Homeland Security (Defenders of Love Book 2) (5 page)

"Why are you smiling, sir? My head hurts like hell. Nothing so funny about that," the officer grumbled.

Kaiden dropped to a knee so they were eye to eye. "I'm sorry, Officer…?"

"Reyes."

"Officer Reyes, I was not laughing at your injury. It was quite another thought altogether and very insensitive of me. I apologize. Can you tell me anything about what happened here?"

Katie returned then with the bag of ice and a couple of towels. She wrapped one around the ice and handed it to Officer Reyes as she leaned in to inspect his wound. "Head injuries bleed a lot because of all the capillaries in the skin but this actually doesn't look too bad. A huge lump will be the worst of it as the bleeding seems to have stopped. We need to get you to the hospital though and get that brain checked out, just in case."

"I'm fine," Officer Reyes mumbled.

"I'm sure you are, but any trauma to the head can be dangerous." Katie offered the officer a smile and Kaiden felt a prick of jealousy. Quickly squashing it, he got on the phone with an emergency operator.

"There's a bus on the way. I told them it was an officer down so they will haul some ass to get here." Turning his attention back to the injured man, he repeated his question. "Officer Reyes, can you tell me what happened here?"

"I don't know, man, who the hell are you?"

Kaiden pulled his identification from his pocket. "Agent Kaiden James, Homeland Security. I was here earlier when this place was tossed the first time."

Officer Reyes squinted up at him. "Yeah, I think I remember you now. Not too many dudes show up at a crime scene in a tux. You two on a fancy date or something?" He gave Katie's flannel pajamas the once over. "Nah, I suppose not."

"So?" Kaiden prodded impatiently.

"I don't know what happened. I was sitting here on the sofa watching reruns on the game show network when someone whacked me on the back of the head. Next thing I remember is this cutie here waking me up."

Kaiden scowled at the officer.

Feeling possessive are we?

He shook off his annoyance and moved to stand behind the sofa. From where Officer Reyes had been seated, he would have had a decent sight line to the door. If anyone had come in he would have noticed.

"Oh crap."

"What's wrong?" Katie asked.

"That means whoever hit him was watching the apartment after we all left. I cleared your room after we got the other guy. Either that or the big boss knows we caught his man and sent someone else over to do the job."

"That's academy 101, dude. You feds never get anything right." Reyes leaned his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes. "Let me know when the EMT's get here. I need a rest."

Kaiden turned to Katie, trying not to show his annoyance at the young officer. "Go check for your ID badge."

Without a word she headed to her bedroom. A few seconds later she returned, expression grim. "Gone."

"Shit." What a mess this was turning out to be. He should have stayed at the wedding and ignored his phone.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. His muscles smoldered under the weight of that familiar touch. "It's not your fault, Kaiden. How would you know another guy would come back?"

He shrugged and she removed her hand. He instantly regretted the loss of her touch. "Officer Reyes was probably sound asleep on the sofa when that guy got the drop on him."

"Hey, man! I don't sleep on the job! That's reserved for you government guys!"

"The sofa faces the door! How in the hell did he get in here then without you noticing him?"

"Dude! A guy's gotta piss you know!"

"Hold it."

"What? Feds don't piss? Yeah, I guess that must be true since it might get on your cape."

"Gentlemen." Katie stepped in between them. "It's no one's fault. This is about me and Nathan. Neither one of you decided to fall in love with a lying, cheating jerk. You are supposed to get along—professional courtesy or something, right?"

The ding of the elevator and commotion in the hall told them the EMTs had arrived.

Saved by the bell…

Kaiden stepped forward and identified himself as they entered the apartment. It took about ten minutes to get Officer Reyes on his way to the hospital. Suddenly they were alone in the apartment and he had no idea what to do next. They couldn't stay there, in the middle of a crime scene but he had no idea how to convince Katie to leave again.

***

Katie stood in the kitchen, frying pan in one hand and a dozen eggs in the other. She should make something for them to eat. It was nearly morning and she had never gotten around to that frozen pizza the night before. She thought she remembered Kaiden saying he had missed dinner as well. Unfortunately she seemed to have temporarily forgotten how to scramble an egg.

"You need sleep much more than you need an omelet," she muttered, turning to put the eggs in the refrigerator and running straight into Kaiden.

The entire dozen of extra-large eggs flew out of the cardboard carton, splattering against walls, on counter tops and the floor. Yellow yolk ran in rivers down the cabinet doors and egg shells spread around the room like glitter.

