Lovers and Other Strangers Box Set: The Boston Stories (38 page)

    "Oh, sweetheart," he groaned. "I can't ever get enough of you." Her response got lost in her gasp when he nibbled her ear. Then he started to move and she gasped again. It felt so different, so good, so...

    "Oh shit! Jonah, JONAH!" He was lost in his own swirl of sensation. She pulled her legs up which made him drive deeper. She almost quit fighting but caught herself. She brought her heels up and dug them into his hips, levering herself up and off of him. She fought to get out from under him as he reared up at the sudden change in the situation.

    "What the hell, Delia!"

    "Oh God, I was right, shit, oh my god!" Delia sprinted to the bathroom. Jonah looked down and suddenly realized what the problem was. He was so consumed with his desire for her he'd never even thought to put on a condom.

    "Fuck!" That had never happened before. Never in his life had he forgotten, never had he been so crazed, never had he felt comfortable enough to even think about the consequences.

    He could hear the shower running as he approached the bathroom.

    "Delia." No response. Screw it; she couldn't get more pissed off at this point, could she? He walked in and heard her crying while she stood under the water. Clothes and all, he stepped into the shower. She stared at him but she didn't resist when he wrapped his arms around her.

    "I'm sorry. I got caught up in, well everything, and I didn't stop to think. I just had an insurance physical so I know I'm clean, if that helps." He was prepared for almost anything but not her laughing at him, which of course is exactly what she did. Only it wasn't friendly “we'll howl about this in ten years” laughter; no, it was more like crazed cackling.

    "You think I'm worried I'll catch something!" She pushed away from him and slammed a fist into his chest. "You idiot! I'm not on anything. You could have ruined my whole life!" Then she bolted from the shower. By the time he recovered his senses and got out of the shower himself, she was already wrapped in a thick hotel robe and sitting on the bed. He peeled his wet clothes off in the bathroom so he didn't track water everywhere and stepped into the closet to get fresh clothes. He didn't come out till he'd gotten pants on.

    "Delia, I... I didn't realize. I didn't get off so the chances of you being pregnant are pretty slim. And look, if you are... then I'll do the right thing."

    "The right thing? Like what exactly? You don't have relationships, remember. So you'd what, marry me? Then leave me sitting at home with the kid for the rest of my life while you were off sleeping with other women. This was supposed to be a fling, remember?"

    "I knew you didn't have the best opinion of me when we started out but, are you saying you wouldn't have a child of mine?" He didn't mean to yell but something primal in him was pissed. He wasn't sure why but suddenly he wanted her pregnant. The thought of her round with his child made his body tense and his heart pound but not in fear; shit, no, it was desire. Damn, it was getting late and this whole project was going to go south if he didn't get his ass downstairs now. It was just as well he got out of there; if he didn't he was afraid he'd do something he might regret. "This isn't over by a long shot!" he growled under his breath before he slammed out the door.

    The big, stupid, idiot! She didn't indulge in tears often but this seemed like a good time. How could she even begin to explain that in the seconds it took her to realize that he wasn't wearing anything she'd almost convinced herself this could be so much more than just a fling. Her body was more than willing; her heart had given up the fight a couple of days ago. All that stood in the way was her pride and self-respect. If she gave in and he left anyway - she couldn't live with that. Better to just push him away, fight through the pain and get out clean. She could spend the rest of her life searching for some guy who made her feel like this and wouldn't break her heart. Yeah, like there was a chance in hell of that happening.

    Damn, she needed to get her eyes on those monitors. Whatever else there was between them they were partners in this set-up first and it was her job to cover his back. She flicked on the monitors and saw Jonah standing around talking to the two other guys. He had been told the intel was going to be passed along at this game, as a payment for a gambling debt, and the company that hired Hutchinson Investigations damn sure didn't want that information getting around to its competitors. Jonah was there to distract, delay, and if necessary, dupe the pair. He'd been doing the "aw shucks" thing and losing money at the game so neither of the other players wanted him gone just yet.

