The Enforcer (34 page)

His slow smile drove away her shock, once and for all.
“Sweetheart, this is my colleague, Jackson Maddox,” he said, making introductions.

Jackson sent her friendly glance through the rearview mirror.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” he said, in a voice suggestive of the Caribbean Islands.

“
Likewise,” she replied, wondering how much Tobias had told him about her. “Thank you for your help today. I’m…I’m not usually this much trouble,” she added by way of apology.

Tobias snorted at her outright lie.

“No, it’s true,” she insisted. “I like to just keep to myself and do my own thing.”

“
Right. And that’s why I am always rescuing you.”

“
About that,” she said, laying her hand over his and threading their fingers together. “Thank you. I would have died today if not for you.”

His smile faded, yielding to unaccustomed gravity.
“I would never have let that happen,” he swore, as they swung into her driveway.

Sheriff Fallon veered to one side, gesturing for them to stop, and Tobias was forced to turn his attention out the lowered window. Cal peered into the car, cast Dylan a respectful nod and speared Tobias with a hard look.
“Guess I owe you an apology, Burke,” he bit out.

“
None needed, Sheriff,” Tobias assured him. “I would have treated me the same way. Friends?” he offered sticking his hand out the window.

Dylan was fairly certain Cal
’s handshake would have crushed a lesser man’s hand. With a parting nod, Cal sat back and roared off, freeing them to proceed up the gravel drive toward Dylan’s home.

“
If it’s all the same to you,” Jackson told Tobias, “I think I’ll head back to the city. Lena’s been texting me.”

Tobias flicked Dylan an uncertain glance.
“You want me to stay, beautiful?” he asked. “Or leave with Jackson?”

“
Stay,” she said, trying to keep her tone breezy and impersonal and failing miserably.

He rewarded her with a grin, and heat suffused her face.

The instant the car stopped, Dylan leapt out, freeing Milly to bound across the yard to her favorite elm tree. As Dylan watched her go, her gaze lit with dismay on the mess her militia had left behind.

“
Don’t even look at it,” Tobias advised, shutting both their doors. Several tents lay strewn across her grass. Trash littered the lawn, fluttering in the wet breeze. “I’ll help you clean it later,” he promised.

As he turned his attention to seeing Jackson off, Dylan headed up the porch steps. Using the key she kept under a flower pot, she let herself inside. Her footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway as she carried Terrence
’s urn into the command room. She paused a moment by his desk, recalling snippets of the previous year and how loyally he had supported her radical efforts to heal by heading up a militia. The house had never felt so empty as it did without him. Approaching the unused fireplace, she set the urn on the heavy mantle where it dignified the space. One day soon, when she was ready, she would scatter his ashes on her land.

The screen door creaked open and then thudded shut. Milly padded into the room to bump Dylan
’s hand with her head. Sensing Tobias, but not hearing him, Dylan turned her head to find him standing at the threshold, just watching her. She wasn’t so alone, after all.

“
It’s so quiet without him,” she commented.

“
Too quiet,” he agreed.

They stood for a moment simply regarding each other. Dylan
’s heart thudded out the seconds. What happens now? she wondered. How did they move beyond the past, the lies, the betrayal, their many differences?

“
Let’s start over,” Tobias proposed, answering her unspoken question as he took a step in her direction, and then another. “My name’s Tobias Avery Burke. I’m thirty-three years old.” His crooked smile spanned the distance between them like a beam of sunlight. “My dad’s a career Army Ranger, who works at the Pentagon. My mom does charity work. I grew up on bases all over the world. I have three older sisters who spoiled me rotten. I like singing, working out, training dogs, and wearing obnoxious T-shirts.”

She searched his eyes as he stopped in front of her.
“You don’t have to do this, Tobias. I understand why you lied to me. I just don’t understand why you would let the government tell you what to do in the first place.”

He sighed and stuck his hands into his pockets.
“Because I thought the government had good reason to suspect you. And it’s my job to stop people from building bombs or owning firearms to kill people,” he added reasonably.

His words panged her.
“Do I look like a killer to you?”

His gaze drifted over her, lingering first on her lips and then her breasts.
“Not at all,” he admitted. “And that did throw me, at first. At the time, you seemed to fit the profile of a terrorist—that is, until I got to know you better,” he added, warding off her indrawn breath. “I have to confess it worried me that I was so attracted to a potential enemy of the state.”

Folding her arms across her chest, she studied him through narrowed eyes, not knowing whether to be offended or pleased. She tapped a toe.
“And what about now?”

“
Now, I’m just worried that you’ll never forgive me,” he said with a vulnerable look in his eyes. “Believe me, once I saw the real you through the smoke and mirrors, I knew you hadn’t killed anyone.”

Like a high tide washing footprints out to sea, his words eradicated her lingering resentment. Abandoning her defensive stance, Dylan dropped her arms and bit her lip, instead.
“Just like that? You knew?” she asked, lapping up the desire and willingness to commit that blazed in his eyes. 

“
Just like that.” He stepped closer. “I meant it when I said I love you. I fell hard for you, Dylan. Your passion, your commitment to everything you believe in impresses the hell out of me. I need you to understand that I was just following orders, just doing my job. Once I knew you were innocent, I pulled out every stop I could think of to prove it. I want to be part of your life. Please don’t put up barriers to keep us apart.”

Shimmering warmth spread from Dylan
’s core to every extremity. Throwing caution to the wind, she rolled up on her toes, tossed both arms around his sturdy neck and kissed him with abandonment.