Kaiden burst into laughter.

Katie fought back tears.

He reached over and took the frying pan from her other hand and placed it on the cooktop.

"Hey, there's no sense crying over spilled milk. Or broken eggs."

"Look at this mess!" Katie threw her hands in the air in disgust. "Everything is such a
mess
!"

Her apartment, her kitchen, her life. The proverbial straw had finally broken the camel's back. Katie dropped to the floor in a pile of egg shells and sobbed. She didn't even look up when Kaiden squatted in front of her. After all, half of this mess was all
hi
s
fault. Well, maybe not his fault exactly but definitely the agency he worked for.

"It's okay, Katie. If you have a mop and a couple of dish cloths, I can have this cleaned up in a jiffy." He reached over and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Why don't you just go? I'll take care of it. Being with you has become kind of dangerous." A flashback of the near accident at the discount store shot an involuntary shiver down her spine.

"Hey, I could say the same about you. I can't let you stay here. Your apartment is a crime scene now, twice in fact, and I can't let you be here until the crime scene techs have finished processing everything."

"Well, isn't that fabulous. I'm living in a crime scene now. Yippee for me. Things really can't get any worse, can they?"

"If there is one thing my mother taught me: never, ever tempt fate by asking what else can go wrong. Fate can be a real bitch and she will make sure to let you know you ain't seen nothin' yet."

"Lucky me." Katie started to rise from the floor. She needed to get that mop and get rid of the egg before it dried. Unfortunately, her foot found a slick spot. She slid forward and straight into the crouching Kaiden. They tumbled backward onto the tile floor, her on top of him. Neither of them moved except for the rapid rise and fall of Kaiden's chest against her own. Her body reacted to his pounding heart; her pulse racing to keep tempo with his.

"Well, this is awkward," Katie mumbled as she tried to extract herself from the tangled mess of limbs.

"I don't know. Sort of seems okay by me." Kaiden grinned, his arms finding their way around her and holding tight. The bulge pressing against her thigh told her he found it more than okay.

"You must be breaking about ten laws right now." She pushed against his shoulders but Kaiden held fast.

"Just two or three," he replied, his voice suddenly very husky. "I might be about to break a couple more." He lifted his head until his lips were nearly touching hers.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Katie scrambled off of Kaiden as he jumped to his feet.

"Virginia Beach Police! I'm coming in!"

"Damn! I forgot another officer was coming to watch the place!"

Katie giggled and pointed. "You have egg all over your coat."

"Show yourself!" the voice from the door commanded.

Kaiden pulled off his coat and hung it over his arm. Taking his badge from his pocket, he held it out in front of him and left the kitchen. Katie followed.

"Homeland Security! I have ID! We're coming out!"

They entered the living room to find a police officer holding a gun and eyeing them suspiciously. The suspicion quickly turned to amusement. "What were you two doing? Making breakfast?"

"Not exactly," Katie replied, feeling the burn in her cheeks as the officer continued to study them intently.

"Hmmm… you know you have egg shells in your hair?"

"We had a little broken egg incident. It's all under control now." Katie reached up to feel her hair and stuck her hand in a slimy pile of ick. Trying not to look as disgusted as she felt, she pulled her fingers away and wiped them on the sleeve of Kaiden's jacket. He shot her a questioning look.

"What? It's already got egg all over the back. What's a little more?"

The officer bust out laughing and holstered his weapon. Wiping at tears in the corners of his eyes, he grinned at the two of them. "I like the way you feds do business. Were you taking her into custody or working on—um—interrogation techniques in the kitchen."

"Interrogation." Kaiden extended his hand to the officer. "Kaiden James, Homeland Security. This is Katie McCoy and this is her place. We were waiting for someone to sit on the scene so I could get her to a hotel. Ms. McCoy is under agency protection now."

"Ha! I bet she is." He looked them up and down with a wink to Katie. "Officer Ramsey, Virginia Beach PD. I'm here to babysit the place until we get the all clear from the crime scene techs. Someone's on the way now to check the place out. Had to drag her out of bed since it's the middle of the night. You want me to buzz you on your cell when the place is clear so y'all can secure it?"

Katie didn't say anything. Office Ramsey wouldn't have listened to her anyway. At the moment, she could only concentrate on getting to a shower and cleaning the sticky gunk out of her hair.