    Delia stayed in the robe, wrapping it tighter around her. She pulled out her laptop and when she did she heard the clink of metal against metal. She had almost forgotten that she'd brought her gun. Stupid in retrospect.  She had the concealed carry permit and had dismantled it so it could get through security in her checked bags. If she had known she was going to be staring at monitors all day she wouldn't have bothered. She dragged out the pieces and the tube of grease along with her computer. She could multi-task: Skype with her mom, put her weapon back together, and watch over the damn man she had fallen in love with.

    She laid out all of the gun supplies on a hotel towel. Gun grease was probably not the worst thing they ever saw in the laundry. She set up her computer between the monitors so she could do a sweep and see everything at once. She rang up her mother, figuring she wouldn't be online but it was worth a shot; she really needed to talk to someone right now.

    "Hey hon, how's Paradise?"

    "Right now, it kind of sucks."

    "I figured or I wouldn't be hearing from you. What is going on?"

    "How do you know when it's worth it to give your heart to a guy you are pretty sure is going to break it in little pieces?"

    "Oh, that bad. I don't know if I'm the best one to ask. I actually married your father and while I wouldn't have traded having you for anything... That man was a son of a bitch and then some. I guess since I got you out of it, it was worth it. Still, I wouldn't want you to go through what I went through."

    "Mom, Jonah would never abuse me, at least not physically. He wouldn't even emotionally if he stopped and thought about it for even half a second but he doesn't stop to think."

    "Honey, most guys don't. They work on gut instinct. Why else would they go into burning buildings or brave bullets coming at them or take on bitter screaming women?"

    "Wanna explain that last one?" Delia quirked her eyebrow at her mother but her mother just laughed back.

    "Not a chance in hell! All I can tell you, kiddo, is whether you give your heart to him or not, how you feel about him isn't going to change one bit. If you love him, then love him. You may get your heart handed back to you and it will hurt like hell but not doing anything is gonna hurt like hell too."

    "I hate when you get all mystical sage on my ass."

    "Someone has to! Crap! I've got to get breakfast cleaned up and then get the stew started for lunch. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, these cowboys have freakin' freeways leading to theirs. I had no idea anyone could eat so much. I better go. Call tonight if you need to."

    "I will. I'll think about what you said. Bye!"

    Delia shut down her laptop and flicked her attention between the monitors and the pistol she was putting back together. She had just finished and set the gun aside when something caught her eye on one of the monitors. Mr. Left, as opposed to Mr. Right, had reached down to scratch his calf. When he did his pant leg got caught up on something strapped to his leg. She zoomed in. Shit! Yes, that was indeed a gun with a silencer. Jonah, you big dumb... Why the hell didn't you ever carry a gun? She needed to get him out of there now! She jumped into her bikini that was still on the floor from this morning and then ran to the bedroom to get some ammo, which she carefully popped in the magazine. She covered the gun with the towel clean side out so that no one freaked on the crazy lady with the gun. As she was running out the door she grabbed her sunglasses. No need to let them see what she was thinking.

    On the conference suite level she stopped momentarily. Shit, they all looked the same now. Jonah had told her the name of the suite but she was always better with numbers. She closed her eyes for half a second, swaying to her own compass, and then took off like a shot. When she got to what she thought was the right door, she pressed her ear to it. That is definitely Jonah's voice and things sound tense. Time for a little Delia diversion.

    "Daddykins, there you are! Babygirl has been looking everywhere for you." Delia sucked in her stomach and pushed out her chest as she tiptoed in the door. She formed her lips in a pout to keep from laughing when Jonah almost dropped his cards. She dipped her glasses down and gave him a wink, and then turned her attention to the other men in the room.

    "I mean really, he brings me all the way down here and then leaves me all alone." The little girl voice pushed it totally over the top but to add the zinger she leaned into Mr. Right, giving him a prime view of her cleavage while wiggling her ass for Mr. Left's "I've got a gun in my pants" amusement. Then she stood up and reversed their views.

