Wild on You (11 page)

“Never you mind that,” the woman said in a terse voice.

Addie wanted to die from embarrassment. “Corrupting a child!” she whispered as they walked outside.

“If we’d gone into the men’s room and there’d been a guy waiting, he’d have just given me a thumbs-up.”

Addie rolled her eyes.

Thirty minutes later, they found a spot at the zoo’s makeshift parking area and paid the entrance fee. A smattering of people wandered around the exhibits. A few kids were squealing at a camel that was sticking its nose between the bars. Another girl was giggling on a pony ride. It was hard for Addie to get excited about these kinds of zoos; all she could think about was how stressful it was for the animals. But she had to pretend.

Risk steered her from exhibit to exhibit, his arm casually looped around her shoulders. She didn’t have to pretend to like that, no siree. When she leaned too close, though, she could feel his gun at his waist, beneath his loose shirt.

Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

At least she hadn’t babbled that out loud, like she had with the whole
squeeze my boobs
thing.
Sheesh, Addie, have you lost your mind?
She had, but it had felt good at the time. Carefree, flirty. Things she never got to be.

And you should not be flirty now. You’re on a mission
.

The zoo was crammed into a much smaller space than normal, so the cages and corrals were nearly touching. It sprawled from the parking area of the defunct gas station onto the grassy area. Green clumps of recently mowed weeds and grass dotted the ground.

On their first trip around the grounds, they searched for the tiger, for Alan, and for his thug buddy. Tigs wasn’t on display. No sign of the thugs, either, though they could be in the off-limits area where the Rssss and tractor-trailers were set up.

Risk led her right up to the yellow tape that blocked off further access and gestured toward one of the RVs. Though he was talking about how his brother had taken one just like that out west, she knew he was really searching. Unfortunately they saw no sign of anyone, nor could she spot the traveling cage from which she’d broken Tigs out.

They wandered back to the zoo. They passed a zebra roaming a small, fenced-in area and paused in front of two chimpanzees sitting listlessly in their cages. A family was
making monkey noises, trying to get them to react. Finally the family gave up and moved on.

Risk continued to watch the chimps. “They look sad. Can’t say I blame them. Being gawked at is no fun, let me tell you.”

Addie wished she could see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses. “I bet you got a lot of that during the trial.”

“People either scorned us or feared us, as though we would go psycho at any moment. Even knowing the truth, it was still annoying.”

It was probably downright hurtful, but Risk wasn’t going to admit that. “It must have been terrible,” she coaxed.

“I’m just glad it’s over.”

He moved on to where miniature horses paced the length of their small pen, signaling an end to that particular conversation. She followed with a sigh. It was nothing personal. She knew that men didn’t open up and share all the pain in their heart. Her father had said very little, had shown no grief, after her mother’s death. She’d seen only his stoic acceptance, and Risk wore that same expression.

As she did with every pen, she assessed the conditions. “At least they all have clean water bowls, fresh food, and shelter from the sun. Maybe Carrigan’s gotten the hint.”

They passed kids scrambling in and out of a castle bounce house and stopped in front of a covered tent with chickens, goats, ducks, and bunnies in various sections that allowed for petting.

Next to that sat a photo-op tent; the sign read,
GET YOUR PICTURE WITH A PYTHON, $10
. A teenage girl grimaced as she kept the huge snake from wrapping completely around her neck. Addie leaned around to look at the back of the sign, which read,
GET YOUR PICTURE WITH A TIGER CUB, $50
.

“Ready for your picture?” asked the guy holding the snake as the girl rushed out. Addie thought it was Carrigan’s son, Ted. He’d always seemed most sympathetic, or at least he hadn’t shut her out completely when she’d tried to talk to him.

Addie shuddered as the snake flicked its tongue in her direction. “God, no.”

Risk didn’t so much as flinch as the snake’s flickering tongue inched closer to his arm. “My girl here came to get a picture with the baby tiger. We drove all the way from D.C.”

Ted shook his head. “Sorry, we don’t have the cub anymore. Guess you didn’t see my dad on the news last night. Some crazy animal rights chick stole it.”

