.

She made herself a cup of tea and flopped
onto her couch with her books and a pink fleece blanket to keep the
October chill away, and when someone knocked an hour later, Jess
stretched her limbs and wandered to the door. Whoever wanted to
take her from her books would be sorry.

Then she saw him.
Kieran.
Standing in a brown leather jacket with a
bouquet of flowers. Orange roses and pink asters. Vibrant and
fun.

She opened the door and let emotion flood her
senses, a rush from the sight of his gorgeous face and the smell of
the roses mixed with a scent that was all male, all Kieran. “You
said you were coming tomorrow!”

“I took an earlier flight. Do you mind?”

“No. I’m glad.”

His words were similar to Robert’s, actually.
And yet, she trusted him and pushed those negative memories to a
deeper section of her mind, away from the affection taking over her
heart.

He brushed one of his hands through her hair.
“I missed—”

Her kiss halted his words. Way too forward,
but full of her feelings for him.

When she finally backed away, he was
grinning. “I missed you too, Red.” And the kiss he returned was
even more intense than hers had been, hungrier and more passionate.
He closed the door with his foot and glanced into her eyes. His
hands framed her face, and he stared for the longest moment at her.
“Damn, I missed you.”

She glanced at his hands, empty except for
the flowers. “Where are your things?”

“At the hotel.”

“Hotel? You’re not staying here?” Robert
always stayed with her. In fact, he’d pulled her into the bedroom
as soon as he arrived in town.

“Not this time.” Kieran kissed her forehead
and then took another step back. “Can I take you to dinner?”

“I’ll need a few minutes to change.”

“I can wait.” He strolled over to her couch
and sat, never making a move toward her bedroom. A perfect
gentleman.

She rushed off and threw on a long wool skirt
and a hunter-green knit sweater. Her hair needed to be washed but
she settled for a high ponytail, threw on her brown leather boots
and headed back to him. He was seated on the couch reading her math
text.

“Practical Applications of Algebra in a
Middle School Setting. Some light reading?”

“My future.”

“I’d offer to help, but I was a lit major in
college.”

“Literature? How did you end up working for
the government?”

“Not many job offers come to literature
majors. My father called in a few favors and soon I was employed.”
He shrugged. “I love the work, but I’m ready for something
different.”

“You never said what you planned to do when
you retire except live at the beach. You’re too young to do
nothing.”

“I want to teach. Find a small private school
and teach literature.”

“Are you qualified? I mean, isn’t it hard to
find a position without a Master’s in Education?”

“Private schools are more lenient in who they
hire. Perhaps I can impress them with a Shakespeare monologue or
sonnet. And you? Still focused on teaching math to whiny,
self-centered middle school students?”

“They’re not so bad.”

“I personally prefer high school, but I’d
compromise so we can teach at the same school. Mr. Brody and Ms.
Wonder sneaking into the back of the gym to make out between
classes.”

It was the first time he’d hinted at a
possible future together. And the idea seemed wonderful.

She laughed. “You’d get me fired. Then where
would I be?”

“With me.”

He kissed her again, this time all sweet and
caring. She was getting lost in him, and he’d just arrived. What
would happen at the end of the weekend?

“Do you know when you’ll officially retire?”
she asked.

“I have one more task to complete. If
everything works according to plan, I’ll be free by Christmas.”

He escorted her to the local diner for
dinner, took her for a stroll through the town with his arm
shielding her from the cold, and gave her a very long, intense
goodnight kiss. He kissed her hard and possessively. He kissed
until all the heartache of their separation faded. They held each
other close, his hands moving up and down her back but never
wandering to places that would increase the intimacy.

Her breathing became heavy, and she nipped at
his neck and felt his body react to her invitation. She wanted him
with her all night, wrapped in bare arms and legs creating erotic
memories that would last until he could be by her side again. There
just wasn’t enough time. “Do you want to stay?”

He buried his mouth in the top of her head,
and his hands gripped her tighter. “Do I want to stay? Yes. But I
think we need some more time. I’m not here for sex, Jess. I’m here
for you.”

He dropped his mouth over hers and proceeded
to kiss her like she was the only thing he wanted in the entire
world. She pressed herself between his legs and felt him solid,
ready. And then he left her at door, horny as hell and wondering
what he saw in her that was deeper than sex.