This,
she thought, savoring the sweet, languorous melding of their mouths.
This is what we have in common.
The hardwood floor beneath her boots seemed to tip as if the entire house was falling over. Pressing closer, she encountered irrefutable proof of Tobias’s devotion.

But was it enough? Practicality dragged her lips from his.
“I’m terrified,” she whispered.

He pulled his head back to frown down at her.
“Of what, baby? What’s to be afraid of?”

“
Come on, Tobias. You know we’re complete opposites, from different ends of the political and religious spectrum. You grew up in a military family; you work for the government. I’m an individualist. You’re a statist.”

“
Love can overcome our differences,” he replied with certainty.

The conviction shining in his eyes made her long to agree with him.
“But you’re an agent of the federal government,” she reminded him, trying to mask her disgust. “Why would you waste your unique skills working for an entity that stifles your creativity and regulates every aspect of your being?”

“
How can you ask me that when you used to be a military officer? Why’d you join the military?”

“
They paid for medical school.”

“
That’s not the only reason and you know it.”

“
Fine. I wanted to serve my country. That’s my reason for leading a militia, too.”

“
Well, there you go. We’re not as different as you think. I work for the ATF to keep citizens of this country safe. I believe in its mission. But at the end of the day, I can take off my gun, and climb into bed with you and it won’t matter that you don’t agree with me.”

At the mention of a bed, Dylan
’s knees turned to mush.

“
Listen,” he added, “you said it yourself when you addressed the crowd earlier. This
is
a beautiful country. What makes it beautiful is that we’re entitled to have differing opinions. I can respect your political philosophies if you can respect mine.”

She doubted her ability to do that.
“You make it sound so simple.”

“
That’s because it is simple. We compromise.” He gathered her closer, sparking goose bumps as he nuzzled her ear. “Come on, sweetheart. Let me show you how it’s done.”

Anticipation powered through her, making it impossible to resist.
“Okay,” she agreed with a sigh of surrender.

As he nipped and licked her neck and ear, he skillfully let her hair down, much like he
’d done on Jefferson’s Rock. Sliding his fingers through her unwinding hair, he cupped her head, holding her perfectly still to receive his kiss. His lips warmly covered hers, plying them apart. His tongue swept in, coaxing a response. The breath left her lungs, and her mind melted into a languorous stupor.

As the buttons of his jacket parted under her nimble fingers, Dylan scanned the message on the underlying T-shirt from beneath her lashes. 

IF YOU CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT, DON’T TICKLE THE DRAGON.

Laughter bubbled up her throat, shattering their kiss.
“Oh, Tobias,” she gasped, “you’re too much.” 

“
You think that’s funny?” he said with mock-seriousness. Drawing her hand over the bulge now straining the fabric of his crotch, he growled lecherously, “I would say you’re in very serious danger, ma’am. This dragon is particularly ornery and large.”

Her eyes widened in feigned dismay.
“Did you say horny and large?”

“
Close enough.”

“
But you’ll save me won’t you?”

“
Of course. It’s what I do.”

“
My hero,” she crowed, throwing her head back. “Now, take me upstairs and help me to forget this entire week,” she commanded.

“
Oh, you’ll forget it, all right.” Extracting out another shriek of laughter, he scooped her off her feet and headed for the stairs. “My God, you’re heavy,” he huffed, halfway to the second story. “How much do those boots of yours weigh?”

She play punched him in the chest.
“Stop it. I’m not that heavy.”

“
They must have fed you nonstop in jail,” he groused, panting up the past few steps. “Not you,” he added, preventing Milly from darting into the room with them. “Three is a crowd. Out.” Turning sideways, he edged into the room with Dylan and shut the door with his foot.

“
Poor Milly,” Dylan lamented.

“
Poor Milly, my ass. She went from a working dog to the most coddled Lab on the planet. Plus, I’m sure you’ll make it up to her later,” he added, lowering her gently onto the bed. “But right now, I want you all to myself, with no distractions. This is our time.” He lowered his mouth to hers.

Dylan went to kiss him back then changed her mind.
“I’m sorry, I have to shower first. All I can smell is Kevin’s cigarette smoke and…” Pressure descended without warning on her chest.

“
Sweetheart,” Tobias exclaimed, immediately contrite. “Baby, I’m sorry. I’m pushing you too fast.”

“
No, I want this. I want you. Trust me. I just need to…” She sat up swiftly, tearing at her clothing in her haste to take it off. “Help me,” she demanded.

He kneeled before her to divest her of her boots and socks. Then he pulled her to her feet and stripped off the rest of her clothing until she stood in her bra and panties.

Suddenly shy, Dylan bolted to the adjoining bath, tossing a flirtatious glance behind her. Waiting for the water to warm and for Tobias to join her, she slipped off her undergarments. “Are you coming?” she called him.

He peeked around the door jam, his shoulders bare and feasted on her naked figure.
“Are you inviting me?” he asked, “Because I can wait if—”

“
Now,” she said firmly.

A grin split his face, and he stepped into the room, completely naked, his
dragon
fully evident. “I love it when you order me around,” he admitted.

“
Well, then, get into this tub with me and scrub the smell of smoke off.”

“
Yes, ma’am.”

They stepped into the tub together. Hot water sluiced over them as their bodies met, mouths feverishly locked. With a whimper of relief, Dylan yielded to the tide of passion rising up in her. Tobias
’s sure hands swept over her body as he shampooed her hair and soaped her from heel to shoulder, ignoring his own, very obvious appetites to put her in the right frame of mind first. Arching her back, she invited his hands to linger on her breasts.