Tanner draped his arm over the steering wheel, staring at the building as if deciding the best way to tackle it. His fingers drummed the dash.
Crusty leaned from the back, hooking his elbows on the seat between them. "What are the odds that the guard's going to let us inside without calling Quinn first?"
"Nonexistent." Tanner turned to Kathleen. "Are you positive about the search reg?"
She quirked a brow.
"Never mind." His fingers picked up speed on the dash. "So if we conduct our own search, we're covered legally."
"You and I are. It's not so clear-cut for Crusty, since he's not a part of the investigation."
"Okay, then." The drumming stopped. "That leaves Crusty to keep the guard occupied while you and I scope out the office."
You and I. He'd included her, no banishing her to the sidelines. His surprise offer brought a heady rush of pleasure that rivaled even the glide of his hands over her body.
Tanner twisted to face Crusty. "Are you comfortable with distracting the guard for us?">Kathleen brushed her lips across his before easing herself from him. "I don't know about you, but I'm wasted. Can we talk in the morning? We packed a lot into one day, a walk in the desert, E.R. run, drop in with the police, and now… Well. I'm feeling very mortal at the moment."
At least that much was honest.
He grabbed her arm and tugged her back into his lap. "Kathleen?"
"What?"
"We're not done yet."
"I'm out of condoms," she lied.
"That's not what I meant." The corner of his eye twitched.
"I know." She smoothed away the tic, pressed a kiss to his twice-broken nose and backed out of his lap. "But later. Please?"
When she wasn't totally brain-dead, lacking in common sense, and incredibly vulnerable to the draw of those sapphire eyes. Blue eyes that looked at her as if expecting something she wasn't ready to give.
He opened his mouth to speak, then paused. His face tipped as he listened.
Birds flapped through the rafters in the silence. Tanner hefted Kathleen into the copilot's seat and tossed her pants into her lap.
"Someone's out there. Get dressed while I check on it," he said, making fast work of buttoning his pants and shirt. "Probably just the security police wondering why our car's in front. I'll show them my line badge and send them on their way. And, Kathleen?"
"Yeah?" She clutched her clothes to her stomach.
"We aren't done yet," he repeated. Tucking in his shirt-tails, he disappeared down the stairwell.
We aren't done yet.
Shivering with the lingering promise of his words, Kathleen slipped on her leggings. He wasn't going to let her get away as easily as she'd hoped.
She'd been selfishly worrying about herself and hadn't given a thought to his feelings. But she'd never considered she might have any effect on him.
Harboring some silly crush on Tanner had been safe for just that reason. She'd never expected it to play out, so the fantasy was risk free.
What they'd done tonight was very real.
At least their unscheduled visitor had granted her a reprieve until she could decide what to do next.
After she found her other shoe stuck beside the rudders, Kathleen descended the narrow stairwell into the cavernous cargo hold. Raised masculine voices echoed, startling her still for a second before she charged down the metal track.
Halogen bulbs spotlighted Tanner's broad back as he slammed Crusty against the hangar wall.