"You okay?" Kaiden asked. He and Officer Ramsey were both looking at her questioningly

"What? Yeah, I'm fine, why?" The heat in her cheeks returned.

"You look a little flushed," Kaiden replied.

"It's been a long night. I'm tired. Someone tried to run me down with their car and I have egg in my hair."

Officer Ramsey still looked very amused. "I think it's time you take your—witness—to a safe place where she can shower and get a little rest."

Katie shot the cop a nasty look. "I just need to get this egg off me. Watch your step in the kitchen. There's not much to snack on so maybe you should stay out of there. I'm going to wash my hands."

As she stood in the half bath washing up, she heard the cop talk to Kaiden. "Hey, man, you gonna tap that tonight?"

"Watch your step, officer."

"Dude, you gotta be crazy not to. She is one fine thing and you got to keep her protected, right? Ain't that what you feds do?"

"Not another word or I'll give your supervisor a call."

"Whatever, man. Whatever."

Katie shook her head as she dried her hands.
You gonna tap that tonight
? Would Kaiden try anything once they were alone? She doubted it. Kaiden was a flirt but he definitely took his job seriously.

Besides, did she really want to deal with all the uncharted emotions he had been stirring up in her since she laid eyes on him in the interrogation room? No, probably not.

Yes! Yes, you do!
Especially if his lips are on you at the time.

Pushing the thoughts of Kaiden's lips out of her mind, Katie walked out to the living room. Kaiden and Officer Ramsey were circling each other like a couple of lions in a ring, neither one saying a word. If not for being absolutely exhausted, Katie would have enjoyed the little show.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"You think you can handle watching this place better than the other guy?" Kaiden asked Ramsey.

"What? You think only you feds know how to sit on your asses?" Ramsey shot back.

"Come on, Kaiden." Katie interrupted the shower of testosterone. "I really need to get this stuff out of my hair."

And you need to get out of here before someone starts shooting.

Kaiden glanced over at her while keeping an eye on Ramsey. "Yeah, okay. Let's get out of here."

Katie kept her mouth shut as Kaiden all but pushed her out the door. Officer Ramsey watched them go but didn't say anything else. She had pretty much had all the male ego she could take for one night. Now all she wanted was to take a shower and forget this night ever happened.

Chapter Five

Katie didn't say a word as they took the elevator down to the parking garage. She still didn't speak when they were in his truck and she only nodded at the desk clerk when they checked into a small hotel on the edge of the tourist district. They stood in the hall in front of room 203B when Kaiden couldn't stand her silence any longer.

"Something eating you?" he asked as he slipped the key card into the slot on the door.

"What would ever give you that idea?"

"Certainly not your sunny demeanor." The lock clicked and the key card slot lit up green.

Katie didn't answer so he opened the door to the room and waited for her to enter. She still hadn't said anything to him ten minutes later when she grabbed clean clothes and some toiletries and disappeared into the bathroom. The room had two double beds. Kaiden settled on the one closest to the door. He kept a packed bag, commonly referred to in the business and by his mother as a go bag, in his truck. The James family, particularly its matriarch Clara, prided themselves on being prepared for everything. The go bag had served him well on the job many times.

Kicking off his dress shoes, Kaiden sighed in relief. Men's dress shoes were the worst. He much preferred a good pair of tactical boots or even running shoes—they were much more practical in his line of work.

Once he stripped out of his tuxedo shirt and belt, Kaiden sat down on the bed and leaned against the headboard wearing only his unbuttoned black dress pants. He could hear the water running in the shower as his eyes slowly closed.

The sounds of Katie in the bathroom were comforting. It reminded him of being married and having someone to come home to. Knowing he had someone there, someone to hold when the day—or days—were done, had made his life complete. Until it was gone and his bed stood cold and lonely. Although he rarely admitted it, his now busy life felt empty. Being around Katie, first in the hospital and then for the last twelve hours, had brought some excitement and warmth back into his heart.

Like it had done so many times before, his mind wandered back to that last night in the hospital. He wasn't allowed to shower yet as the wound needed a couple more days to heal, so she came in and offered to spruce him up a little for the outside world. He could have cleaned himself up but the thought of the cute little nurse sponging him down had worked for him. He had no idea how
much
it would work though. They had laughed and joked as she mixed some soap in the warm tub but it had all come to a screeching halt the minute she touched him with the wet cloth. Kaiden's entire body had heated at her touch. His nerve endings had fired over and over again until he was almost on fire. She felt it too, he could tell. She remained quiet as she did her job but her hand held a slight tremor and the rise and fall of her chest had increased at the same rhythm as his own. It was the most erotic thing he had ever experienced in his life.

