Authors: Wendy Stone
She gasped, more in play then in actually being upset at his words. “I'm not that bad, am I?"
"Are you kidding? Dennis the Menace has nothing on you, sweetheart.” He laughed, ducking his head back when she threatened to hit him.
They could hear sirens in the background as Gideon carried her down the four flights of stairs. He felt her head snuggled into his neck and turned so she wouldn't have to see what was left of the hit man. He'd fallen so that his head had hit the cement first, it wasn't a pleasant sight. He still had her pants in a death grip.
The cops showed up first, Gideon putting Mac down so that he could pull his badge. Then the ambulance pulled in followed quickly by the coroner's bus. Mackenzie sat on the gurney, letting them wrap her hands in sterile gauze. She jerked away when they tried to touch her shoulder.
"It might be dislocated. We're going to take her in."
"I'll ride with her,” Hawk said, his tone brooking no argument. “Your cousin can follow us in my car.” He turned, shouting Brett's name. “We're headed to Monroe City General Hospital,” he shouted, throwing him his keys.
Brett nodded, grabbing the keys out of the air one handed and then went back to his phone conversation.
The trip in the ambulance went quickly, the ride bumpy and not very comfortable. Kenzie groaned every time she got tossed around despite the restraints... Her shoulder was beginning to hurt worse now that she was coming down off her adrenaline high.
She glanced over at Hawk only to find him staring at her. “What are you staring at?” she asked, trying to decipher the strange look on his face.
"Everything,” he said, his voice deep as he kept his eyes on her face. “You're everything to me."
Kenzie felt tears gathering in her eyes. “You're just freaked out by what just happened."
"Yeah, well there is that, but there's also the fact that you're the most incredible woman I've ever met. You'd have died to protect me back there."
The medic took her wrist, counting her pulse before inflating the plastic cuff around her arm to get a blood pressure on her.
"I wasn't going to let him hurt you,” Kenzie said, feeling the hand he'd put on her knee squeeze gently. “I couldn't let him hurt you."
"So,” he said after a minute, “what are we going to do about this?"
Kenzie stared at him. “Do? Why must we do anything?” She groaned as the ambulance stopped before reversing in front of the hospital doors.
The medic took the IV bag he'd started and laid it beside her on the gurney, slipping out as soon as the back doors opened. They brought her out and into the hospital emergency room.
It was late when the doctor finished with her. Mackenzie had to fight with Brett to get him settled down, when he found out she planned to go back with Gideon.
"You've been knocked out, had your shoulder dislocated, almost shot, almost thrown out of a building and all because of this guy. Now you want me to go on my merry way and leave you with him. Are you crazy?"
Mac stared down the hallway where Gideon was pacing, giving her privacy with her cousin though he kept glancing her way. “I am, Brett. For him. I think I'm in love with him."
"In love with a cop,” he sighed, disgust in his tone. “Is there something in our genes that says we have to either be cops or fall for one?” He shook his head almost tiredly. “Dillon is going to have my ass."
"Dillon needs to realize that I'm old enough to deal with my own life.” She held her hand out when Brett opened his mouth to speak, stopping him. “The past couple of weeks don't count. Mars must be in the wrong house or retrograded or some such shit."
"Huh?” Brett screwed up his face to show his confusion.
"Astrology or astronomy...you know horoscopes. Mine is all fucked up.” She giggled as the pain pill the doctor gave her began to work. “Gideon will take care of me, Brett. I'm his everything."
"I think you're both a couple of love sick idiots. All right,” he said with a sigh. “I won't call Dillon but I want you to call me in the morning. And no more chasing unknown informants without telling anyone. Understood?"
"Yes sir,” she said crisply, ruining the image by turning her palm upside down and saluting him. She gave him a raspberry, spraying spittle before sliding out of the bed. “I need my clothes."
"She needs a bed and some rest,” Gideon said, smirking at Brett as he walked into the room. “You feel up to helping?"
"I'd rather face that hit man of Tanelli's than Mackenzie on pain killers, thank you.” Brett pulled his phone out of his pocket along with Gideon's keys. “Your car is in the lot. I'm going to call for a cab and let Dillon know that everything is fine here. If you can keep her out of trouble for twenty-four hours, I might actually be able to go home."
