Chapter Five
Patsy turned the water on and undressed as the tub filled up. Steam quickly filled the room. Pulling the band from her ponytail, she then pulled her hair up on top of her head, securing it with the same band. She stepped into the tub and slid down into the hot water. She groaned as she leaned her head back. As great as it felt, she still couldn’t stop shaking and she was so tense. Sitting forward, she pressed the button for the jets and sighed when they did their magic on her tense muscles. She closed her eyes and as it worked its magic, she drifted off.
A sudden knock on the door startled her. Sitting up, she shook sleep from her head and it was then she heard Micah calling out for her.
“Are you all right?” he asked her as the door opened a little bit.
She glanced over her shoulder to see him stick his head in. She smiled.
“I feel wonderful. How long have I been in here? ”
“About half an hour. I didn’t want to bother you, but I didn’t want you to turn into a prune either.”
“I don’t think I really care if I do.” She looked away from him.
The man was entirely too hot and those damn sweatpants he had on left little to the imagination. “I guess I’ll get out now.”
“All right. I’ll be in the living room then once you get out, I’ll head to bed. I think jet lag is catching up with me.”
“I completely forgot about that. I’m sure you’re tired. I’ll only be a minute.”
Micah nodded and closed the door. She could hear him walking away then the door to his bedroom closed to give her privacy. Taking a deep breath, she blew it out.
How could she want a man so much? She was seriously too scared to go for it though. What if he laughed in her face? He very well could, and she’d feel like an idiot, but she’d also seen him looking at her lips. God! She thought that was so sexy when a man did that and not many did. Some men just didn’t know what to do to turn a woman on. A look could do as much as a touch.
Shaking her head, she didn’t know why she was afraid to just let him know she was interested. Patsy Murphy never backed down from a challenge and if Micah Turner wasn’t a challenge, nothing was. When she’d seen him with his shirt off earlier, she wanted to attack him. Toss him onto the bed and ride him until they were both exhausted. Shivering, she knew she was going to drive herself insane if she didn’t do something about her attraction soon.
Pulling the plug, she stood and reached for a towel then dried off. After dressing, she left the bedroom and walked down the hallway to the living room. Micah was in the recliner with his head back and his eyes closed. She couldn’t stop staring at him. The scruff on his lower face, neck, and jaw had her wanting to scrape it with her fingernails. The man had her burning up. Maybe coming to him hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
“Micah,” she said quietly.
His eyes opened, and he looked at her.
“I must have dozed off. I didn’t realize I was so tired.” Pushing the footrest down, he stood and stretched.
She averted her eyes as his T-shirt lifted so she could see his belly button and that sexy hair surrounding it. She was so damn horny and she didn’t think it was because she hadn’t had sex in a while it was because of the big bad FBI agent standing in front of her.
“I’m going to bed too. I didn’t sleep much last night.” She turned to start back along the hallway but when he spoke, she stopped and looked at him.
“Patsy? It’ll be all right,” he said as he walked toward her .
“I hope so. I want to get back to my job and I know I’m putting you out by being here.”
“Would you rather go to a safe house?” Micah folded his arms across his broad chest and she watched the sleeves of his T-shirt tighten around his biceps.
“Not really. At least, I know you and as long as you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here.”
She couldn’t stop her eyes from traveling down his stomach to his crotch. Oh, man! Did he even have underwear on? It sure didn’t look like it. If she looked at his crotch long enough, she knew she’d be able to see every inch of his—
“I don’t mind at all. Let’s go to bed and tomorrow I’ll see what I can find out.”
Let’s go to bed. If he only meant what she wanted it to mean.
“All right. Goodnight, Agent Turner.”
“Goodnight, pixie.”
He jerked his chin for her to precede him. She hurried up her steps when she could feel his eyes drilling into her back. She entered her bedroom and closed the door without looking at him. If she did, she’d invite him in.
A few hours later, Patsy jerked awake, sat up, and listened. She swore she heard something. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she tiptoed to the door and opened it slowly. The hallway was dark. Walking across the hall, she knocked on Micah’s door.
“What’s wrong?” he asked when he opened the door.
“I don’t know if I was dreaming or not, but I may have heard something,” she whispered and did her best to keep her eyes off his boxer briefs.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
He walked over to the side of the bed and pulled on his jeans, picked up his cell phone, and his gun then paused. He crept toward the door but stopped and looked at her.