Addie had to force herself not to react. She hated the word
crazy
. Extreme, maybe. Fiercely dedicated, definitely. She looked at Risk, her mouth in a pout. “Honey …”

“Don’t you have another one?” Risk asked. “In the back, maybe? My Babbette has been whining—I mean, begging me to bring her here, and I won’t hear the end of it if you don’t get her a tiger to pose with.” He whipped out his wallet and extracted a crisp hundred-dollar bill. “Make it happen, and I’ll double the fee.”

She leaned up and kissed Risk’s cheek. “Oh, Sebastian, you’re just the sweetest.” She rubbed his chest in small circles, batting her eyes at Ted. “He’s always willing to do anything to make me happy.” And right at that moment, her hand was very happy, sliding over the contours of Risk’s pecs.

Ted eyed the bill, chewing his lower lip as he contemplated. He gestured for them to follow. “Come with me.”

Her heart jumped. This was it. They’d eye the tiger, bring in the authorities, and it would be over.

Though Risk left his arm casually around her, she felt his body tense. Of course, if Tigs were here, that meant these guys were the ones who’d tried to abduct her. Maybe they didn’t recognize her, maybe they did. She and Risk had to be ready for anything.

They followed Ted around the back of the RVs, out of sight of the zoo. She could see Risk’s eyes shifting back and forth, surveying their surroundings. His fingers had tightened on her shoulder, but his other hand rested against his stomach—near his gun.

Ted was looking around, too; no one was in sight. He crooked his finger as he came around the corner of a trailer, where she could see the bars of a cage. Addie could
hardly breathe as she prepared to see Tigs.

It wasn’t Tigs. A black animal with a thick tail sat in the cage, looking suspiciously out at them. Ted presented it as though it were a wonderful surprise. “How about a picture with a bearcat? A bear
and
a cat, like two for one. He’s not technically available for photo ops.” He nodded toward Risk’s pocket, where he’d tucked the hundred-dollar-bill. “But I’m willing to arrange something under the circumstances.”

Addie didn’t have to hide her disappointment or fake it. “It looks like a big ole possum.” She gave Risk an imploring look. “
Honey
, I want a picture with a tiger. I told you we should have come earlier.”

Risk sighed, aiming his world-weary look at Ted. “When will you be getting another one?”

Ted shook his head. “I’m sorry to say that we probably won’t. You see, the travel is really hard on them. A lot of ’em die while we’re on the road, and the place my father sends them to once they get too big for safe handling, well, we just found out it isn’t very nice. The crazy activist lady’s been telling us that for the last year. I checked in to it, and she’s right. I can hook you up with any other animal for your picture.”

Addie couldn’t believe it. Had she actually gotten through to at least one of them? Or could they see through her disguise? She tugged on Risk’s shirt. “I don’t want to hurt any tiger babies. Let’s go, honey.”

“Hey!” Carrigan came around the corner. “Don saw you bringing people back here.” His beady eyes settled on her and Risk. “This area is not for the public.” His gaze lingered on them. In suspicion? Addie did her best to keep her expression placid.

Ted slung his hand in her direction. “This here gal was really bumming that she couldn’t get a picture with the tiger. I was just showing her our newest resident, thinking maybe we could use him.”

“He’s not for handling.” Carrigan reached toward them. “You’ll have to—”

Risk had him turned around with one arm cocked at an awkward angle behind his back so fast, Addie didn’t even see it happen.

“I was just going to guide you back to the public area!” Carrigan yelled, his face
red.

Risk was eerily cool and controlled. He released the man. “Sorry. I just got out of the military. I’m a little jumpy.”

Carrigan quickly stepped back, rubbing his shoulder. “I’ll say.”

Ted had stood there with his mouth open the whole time. It was all Addie could do to squelch a burst of laughter at their shell-shocked expressions. Risk took her hand and led them away, watching both men from the corner of his eye. His body didn’t relax one bit as they made their way to the parking area.

As he opened the passenger door of her red SUV for her, he did one last thorough survey. “No one’s paying attention to us. If they knew who we really were, they’d be watching at least.” He closed the door and got in. She liked his vigilance, the way his energy changed when he was in soldier mode.