What he wouldn't do to experience that again.

She's right there, in the shower.

By now her body would be covered in sudsy lather, trails of soapy water running down her sun-kissed skin. She loved the beach enough to pay top dollar for an ocean view from her apartment. How much of her body had been touched by the sun? With any luck, every single inch.

Why don't you go see for yourself?

Because that would be wrong. Katie was his witness, nothing more.

Yeah, right. You weren't thinking that an hour ago.

The whole egg thing had been an accident. It wasn't his fault she had slipped and fallen on top of him. The way his entire being had reacted to her closeness had been mind-blowing though.

His brain was trying to be smart but the rest of him was as stupid as can be. His body wanted to hop in that shower with Katie and show her how a sponge bath really worked with Kaiden James. It didn't matter that he annoyed her or that she might actually be involved in his case. He didn't peg her as a co-conspirator, at least not intentionally, but Katie definitely knew more than she realized. In the morning he would have to start a real investigation. But tonight?

He might never get another chance to be alone with her again. To hell with his investigation.

He made up his mind. Memories of her body pressed against his in the kitchen tensed every one of his muscles. Jumping up from the bed, he dropped his pants to the floor and was about to shuck his boxer briefs when he heard the door to the bathroom open.

"What are you doing?" Katie demanded.

Oh, hell. What
was
he doing?

He saw her reflection in the mirror that hung over the bed. Steam billowed out of the bathroom, surrounding her like early morning fog rolling in off the ocean. She had her hair tied up turban style in a white hotel towel and her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the water—or maybe embarrassment at seeing him nearly naked in the middle of their hotel room.

Dumb ass! What the hell were you thinking?
He wasn't thinking, that was the problem. At least not with the right part of his body. "Just getting ready to take my turn in the shower."

"Is that
all
you were doing?" Her eyes travelled down to his black briefs where a very obvious bulge was for all the world—and Katie—to see.

He felt the blood rush from his crotch as his cheeks flamed.

Damn!

"I didn't—um—hear the water shut off. I was just—grabbing some athletic shorts to—

um—sleep in— and well, what the hell. I was thinking about what happened in the kitchen at your place."

Her annoyance turned to embarrassment. "It was an accident. I'm sorry I fell on you like that. I hope I didn't ruin your jacket."

"I didn't mind. Glad to be able to cushion your fall." He grinned at her, hoping to break the tension a little. The tension between them shifted though, to something almost tangible. He could nearly feel her body pressed against his as she studied him, her eyes moving slowly down his chest, across his hips and back up again. She wanted him. As sure as he was a red blooded American man, Katie McCoy wanted him.

Come on, James! Now's your chance.

His mind screamed at him but his feet wouldn't move.

Chicken!

Crossing her arms over her chest, Katie glanced away. The moment was lost forever and so was his chance to get her back into that shower and show her how it was done. How he willed his feet to move, to cross the room and take her in his arms, but he stood firm and fast. Katie started pulling the covers back on her bed. "I'm beat. I'll probably be asleep when you get out of the shower. Wake me up when we need to leave or whatever."

With her back to him still, Katie pulled the towel off her hair. Wet strands tumbled around her shoulders. His hand lifted of its own accord, his body wanting to feel the silky softness in his fingers, but she was out of reach, thankfully.

He made up his mind. She tried to keep her distance and he needed to respect that. He had a feeling he could change that if he wanted to but he still didn't move. His body and his brain waged a war and he had no idea which side would win.

Sleep deprivation.

The thought came out of nowhere. Ah, that had to be it. All these hormones making him feel like a teenage boy had to be a result of lack of sleep… and food. He never did eat any dinner either. Low blood sugar and lack of sleep—that made sense. Kaiden needed to get his game face back on and remember he had a job to do. He would grab a shower and forty winks and when he woke up he would be back to his old self. Agent James, Homeland Security. Confirmed bachelor.

***

She hadn't expected the hotel bed to be so comfortable. Katie curled up under the comforter and listened to the sounds of Kaiden in the bathroom.

Kaiden looked like he wanted to die of embarrassment when she caught him stripping. She didn't believe his story about shorts for a second.