It was a gorgeous autumn weekend with
changing leaves, brisk cool weather, and perfect company. But after
two more days of perfection, he had to leave.

They arrived back at her apartment from the
shooting range where he’d outshot Marcia and was accepted as a
native son by the guys, and he brought her into his arms and kissed
her goodbye. He never made a move to enter her apartment. “I don’t
know when I’ll be able to see you, but I hope it’s soon because I
miss you already.”

“Really corny line,” she accused, “but I miss
you too.”

A nervous giggle spilled from her mouth,
causing him to grin. He had a beautiful grin. Especially when it
descended on her lips and swallowed up her giggles and devoured her
fears. She just leaned further into him and allowed herself to be
immersed in her dream of a future with a perfect guy.

CHAPTER FIVE

Kieran was headed to hell. In order to keep
Red safe, he needed to place her in danger.

It was all his fault. He should never have
flown up to see her. Marcia had been a great bodyguard and rarely
let Red out of her sight, but NSA intelligence analysts located
Dmitriyev in Virginia. According to the agency hacks, the assassin
had bought a plane ticket to the Jack Garland Airport in North Bay,
the closest airport to Ohneka. If the bastard had learned of Red
and Kieran’s relationship, which it seemed he had, he was probably
intending to kill her as a statement, as a precursor to killing
Kieran himself. Kieran had to bring her to Washington and force
Dmitriyev to come forward, and he had to do it now. An empty, raw
feeling clawed his insides. He’d used every last resource available
to bring Dmitriyev down, but it looked like it was coming to
this.

“Visit you?” she asked when he extended the
invitation to fly to the States.

“I’m going to a dinner at the Belarus
Embassy. I’d love it if you’d be my date.”

“Belarus?”

“A small, former Soviet Bloc country. It’s
kind of short notice, but I’d love it if you could go with me.” He
needed to tell her the truth, but how did you tell the woman you
love,
By the way, the man who killed Max now
wants me dead and he may want you dead as well.

“Tomorrow night? Seriously? How will I get
there? Where will I stay? What will I wear?” She sounded frantic,
but excitement rang in her words as well.

“Let me take care of everything. If you’d
like, you can stay at my place.” He needed her at his house to
protect her, although her presence would make him crazy with need.
Yet he’d resist. Red deserved someone better than Robert. She
required a long-term partner, a lover, a friend. Someone who could
commit, and until Dmitriyev was out of the way, Kieran had to focus
his efforts on hunting the bastard down and keeping her safe. He
couldn’t be distracted.

“Yes. I’d like that,” she said.

Her enthusiasm made him wish this entire
fiasco ended so that the two of them could sail off the coast of
Maine to parts unknown. “Great. And a black cocktail dress will be
perfect. It’s rare to see women in anything else.”

“I can swing that. I can’t wait to see
you!”

After she hung up, though, Kieran’s heart
slowed like the pendulum of a rusty grandfather clock.
Dmitriyev.
Marcia had damn well better be on that
plane and not leave Red’s side. If he trusted anyone to protect
her, Marcia was the one. Ever since her husband disappeared ten
years ago, she’d been all work and one of the most dedicated
officers he knew. She could keep Red safe without Red even knowing
what was up.

A few hours later, however, a new idea
formed. Better. More honest. He’d call Red and tell her everything
she needed to know. She wouldn’t be mad.

Yeah, she would be, he realized. He’d once
tried to explain a few things about his need for secrecy to his
wife over the phone from a small hotel room in St. Petersburg.
She’d yelled, she’d cried, and she’d served him divorce papers when
he returned home. No. He’d better not explain on the phone.

He called Marcia instead.

“Hello, Brody, all set for the ball
tonight?”

“Yeah. I just picked up the Prince Charming
suit from the cleaners. I need you to deliver the princess.”

“I was told. And, no problem. I want a break
from this hick town.”

“That bad?” He’d found enough to do in the
few days he’d spent there before Red, but longer than a month might
be torture.

“One word.
Bowling.”

“You have me there.”

They made small-talk about several past
operations before Kieran got up his nerve to say, “Listen, tell
Jess why you’re there. She has to be alert to any possibility of
danger. She thinks Max was killed by drug dealers. She should know
what really happened and how exactly I’m involved. Tell her I
wanted her to know.”