He turned to her and caught her with who knew what expression on her face. She shifted her thoughts. “Tigs wasn’t there. And I think Ted would have told us if there’d been any chance of scoring that bill. Poor Tigs. Where could he be?”

Risk pulled onto the highway, still watching the rearview mirror. “Poor us. We just eliminated the number one suspect. Remember, Addie, this is about you, not the tiger.”

“It’s about both of us. We’re both in big trouble.”

He was driving because he’d used his “I’m in control” card: He’d been trained in evasive driving tactics. Like they’d ever be chased. Then she remembered the hit-and-run and decided not to argue.

She sat back in her seat, running her fingers up and down the seat belt. “You were absolutely amazing when you had Carrigan in that lock. If I’d blinked, I’d have missed it.”

“The guy had no right to touch you.”

He’d done that because of her? The edge of propriety in his voice gave her a shiver. “Remind me not to put my hand on you without warning.”

“You can put your hand anywhere you want. I wouldn’t react like that.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Anywhere?”

He slid her a heated look. “Oh, doll, don’t go there with me. You’re my client.”
Nothing more
. That was what he hadn’t said. But she’d bet he was thinking it.

And you should be thinking it, too
. She took in his profile, that slightly crooked nose, strong chin, and a mouth she knew was totally kissable.

“I’m hungry,” he said, as though reading her thoughts. “Know of any decent diners in the area? I’m in the mood for something good and greasy.”

Oh, that kind of hungry. Her stomach growled. “I know the perfect place, not far from the ranch. But I don’t want to go in there like this.”

He gave her an appraising look. “But Babbette, you look so hot.”

Hmph. How could she feel jealous of herself? “Sorry, time for her to go bye-bye. At least parts of her.” She wriggled out of the overly padded bra and tossed it into the back.

“You know what they say: More than a handful is a waste.”

“Hah. Guys only say that to women with small breasts to make them feel better. You know you want double-D’s.”

He laughed, a soft, low sound that trickled right through her. “Addie, what you have is perfectly fine. More than fine. Why is it that you assume I go for buxom women?”

She shed her wig and shook out her hair. “Because guys who look like you usually do. At least that’s the way it was in high school, when I
was
interested in dating. No one gave me a second glance, especially when I was standing near the real Babbette.” Her classmate Babbette had a woman’s body at fifteen, while Addie hadn’t even sniffed at curves until she was almost twenty. She glanced down at her barely-B’s. And still hadn’t.

“You’re talking about hormonal, prepubescent, oversexed boys. You can’t judge your effect on men based on that.”

What was her effect on him? She didn’t dare ask. Well, she had an idea. Because back at the barn, that hadn’t been a pistol in his pocket …

Forty-five minutes later, Addie and Risk pulled up to a diner appropriately called the Greasy Spoon. The small whitewashed building sported an enormous spoon on its roof. She gave him a grin when he read the sign, turned to her, and said, “Perfect.”

They got out of the car and came around to the front. “When I’m on a mission, I figure out how to get what I want,” she said. “Or in this case, what you want: greasy food.” The word
mission
triggered a realization: Having a man in her life would screw up her dedication. She’d been so distracted by Risk that she’d missed celebrating a very important point. “The zoo might give up having tiger cubs. I got one of them to listen—to actually
listen
—to me!” She spun around and, caught up in her revelry, wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped up and down. “I made a difference!” When she came to a stop, her smile faded. And her heartbeat stepped up. “You’re looking at me the way you did in the barn, right before you kissed me.”

His hands had automatically gone around her waist. “Mm-hmm. Because you’ve got that same light in your eyes. I know it sounds crazy, but it turns me on big-time. I’ve seen women get all excited about chocolate or a pair of shoes.” He shook his head. “I never could wrap my head around that. But there’s something so damned sexy about your passion.” His fingers tightened on her. “Because your heart is in your beautiful smile and in your voice and in the way you move, and Addie, it’s making me crazy.
You’re
making me crazy.”

His words melted through her. He found her attractive—sexy!—for the very reasons that the few other guys who’d been in her life had found exasperating. “If it’s any consolation, you’re making me crazy, too.”

That earned a slight lift at the corner of his mouth. “This job would be a lot easier if you were gay.”