"I'm not trouble,” Kenzie said, yawning and throwing the arm that wasn't in the sling around Brett. “Besides, you love me."
"Yes, Mackenzie, I love you, Hawk loves you, everybody loves you.” He steered her toward Gideon, shaking his head sarcastically. “You're in for an interesting evening."
He tossed Hawk his keys, turned and left quickly, smiling as he heard Hawk's reply.
"Coward!"
They looked like a couple of walking accidents as Hawk helped Mac up to the hotel room. She was skimpily dressed in his shirt, her legs looking long and sexy under it. Her arm was bandaged as were her hands, and she'd gotten fifteen stitches total in both hands from the glass.
Hawk had bruises on his face and a band-aid on his head where the bullet had scraped along his skull. He held her carefully, treating her as if she were glass, his arm wrapped around her waist. “Come on, sweetheart. It's only a bit further then you can lie down."
"I'm fine, Gideon,” Mac argued, though she yawned hugely, using one of her bandaged covered hands to cover her mouth. “Okay, I'm tired, but you should be tired too."
"I wasn't the one out there fighting hit men on a foot wide ledge.” He opened the door to the room, his eyes scanning the place quickly. Everything seemed all right, nothing out of place or disturbed from this morning. “You know, you scared me...badly."
"I'm sorry, Gideon. I just couldn't let him kill you.” She went to the bed, perching carefully on the edge.
"So you were going to get yourself killed instead,” he sighed heavily. “I don't want that, Mac. You can't sacrifice yourself for me. Ever. Got it?"
"Is that an order?” she asked, taking off the sling that was around her neck.
"What if it is?” Gideon walked toward her, taking the sling from her and setting it down on the dresser. He turned back to her, his hand cupping her cheek. “What if I made it an order?"
"You know I don't like orders,” she said amenably, cupping one of her bandaged hands around his and rubbing her cheek against his palm. “Actually, I hate orders."
Gideon dropped to his knees in front of her which brought him to almost eye level with her sitting on the bed. “I don't blame you. I don't like them much myself.” He reached out, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. She'd left off her own at the hospital. It was covered in blood and glass, so she'd asked them to toss it for her.
Now she was naked under his shirt but for her underwear.
"No,” she said, heavily lacing her tone with sarcasm. “You hate orders? I'd have never guessed."
"Smart ass,” he grinned, spreading open the shirt. “God you're beautiful,” he whispered. “Even bandaged and half stoned on drugs you take my breath away."
"I'm not stoned,” she argued, though a soft smile touched her lips.
"Mac,” Gideon began, “that wasn't what you were supposed to comment on from that sentence. You take my breath away girl, doesn't that mean anything?"
She leaned forward, hooking her uninjured arm around his neck. “Hmm, does that mean you need CPR,” she whispered, hearing his chuckle before his lips covered hers.
It started gentle, a flicker of a flame, an almost imperceptible moan, a tightening of muscles that bespoke of a yearning for more. Then his tongue slicked along the seam of her lips, dipping within to slide over the smooth surface of her teeth, pushing between their sharp edges to taste her passion.
His arms wrapped around her waist, dragging her from the bed to press her against him. Standing easily, he lifted her legs, lying her down on the mattress and following her down to lie next to her. Her silky legs lay across his hips and he couldn't help but run his hand from her slender ankle, over the curve of her calf to her knee. Pressing gently, he pushed open her thighs, the flat of his hand running between.
She was warm, soft and smooth, her skin like satin against his. Her body arched under his stroking, like a small cat begging for more. She tried to caress him as well, the bandages catching on his clothing, hissing when pain from her shoulder seared through her.
"No, baby. Lay still. Let me,” he whispered.
"But..."
"No, I want to,” he said with a small kiss to her pouting lips. “Relax and let me take care of you."
Mac nodded and he brought his big hand to her face, stroking over her skin and pushing his fingers into the thick short curls that danced around her shoulders. “I think I need this as much as you,” he sighed against her lips. “I can't get the sight of you hanging off that ledge out of my head. I could have lost you."
"No,” she sighed. “It didn't happen, I'm right here."