    "Would you leave me all alone?" she purred in her best sex kitten voice. Mr. Left turned several shades of red and she could feel him getting hotter by the minute. She stood up and popped her chest out a little more arching her back like a cat in heat.

    "Daddy, you promised you would take me to the beach when I licked you all over." She ran her tongue over her lips to be sure as hell she had everyone's undivided attention now. She curled around to Jonah by way of Mr. Right, trailing her free hand all over the sap. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. When she was touching Mr. Right, Jonah jumped to his feet. He looked like he was going to blow a gasket.

    When she got closer he grabbed her and pulled her against him. She fought to keep the gun in front of her so it ended up between them. It gave a whole new spin on that old "are you happy to see me" joke. His eyes got wide when he felt the press of the gun. Oh God, did he think she was there to shoot him? "Aren't you even gonna kiss me, Daddykins?" He narrowed his eyes and growled at her. "Uh oh, I think Daddy is angry. Does this mean I get a spanking?" Mr. Left groaned like a man in a porn theater and she knew she could get them out of here in one piece. She walked her fingers up Jonah's chest. "Am I gonna get tied to the bed again for being a naughty girl?"

    "Sure as hell!" It was the first time any of the men had spoken and it sounded unnaturally loud in the still room. "I fold. I'll be back later, much later." Jonah hoisted her over his shoulder and marched out of the room.

    When the door closed behind them, Delia started fighting to get Jonah to put her down. "Oh no, you wanted to be tied to the bed. You asked for a spanking, and you are gonna get it and more for that little stunt." Delia hit him with the butt of the pistol between his ribs and he almost dropped her but she managed to get off his shoulder and whisper in his ear.

    "To paraphrase The Untouchables, you showed up for a gun fight with a knife, you big lummox. Now duck in here; things are gonna get interesting in a few minutes." She led him to the stairwell and up one flight. She kept the door propped open and they could hear what was going on in the hall below them surprisingly well.

    "Where the hell is it then?"

    "I don't know. I mean, I had it. It was in my shirt pocket. It must have fallen out at breakfast or maybe at the gift shop."

    "Well, there must be another copy."

    "No, that was it. Everything in those rooms is watched like hell. There is no way to make copies."

    "I should just kill you."

    "And cut off the gravy train? I don't think so. Check with your boss. Killing me is a big mistake." While Mr. Left presumably dialed his boss, Jonah pulled out his smart phone and started up a program to record all the phone numbers currently making calls in a designated area, picking up where they were coming from and what number they were going to. Jonah smiled at Delia like a cat full of canary and then realized he was still angry at her. Delia closed the door softly so they wouldn't hear downstairs. When she turned around she held up a small folded square of paper.

    "Do you think this could be what they are looking for?"

    "How the hell?"

    "Before you go nuts, can we go back upstairs?"

    "Oh, we are definitely taking this upstairs and you, young lady, still have a spanking coming." He held her elbow and steered her into the elevator.

    "Jonah, I was trying to get you out of there. The bad guy had a gun, with a silencer so you know he meant business. I was trying to save you." His mouth was a thin hard line with the effort to control himself till they got inside the suite. When he closed the door, he backed her up against it and kissed her like his life depended on it.

    "What was that for?" she asked when he finally pulled away.

    "That wasn't for any reason at all, except I am glad you are on my side. Oh, and I'll take that." He snatched the paper from her fingers and tucked it into his wallet. "I don't want to know where you learned to be a pickpocket either."

    "Oh, Uncle Cam..."

    "I don't want to know, wild child, and I mean it." He kissed her long and hard again. If he was going to keep doing that she was going to need to grow gills.

    "What was that one for?"

    "That was the start of your punishment for putting yourself in that kind of danger. I don't know what I would have done if you had gotten hurt. Just the thought..." Delia stared at her feet for a second and then looked up at him.

    "You mean the sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you know you'll do anything so long as the person you love is okay? You mean where you kinda lose your mind thinking if something happens to that person that your life isn't really gonna be worth much anyway so why not hang it out over the edge. That feeling? Is that the one you are talking about?"