“I heard something too.” He dialed a number on his phone. “Weber? I heard something. I may need backup.”
Patsy started shaking. She jerked when she heard a noise again then the alarm sounded and fear gripped her.
“Micah, don’t go out there. Please.”
“I have to. Get in my room and lock the door behind me.”
She couldn’t stop herself from wrapping her arms around him.
“Please. Please don’t go out there.”
“Patsy, listen to me. I have to go out there. Weber and Jewell are out there, and I have to get to the door to let them in. The security company will be calling and if I don’t answer, they’ll call Coby and if they can’t get in touch with him then they’ll call the police. I’ll be right back.”
“Please be careful. ”
“I will.”
He disappeared out the door and pulled it closed. She heard the phone ring then stop. Micah must have answered because she knew they’d keep calling until he did or call Coby. Usually, a security company will have another person besides the home owner to call if the owner doesn’t answer.
After she locked the door, she sat in the center of the bed with the lights off. She was trembling so hard that the bed was shaking. She actually breathed a sigh of relief when she heard sirens. When would this end? When would she be able to return to her life in Dry River?
That thought had her blinking back tears. Once she returned home, she’d never see Micah again. The idea of never seeing him again hurt more than it should. She was in trouble here and it wasn’t just because some man was following her. It was Micah. She took a deep breath and blew it out. Being with him every day was hard on her and she knew it wouldn’t take much to fall for the man. If she were honest, she felt something the minute he came striding into Isabella’s bedroom.
She put her hands over her face. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
She heard Micah calling for her just before he knocked on the door. She jumped off the bed and ran to open it. When she pulled it open, he was standing there and she just couldn’t stop herself from jumping into his arms.
“Are you all right?” he asked her while holding her.
“Yes. Did you get him?”
“No. I’m certain it was him though. Call it a gut feeling but I think he’s doing what he can to get closer. The police are checking the neighborhood. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t gone to see White, he wouldn’t have found you.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Micah. You had to do what you could to get information. Thing is, even if this guy is caught, what’s to stop White from sending another one?”
“The FBI is working on rounding up his men. He only has a few he trusts and once we get them, there won’t be any more to worry about and we will get them.”
“I can’t stay in hiding. I want to go home.”
“I’m doing my best here, Patsy. You haven’t been here even a week yet. Give me time to find out what I can.”
She pulled away from him. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just scared.”
Micah rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“You can’t promise that, but I appreciate the lie.”
Micah chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve met a more hardheaded woman in my life. Let’s get back to bed. I want to get up in the morning to do some research. There will be different agents out there tomorrow. You’ll be safe if you stay inside.”
“Okay. I’m exhausted all of a sudden.”
“The adrenaline wore off.”
He stood in his doorway until she entered her bedroom. She climbed between the sheets and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
****
The next morning, Micah sat at the table in the breakfast nook with his laptop and papers strewn everywhere. Patsy was still asleep. He looked through the files on White and the men associated with him. He hadn’t lied to Patsy when he’d told her there were only a few men in his circle. The man didn’t trust many.
The warden at the penitentiary had faxed over a list of visitors and it only contained the name of one man and Micah would bet a year’s salary that it was the man following Patsy. The list of guards came over the fax a few minutes later along with a list of all those White had called. Nothing different there either.
He scanned through the list of guards and decided to check into them, but only one man had visited quite a few times when visitation was allowed, White's attorney. It had to be how Whitewasputting out orders sinceall calls were listened to, either on the landline or the phones visitors used to talk to the prisoners, except pertaining to his attorney .
Whether White wanted them to kill Patsy or just scare her to death was another matter but Micah now suspected how he was telling his man what to do. Even at that, there was always a risk of being overheard so how was he telling his man what he wanted? Some kind of code. If his attorney was complicit, he was well on his way to be a criminal too, if anything happens to Patsy.
Two hours later, he sat back in the chair. Nothing was out of place on the guards. They were all good men. Damn it! The only way to help Patsy was to get White’s men out of circulation as quickly as possible.
The sudden sound of his cell phone ringing startled him. When he picked it up, he saw Coby’s face. He answered.
“Hey, Coby.”
“Getting anywhere?”
“White hasn’t talked to anyone but one man, his attorney, so that has to be how he’s giving orders, and you know they don’t record calls with his attorney. We seriously need to get them.
