“Baby sit me?” she yelled, matching his tone.
“Since I’m not the one throwing the tantrum here, I think you may have this backwards.”
She poked a finger hard into his chest for emphasis.
“Everyone has been stepping on eggshells around you all week because you’ve been taking the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Last time I checked, Dix was the boss and you’re just the profiler with a piss-poor attitude.
If you want to blow off some steam that’s fine with me, but I won’t be used as the target.”
Zach was lost for words.
They stood toe to toe staring each other down until finally the red haze of anger flowed away, leaving him hollow and empty.
He sighed and looked away, relaxing his stance and running his hands through his hair.
“I’m sorry.
I know I’ve been a bastard all week.”
Taking her hand in his, he leaned his forehead against hers and let his eyes close and his mind open.
“I haven’t meant to shut you out.
I’m not used to having someone there to lean on.”
Her rigid muscles softened against him and her mind opened.
“
And you’ve been trying to protect me
He smiled.
Damn, it felt good to have her inside his mind again.
His week had been so busy and stressful, he hadn’t even noticed how much he missed her until now.
“
I don’t want anything to happen to you
,” he answered, his eyes still closed.
Her lips brushed against his and the chains on his control broke.
Plundering her mouth, he pulled her roughly against him as she matched his intensity with a moan.
*****
Dix snatched a steaming brownie off the cooling rack and popped it in his mouth.
The hot still-bubbling chocolate singed his tongue and he cursed inventively until an arched brow from Kathy stopped his tirade.
“It serves you right for stealing them before they’re even done.”
Kathy smiled, taking the sting out of the comment.
She handed Dix a can of soda so he could soothe his tongue.
Drinking deeply, he sighed as the bubbly soda cooled the burn and he could actually taste some of the rich chocolate again.
“What, no milk?”
Kathy arched a brow at him, but couldn’t fully hide a lopsided grin.
“Your hands aren’t broken, the fridge is right over there.”
She nodded toward the refrigerator.
“You do realize you’ve cooked enough for the entire global FBI force and not just the group of us, right?”
Kathy shrugged.
“Don’t get me wrong, I have other outlets and hobbies.
But unlike Cassidy, when I joined the symphony, playing the clarinet became my job instead of my hobby.
To Cassidy, playing her cello is her lifeblood.”
She slipped another batch of brownies into the oven and set the timer.
“So, my outlet became cooking.
And if I was the only one who ate it all, I’d weight three hundred pounds.
So believe me, I’m thankful to all of you.”
And she’d still be damn sexy, thought Dix with a grin.
It was in her bearing and personality and her very essence.
Even if Kathy had been only marginally attractive, she would’ve intrigued Dix more than any woman he’d ever met.
He watched as she began loading dirty dishes into the dishwasher.
She smiled at him over her shoulder.
“Besides, Cassidy has this great kitchen and she only uses it to cool her soda and beer and to store her skittles and pop tarts.
So, I might as well enjoy it.
And it’s nicer than the one in my apartment.”
Dix swallowed hard.
This woman was amazing—smart, funny, kind, caring and damn if she couldn’t cook just about anything so well it was sinful just to taste it.
He’d be a total idiot if he didn’t at least tell her.
But he was a regular guy and she was a…goddess.
What if she laughed in his face?
She’d been nice to him, but did that mean he was even in her league?
Only one way to find out.
Dix took a deep breath and let it out slowly, like he did when he was getting ready to storm into to a room filled with well-armed bad guys.
Which would actually be more comfortable right now, he thought grimly.
“Kathy?”
He waited until she glanced over her shoulder to look at him.
“Do you think after this whole Reaper episode is over that you might be interested in going out on an actual date…with me?”
He rushed on before she had a chance to turn him down.
“I know we live in different cities, but I’ve never met anyone like you and I know I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t at least ask.”
He watched in fascination as her sea green eyes sparkled and a slow smile spread over her face.
“I think I’d be very interested.
Washington D.C. isn’t
that
far away, Dix.
It would be nice to see each other in less stressful circumstances and see if you’re still interested.”
Dix heaved a sigh of relief and crossed the room to take her hand.