If he had tried to seduce her in the shower she wouldn't have put up much of a fight. She remembered his last night in the hospital way too clearly. The memory had permeated her dreams over and over again causing her a considerable amount of guilt during her relationship with Nathan.

She suspected Kaiden to be twice the man of Nathan, not that she would ever have the chance to find out.

It's for the best, Katie. Nothing could really happen with Kaiden. If it could have, it already would have. He was the one who left and never tried to contact you.

Of course, they lived five hours apart at the time. Maybe long distance wasn't his thing.

You aren't long distance now.

No, they weren't. And she and Nathan were done. But she was still annoyed with Kaiden for treating her like a defenseless child. The little spat between Kaiden and Officer Ramsey had really gotten under her skin.

Let it go already. He's a good guy and he was defending you.

The water turned on in the bathroom. Her aggravation slipped away as her mind began to picture the bathroom quickly filling with steam. She tried to ignore the images her brain conjured up of Kaiden under the hot spray. Her body tingled all over, the desire to rip her own clothes back off overwhelming.

You hardly know the man.

Her body didn't seem to care what her brain said at the moment. Her very cells screamed out for his touch.

She stayed there in the bed, a battle waging between the logical part of her brain and the rest of her.

Frustration growing, Katie threw the covers back and jumped from the bed. She had her hands at the hem of her tee shirt when the bathroom door opened and Kaiden entered the room wearing only a towel slung low across his hips. Katie froze, her shirt halfway up her abdomen.

"What are you doing?" Kaiden grinned as he asked her the same question she had posed to him earlier. The sparkle in his eyes told her he knew exactly what she had been about to do.

"Umm—changing my shirt. This one was bothering me."

"Right."

"Why are you only wearing a towel?" Despite her best efforts to resist, her eyes travelled over the hard planes of his chest. Kaiden caught her glance and held it, his own as hot and steamy as the fog leaving the bathroom behind him.

"Well, I don't usually wear clothes when I take a shower. Do you?"

"Of course not." Katie realized she was still holding her tee shirt up as she caught Kaiden eyeing the bared skin. She let the fabric drop and threw her hands on her hips instead.

"I forgot to take my shorts in the bathroom with me. You can turn away if my towel offends you." He teased her with a wink.

"I've seen men in a lot less!"

"Don't I know that." Kaiden dropped his voice to low, husky tones as he dug through his bag and came up with another pair of black boxer briefs.

Why did I say that?

"I am a nurse you know!"

So much for back-pedaling. When did you become such an idiot, Katie McCoy?

"Yes, I know." There he went with that sexy grin again, toying with her. Her blood boiled hot in her veins as she resisted the urge to grab that towel of his.

Kaiden disappeared back into the bathroom, chuckling. Katie scrambled into the bed and pulled the covers up over her head willing herself to fall asleep quickly or die.

Sleep refused to come, as did death. Her nerves hummed with unsatisfied desire and she couldn't calm them. She was supposed to be pissed at Nathan for ruining her life. Instead she wanted to call him up and thank him. Nathan's stupidity had brought Kaiden back into her life. Despite the odd circumstances, it felt like a second chance.

A second chance at what? Love?

Could she be in love with Kaiden? Had she been in love with him since that first night he appeared on her chart at the hospital? Did she even believe in love anymore?

Love was a pretty strong word and it didn't seem to match the feeling in her tense muscles and rapidly firing nerves. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Kaiden in that little white towel. Only, in her mind that towel fell right to the floor.

The bathroom door opened again and Kaiden stepped out. The towel had been replaced with athletic shorts. If only those shorts would go away.

Katie held perfectly still, hoping Kaiden would believe she had fallen asleep. There were sounds of him rummaging through his bag and then the covers of the other bed being pushed back. She heard the click of the lights. After waiting a full minute, Katie slowly opened her eyes expecting to see Kaiden in the next bed. Instead she opened them to tanned, muscular thighs standing beside her. Her heart skipped a beat, and then a second. Following the legs up, her eyes lingered briefly at his hips before traveling over the bare chest and meeting blue eyes that seemed to have darkened to match the twilight of the room.

"I just wanted to make sure you have everything you need before I crash for a bit."

NO! I do
NOT
have everything I need! I need that body in this bed right now!

"I'm fine. Thank you," she responded.

"Are you sure?"

Was he offering himself to her? Not likely. Kaiden was a gentleman and nothing short of her throwing herself at him on an egg covered kitchen floor would make him take advantage of their situation.