Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Jake
I try not to fall asleep.
But Blondie is so warm next to me. Cuddling with her is the best I’ve felt in a long time. I feel our connection, and we fit so well together. And I feel a certain satisfaction in taking care of her, and in the fact that she reached out to me.
When I wake up a few hours later, Blondie has regained her strength.
I know this because she’s on top of me, pinning me to the bed.
“Is this OK?”
“Blondie, you do not need to ask permission from me. Ever.”
She’s getting frustrated with my belt, and I cover her hand with mine.
“Relax.”
I sit up and meet her where she is, covering her mouth with mine. She accepts my kiss as I cage her in with my arms, effectively holding her on my lap.
My hands work quickly to remove her sweater and the top underneath it. Her skin against mine feels unbelievably soft and smooth. Except for the part where she has a bandage on her stomach.
“Whoa. Blondie. I need to check that boo-boo.”
“It’s fine. Just make me feel better, OK?”
“No, babe. You need to fess up. Who did this to you?”
She hesitates. I know she doesn’t want to talk about it, but I need to know. “A prisoner. She escaped. It’s not super deep, and it could have been a lot worse.”
“Hold on,” I say. “A prisoner where you work stabbed you and ran out?”
“The only prisoner. And the bitch of it is, her father was going to ask for her release anyway. Ridiculous. But now, she’s run away from him, too. What’s even more ridiculous, she’s at the fucking house that’s supposed to be my safe house.”
“Who is it?” I ask.
“Her name’s Georgeanne.”
I laugh. I can’t help myself.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m sorry. The prisoner you lost is at the shit hole?”
She frowns.
“No more prisoners then? I guess they won’t be needing you at work for a while.”
“Funny.”
“I’m sorry, Blondie. I’m trying to wrap my head around everything. I know that girl.”
She sits up straight. “How do you know her? She seemed really cozy with one of my housemates.”
“It’s nothing like that,” I assure her.
“I wasn’t being jealous,” she snaps.
“Sure you weren’t.”
“You’re allowed to know people that I know.”
“I know I am,” I say.
She sighs. “I knew I shouldn’t have let things get out of control with you.”
“Shh,” I say, capturing her lips with mine. “Yes, you should have. You absolutely did the right thing by jumping my bones as soon as you met me.”
“Hey,” she says.
“I mean, I’m completely irresistible.”
“Asshole,” she huffs, slapping my hand away as I reach for the bandage again.
“You need to calm down and let me take care of you. I’m just going to have a look under here,” I say, peeling back the bandage.
“I shot the last man who told me to calm down!”
I peer at the wound, and it’s still healing. Still no sign of infection. “I bet that felt good,” I say.
“It did.”
“I knew you’d say that. I could tell that about you,” I say, carefully sticking the bandage back over her stitches.
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know you’re beautiful. I know you’re sweet. I know you care about people, Agent, or you wouldn’t have taken this assignment for the FBI.”
Her eyes flash wide.
“You have a tell.”
That was a dirty trick on my part. Caught her.
“How did you know?” Blondie asks.
“Come on.”
She throws an arm over her eyes. “I’m so fired.”
“Nah,” I say. You’re good. Stop anticipating the worst.”
“Hard not to when I get so little information from these people. I have to fill in the gaps.”
I shrug. “We can share resources.”
“You know that’s impossible,” she scoffs. “The Bureau isn’t going to do that with a band of citizen vigilantes.”
“Ah, but I also know you aren’t working with the local law enforcement on investigating those murders up on the mountain, so who are you getting your information from?”
She hesitates. “I’m becoming one of them. I talk to the women and find out as much as I can.”
“The problem is, Blondie, they aren’t going to tell you much. They’re all still brainwashed.”
“I don’t have many other choices,” she says.
“The solution to that is right in front of you.”
She shakes her head. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t work together.”
“I didn’t ask to work with you. I’m offering you information. I can get you access to women who’ve been on the inside. They can get Georgie to talk to you. But I need something in return.”
“No, you can’t have a badge,” Blondie says, rolling her eyes.
“Go on a date with me.”
“Jake.”
“A real date. Let me take you out to dinner. Dancing. Let’s be a normal couple for one night.”
“We’re not a couple.”
“We will be.”
“You don’t even know my name.”
“Minor detail.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Very much so,” I say.
“Even if I agree to all of this, there’s no guarantee the special agent is going to want to work with you. There’s a high chance I could get fired for even fraternizing with you.”
“We always have work to do around the ranch,” I say. “If you need work.”
Blondie studies me for a moment. “What was in the back of your truck?”
“That’s classified information, Blondie.”
“I’ll go on that date with you.”
I think for a moment and consider how much she’s already told me.
“Told you. I’m irresistible.”
She shakes her head. “I ought to have my head examined.”
I smile up at her. “And yet, your hands on my belt buckle again.”