“Did you show Patsy pictures of White’s men?”
“I’m going to have her look at the ones we have on the site. She can pick him out if she sees him.”
“How is she?”
“We had someone around the house last night but they got away. I’m sure it was the man following her. She’s damn scared.”
“I’m sure. What happens when this is all over? ”
Micah frowned. “What do you mean? She’ll go back to her home in Dry River.”
“Do you want her to?”
“What the hell are you getting at, Coby? She has a job there and I have one here. It wouldn’t work even if we wanted it to.”
“You could make it work somehow.”
Micah stood and paced. “No. We couldn’t. I won’t do a long distance relationship and neither of us will give up our jobs. She’s a veterinarian at a hospital there and she loves it.”
“Sorry to hear that. She’s beautiful and you can’t tell me you’re not attracted to her.”
Coby knew him too well. Micah shook his head.
“It doesn’t matter, Coby.”
“All right…just saying is all. Call me if you need me for anything.”
“Will do.” Micah hit End and placed his phone on the table.
He sat back down and swore under his breath. He wouldn’t mind seeing if it could work with Patsy since he was way more attracted to her than he was willing to admit. He knew it from the minute he saw her that she could be a problem to his heart, but how could it ever work? Especially if she doesn’t feel the same way.
That evening, he had Patsy look at the FBI page with the ten most wanted but she shook her head and told him she didn’t see the man who was following her. Since he knew the man who visited White wasn’t considered one of White’s men, he decided to have her look at past offenders of lesser crimes. He was there. Patsy picked out the man she knew was following her. Bart Melbourne. At least, now Micah knew where to look.
****
On Saturday evening, they sat in the living room together watching a movie. When the doorbell rang, Patsy froze. Micah stood and walked to the foyer then peered out the door. She heard him swear as he opened the door.
“What are you doing here, Vanessa,” Micah asked.
Who the hell is Vanessa?
Patsy wanted to slink away to the bedroom. She watched as Micah led a beautiful, tall brunette into the living room.
“I came to see you, babe. I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry I left. I thought you’d call me.”
Patsy watched her put her arms around Micah’s shoulders and she wanted to scream at her to get her hands off him.
“Why would I call? You said it was over, and it is.” Micah removed her arms and took a step back from her.
“Oh, come on, Micah. We were good together. You can’t tell me you didn’t miss—”
Suddenly, her gaze shifted to Patsy then she looked at Micah. “Apparently you didn’t miss me. It didn’t take you long to find a replacement.”
Micah glanced over his shoulder at Patsy and then back to Vanessa.
“You need to go.”
He took her elbow in his hand and turned her toward the door. She jerked her arm from him and looked around him to Patsy.
“You won’t last either. He’ll never settle down. He’s already married to his fucking job.”
Patsy heard the door slam then Micah returned to the room. He sighed.
“I’m sorry about that. I had no idea she’d show up.”
She waved her hand as if it had no effect on her.
“No problem.”
Micah’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her then he gave a terse nod and took a seat in the recliner and continued to watch the movie. She didn’t want to watch the movie but if she left the room, she was sure he’d know she was upset about Vanessa. The woman was beautiful, but she also had claws. It didn’t take her long to show them either when she thought Patsy and Micah were together. Pushing to her feet, she looked over to him.
“I’m going to soak in the tub. I’m feeling tense,” she said.
No need to tell him Vanessa was the reason her muscles ached .
“Sure. You can use my Jacuzzi if you want.”
“I’d love to.”
She walked down the hallway, stopped at her bedroom to get her lounge pants and T-shirt then entered Micah’s bedroom. Glancing at his bed, she smiled when she saw it was unmade again. Apparently, the man didn’t think it was necessary to make a bed. One pillow was in the center again. He must like taking up the whole bed. Well, he was a big man. Oh, God! She bet he was big man .
Groaning at the thought, she entered the bathroom and turned the water on. After piling her hair up, she stripped, and stepped into the tub and sunk down into the water.
A little while later, she heard a knock on the door then Micah’s voice.
“Are you all right in there?”
“I’m fine. Just relaxing.”
“You’ve been in there a while.”
“I’m—” She stopped as she realized it was now or never. “I can’t hear you, open the door.”
The door opened a crack.