"But it could have,” he argued with a hint of desperation in his voice. “I could have lost you today."
"You'll find I'm not so easy to lose,” she teased. “It'll take more than some two-bit hit man wannabe to get rid of me."
Hawk lifted his head, staring at her in amazement. “You don't know who he was?"
"The hit man? No, should I?"
"He was one of Tanelli's biggest guns. He's killed more than sixty men, Mac."
Her eyes searched his, seeking the truth. A moment later she was sitting up, staring at him in horror. “Sixty men?"
"More than...” he said in answer.
"He looked like that bug guy from Buffy, the one that morphed into all those squirmy worm thingies.” She held one bandaged hand up to her chest. “You're not teasing me?"
"Nope,” he said, stroking his hand over her back. “You just took out one of the FBI's top ten most wanted men, sugar."
"Holy shit!"
Gideon chuckled, dragging her back down to lie next to him. “You can say that again.” He quickly pressed his fingers to her lips when she tried. “Now you know why I was so scared."
"Wait, was there a reward?” she asked, looking up at him with a twinkle in her amber eyes.
"Yeah, you get me,” he said, dropping a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Oh,” she said in mock disappointment. “I was hoping for money."
"Mackenzie,” he growled in warning, smiling when she giggled. “You're going to pay for that remark."
"I'm terrified,” she said with a fake shiver. “See me shaking?"
He pounced, careful of her shoulder and hands, burying his face in her neck. Growling low in his throat, he nipped at her skin, hearing her squeal. “You'll be shaking when I'm done with you,” he warned.
"Promises, promises,” she moaned.
With gentle hands, he slowly stripped off her shirt, leaving her in nothing but the light green bra and thong. She was covered with bruises and scrapes from the rough brick of the building. It reminded him of how close he'd come to losing her and his lips and hands grew more tender, tracing each bruise with his mouth, taking his time to show her how he felt. His kiss was soft, sliding over her skin, his tongue moving along the cup line of her bra, sliding under it to tease her skin.
Her hands went to his head, but he gently moved them, putting them back to the bed. “No, just leave them there. This is my turn,” he ordered, smiling up at her.
"But..."
"Just be still, Mac. Let me love you like I want to."
She nodded, unable to speak. When he touched her next, a moan bubbled from deep inside of her, her body arching under his lips and hands. He slowly stripped her of her underwear, unhooking the bra and drawing the straps down her arms and over the bandages on her hands. He dropped it over the edge of the bed, stripping off his tee shirt at the same time.
Reaching for her thong, he lifted her legs gently against his arms, pulling the silky soft material down them and off her feet. His wide palms slid behind the material, warm and sure, caressing her with long strokes. “I can't believe how gorgeous you are,” he whispered, his tongue licking fire over the skin of her ankle.
He lowered her legs to the bed, then stood, kicking off his shoes and unfastening his jeans. Yanking the jeans and his boxers down his legs, he stopped only to pull off his socks before lying down next to her once more. Carefully gathering her in his arms, he groaned at the way she felt in his arms, soft and warm, her skin supple and beautiful. His lips found hers, moving with a skill that had her breasts pressing into his chest as she panted.
He dropped his forehead to hers, his eyes closed, his body shaking.
"Gideon?” she whispered, her bandaged hand coming up to touch his cheek.
"I'm okay, Mac. I just want you a little bit too much.” He tried to laugh though it came out a strangled sound. “I guess you being in danger got to me more than I thought it had. I don't know what I'd do if..."
"You don't have to worry about if anything, Gideon. I'm not going anywhere.” She held his face in her hands, finding his lips with hers.
Flames sprang between them, fierce and fiery, like gasoline thrown on banked coals. Gideon couldn't help but draw her closer, his hands stroking down her back to grip her hips, caressing the firm muscled cheeks of her bottom. He rubbed her against him, letting her feel the proof of his need in the hardness of his erection pressing intimately against her.
Tearing her mouth from his, Kenzie gasped then swore. “Dammit, I want to touch you."
"You can touch me. You don't have to use just your hands, baby.” He pulled one of her legs up, holding it with his arm. The skin on the inside of her thigh slid over his, leaving a fiery wake of sensation. “Like that,” he groaned.