“I have a hunch I’ll always still be interested.”
He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her silky skin.
His heart jumped at the freedom of being able to touch this woman and know she welcomed it.
If her hand felt that wonderful, he could only imagine how soft and welcoming other parts of her would feel.
A rush of heat flared into his cheeks as his mind explored that particular tangent and all of its possibilities.
His cell phone began a rhythmic buzz, breaking him out of his musings, and he held up a finger to Kathy.
“Hold that thought.”
“Dixon,” he said into the phone.
“Hey, boss, it’s Anderson.
I’m calling to see if I can get a replacement to tail Holly Peters.”
Dix heard Anderson fumbling for words.
“I…I wouldn’t normally ask, but my wife just called and well…she’s in labor.”
“Congrats, Anderson!
Hopefully the baby will be beautiful like Brenda and not ugly like you.”
Dix smiled as Anderson’s nervous laughter carried over the phone line.
Anderson had been extremely nervous leaving his wife in Washington to come on this posting since her due date loomed close.
“Go ahead and request a replacement agent with my authorization to take over first thing in the morning.
I’ll come out and relieve you now, so you get your butt on the first plane out to D.C.”
Anderson gave a relieved sigh, clearly audible over the phone line.
“Thanks, Dix, I appreciate it.”
“Just send Brenda my love and I’d better get a cigar.”
Kathy poured detergent into the dishwasher and then closed it and pushed the start button.
“Who’s having a baby?”
“Anderson’s wife.
They’ve been trying for years to get pregnant.
I can’t rob him of the big moment just to tail someone we aren’t even sure is in danger.
Especially since everything’s been slow for the last week.”
“You’re a very sweet man, Dix,”
Kathy patted him on the cheek.
“I’ll make you up some sandwiches and some coffee for your stakeout.”
He was actually tailing someone, not going on a stakeout, but he didn’t bother correcting her terminology.
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and went to find Zach.
When Dix did find him, he wished he’d just left a note instead of seeking him out.
Zach was training Cassidy on using her gifts.
They sat cross-legged on the living room floor, facing each other with their eyes closed.
Of course, they were bickering…as usual.
Dix slowed as he hit a wall of oppressive energy just inside the room.
Now that he knew this was an effect of him being psychically sensitive, he took it in stride, but it still took getting used to.
What a difference a few weeks make!
“Oops, sorry guys.
Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
He began to back out of the room.
“I just had something to tell Zach.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Cassidy stood and stretched.
“You’re a great excuse to take a break and I need one.
As well as one of those brownies I smell.”
She shot a saucy grin over her shoulder at Zach and then kissed Dix lightly on the lips as she walked by him and out toward the kitchen.
“I think I should interrupt her studies more often.”
Dix laughed as Zach narrowed his eyes and unfolded himself stiffly from the floor.
“Don’t you have your own woman in the other room?” Zach asked archly.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”
Dix smiled as he remembered the twinkle in Kathy’s eyes when she said she’d go out with him.
Maybe he finally found the woman he’d been looking for.
“Earth to Dix.”
Zach waved a hand in front of Dix’s face.
“Sorry, just went on a trip there for a minute.”
He shook his head and laughed at himself.
He was getting a bit ahead of where he should be at this point.
She agreed to go out with him, not have his children.
Yet….
He smiled at the fun he’d have convincing her.
Somehow he knew they would be perfect together.
“Didn’t you need to talk to me?”
Amusement danced in Zach’s gaze.
“Yes, sorry.”
Dix shook his head and chuckled at himself again.
“Anderson just called.
Brenda is in labor, so I’m going to go relieve him until his replacement arrives in the morning.”
“That’s terrific!”
Zach slapped Dix on the shoulder.
“We’ll have to set up a congratulations party with cigars and some good Irish whiskey when we get back.
They’ve been waiting for this baby forever.”
Dix nodded.
Everyone liked Anderson.
He made a mental note to organize a celebration when they all got back to D.C.
Maybe Kathy and Cassidy could even fly out….
He reined himself in as he realized he was going off on a tangent again.
“So, anyway, I wanted you to know I’ll be tailing Holly Peters until six A.M.”