“I said you’ve been in there a while. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Grinning, she noticed he hadn’t stuck his head in this time.
“I’m wonderful. The water’s fine, come on in. ”
Silence greeted her and she was sure he was going to close the door but after a slight hesitation, it opened and he stepped in.
Micah stared at her. “You don’t mean that and you know it. Quit being a tease.”
“Oh, baby, I never tease. At least, not when it comes to letting a man know I want him. What’s the matter? Is the big bad FBI agent scared?”
Micah laughed. “You know you don’t want me in there with you. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
He turned to go out the door.
“Chicken,” she taunted.
Micah pushed the door open wider. “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it and then some.”
Patsy laughed low in her throat. “I’d love that and then some .”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“We already admitted we like each other. Even you have to admit there’s sexual tension between us. Aren’t you curious?”
****
Micah stepped into the bathroom and squatted down by the tub. Reaching out a hand, he touched her hair. It was as soft as silk, and he wanted to pull it loose, wrap his hand in it, and pull it to his face. He ran his eyes over her face and stopped on those sexy, lush lips.
“I’m very curious,” he whispered, as he leaned in to press his lips to hers .
The minute his lips touched hers, he felt a shock go through him. He slowly pulled back from her and stared into her eyes.
“Is that the best you got, Agent Turner?” she whispered staring into his eyes.
“I’m just getting warmed up, sweetheart,” he whispered back, before pressing his lips to hers and forcing her lips apart to move his tongue into her mouth.
When she moaned, he grinned against her lips and then took them in a deep, hard kiss. It shot right through him. Christ! He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath.
“Get in here with me,” she said against his lips.
He smiled, stood and then he sat on the closed lid of the toilet. He took his shoes off then pulled his socks off, and stood. After giving her a grin, he pulled his T-shirt off over his head, dropped it to the floor, and started to lower the zipper on his jeans. He raised an eyebrow at her to give her one last chance to send him away. When she smiled at him, he took that as consent and lowered the zipper and pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down then stood naked in front of her. He watched as her eyes ran over him and lingered on his dick. She raised her eyes to his and a big smile lifted her lips.
“You were right,” she said.
“About?”
“You don’t drive that Vette because you’re lacking anywhere. ”
Micah chuckled. “I told you. Move forward a little.”
When she did, he stepped into the tub behind her and slid down into the water. He kissed the back of her neck and then moved his mouth along her shoulder. When he nipped her skin, she moaned. He wrapped his hands around her and cupped her breasts in his palms.
“How does a pixie manage to have such a fantastic body?” he asked against her neck.
Patsy moaned and leaned her head back against his shoulder.
“Good things come in little packages.”
Micah chuckled. “You got that shit right.”
He moved his hand down her stomach to between her legs and moved his finger to between her slit. “You’re wet and I don’t mean from the water.”
Patsy laughed. “It’s definitely not from the water. It’s from seeing you naked.”
“I love how you respond to my touch or are you that responsive to any man’s touch?”
“I used to think I was pretty responsive, but I’m more so with you.”
She gasped when he inserted a finger into her wet heat.
He kissed her neck, ran his lips along her jaw to her ear, took the lobe into his mouth, and sucked on it.
“You have no idea how much I want you,” he whispered as he moved his other hand down her flat stomach to press his finger against her clitoris.
“I can feel how much,” she said with a gasp and pushed back against his hard cock.
She pressed her hand against his and jerked her hips in rhythm with his finger inside her. He could already feel her clenching around his finger. She turned her head and lightly nipped his neck as she cried out when she came.
“Let’s get out of here,” Micah said as he stood and helped her up.
He turned her around to face him and he ran his eyes down over her body. “Christ. You are built like a brick shithouse.”
Patsy laughed, her face flushed from her orgasm. “You sweet talker, you.”
He laughed. “Sorry. I just didn’t expect that.”
“And I didn’t expect this.”
She ran her hands over his chest and down his six-pack to his dick. She wrapped her hands around him and squeezed.
Micah groaned and stepped from the tub, hating that her hand fell away. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her then lifted her out. He dried her off and then reached for a towel for himself. As he dried himself off, Patsy started to walk out of the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
She glanced over her shoulder. “To bed.”
“My bed? ”
“Yes. I noticed that your bed looks as if you sleep in the center of it, so if I want to stake out a place, I’d better get there before you.”
She winked at him and left the room .