I found him later in the room I’d set up for myself in his home.
“I still think you should’ve brought the navy blue dress back,” he said.
“That thing was ripped beyond repair, thanks to your hastiness,” I said.
“I could’ve had it repaired.”
“Or you could buy me another one.”
“Now, there’s an idea,” he said with a grin.
I crossed the room and strode to him, allowing his arm to slip around my waist. He pulled me close to him as my hands planted on his chest, feeling his strength and naked warmth underneath his suit. The man looked glorious sprawled out in a bed, but damn, could he wear a suit, tailored to his muscles with some of the finest fabrics this world had to offer.
He looked luscious in them.
I lifted my mouth to his and placed a kiss on his lips. His hand came up to cup my neck, supporting my head as the kiss deepened. Our tongues lapped against one another and fire shot through my veins. I could feel my body pressing deeper into him as his hand worked its way underneath my shirt.
“We better be careful,” he said. “We aren’t in Hawaii anymore.”
“Ah, such a moment-ruiner,” I said as I pulled away.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Derek Steele, and I ruin all sorts of things.”
I giggled at his words as our foreheads fell together. His breath was soothing, a constant reminder that I was doing my job correctly. My hands felt for his heartbeat, a physical reminder of the life pulsing through his veins. He was safe whenever he was with me, and I would always make sure that was the case whether I was his bodyguard or simply a woman he wasted his time with. If there was something endangering him, I would be there to help him out of it.
At least, that was what I wanted to do.
“Sam?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I admit something?” he asked.
“Of course, you can,” I said. “You can tell me anything.”
“I don’t feel like I can really progress forward until Jacob’s caught.”
I nodded my head as I took a step back from his body.
“Are you regretting Hawaii?” I asked.
“No. Hell, no. Nothing like that. That was a bad way to phrase that. I feel like I’m never going to fully enjoy what life still has to offer me with Jacob running around out there.”
“Understandable. We’re trying everything we can, but he’s not making a move.”
“I get that. I’m not blaming you for anything. I just wanted to tell you what was rattling around in my head.”
“It’s normal to feel that way. Things are resolved but not really. No more letters. No more threat to your company. But because he isn’t in custody, it’s hard to see the future when all the ‘what if’ sc
enarios are running around.”
“See? You’re much better at articulating this shit than I am,” he said.
“Because I’ve had a lot of time to endure them, but here’s the reality of the situation. It could be months before we catch him.”
“Months? Why would it take that long? Aren’t the FBI and Interpol looking out for him?”
“They are, but arranging that did take a bit of time. Less than a day, but less than a day to someone who had an escape plan is enough time to get out of the country and settle somewhere with no extradition laws.”