Lucy Monroe - Satisfaction Guaranteed

“Why?”

“She thinks they make lousy family men.”

“You’ve got to admit that it’s hard to raise kids today, even harder if you’re gone for weeks at a time on a case.”

“I know you’re right, but I don’t know if I can do anything else.”

“I felt that way about being a merc. I learned I could.”

“You were ready for the change.”

“Life has a way of making you ready when it’s important.”

“Has Claire heard from Queenie this week?”

“Yes. She’s got Josie’s dad teaching self-defense classes at the local senior center. His wife loved the idea and she plays his sparring mate.”

Ethan laughed. “What does Queenie do?”

“She plays the second assailant, or takes pictures. Her newsletter is gaining popularity.”

“I’ll have to check on distribution.”

“Keeping her out of trouble is close to a full-time job.”

“Especially with her cohorts in crime.”

“Claire says she’s going to be just like that as an old lady.”

“Lord have mercy.”

“He already did. He brought her into my life.”

There was a time when Ethan would have razzed Hotwire for the sentiment, but he didn’t feel like laughing right now. “Some women are special.”

“Bring her to meet us when the case is over.”

“We’ll see.”

“Yeah, we will.” Hotwire was laughing when Ethan cut the connection.

Beth came out of the bedroom, her hair a messy cloud around her shoulders and wearing one of his shirts.

“You didn’t bring any pajamas?” he asked with a smile.

She blinked her dark, bedroom eyes at him. “I like this better.”

“Me, too.” He gave her a complete once-over, letting his gaze linger at all the most interesting dips and valleys.

She blushed. “I get the feeling I could wear anything and you’d like it.”

“You’re right.”

“That’s pretty amazing considering the kind of women you normally date.”

This was one of those tricky, feminine quagmires he just knew he was going to regret getting into. “What kind is that?”

“The put-together, always dressed for both sex appeal and fashion kind.”

“You don’t need to dress a certain way to be sexy.”

Her expression filled with pleasure. “Thank you.”

He wiped his mental brow. That had gone much better than it could have, but sometimes the truth had a way of getting a man out of potential trouble. At least good truth. “And we aren’t just dating, we’re living together.” He didn’t care if it was for the job, he liked the way it felt. “You can wear my shirts any time.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

“Remember that the next time you get irritated with me.”

She grinned. “You act like I get mad at you all the time.”

“I’m just hedging my bets for the future. Smart men know when to take advantage of a moment.”

“I’ll remember,” she said in a voice laced with laughter.

He leaned back in the chair, waiting for her to come closer, wanting to touch the silky smooth skin exposed below the hem of the shirt. “You sleep well?”

“You mean when you let me sleep?”

He’d woken her more than once in the night, but she’d responded with generous passion every time. “Yeah. When I let you sleep.”

“I slept great, thanks.”

“Thank you, Beth.”

“For what?”

“For trusting me and for not holding my idiotic behavior against me.”

She came over to stand beside him, laying her hand on his shoulder. “Idiotic behavior?”

He turned the office chair and pulled her onto his lap, laying one hand on her silky thigh right where he wanted it to be. “The whole intensity thing.”

He’d hurt her with his confusion and inability to deal with feelings that were so new to him. He wished he could take it back, but all he could do was not make the same mistake again.

He wondered if he could make her faint again. He almost laughed at his own thoughts. She was right. He was competitive.

“Oh, that idiotic behavior. Don’t worry about it.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “This is new territory for both of us.”

“Not you. You loved Hyatt.”

Her body went completely still. “Are you saying you think you love me?”

“I don’t know, but it’s different with you.”

“Well, it’s different with you, too, whatever it is. Trust me, this”-she swept her hand in an arc, indicating the rest of the cabin-“is very different for me, too. I’ve never lived with a man before.”

“Have you ever wanted to?”

“No.”

“So, new ground for both of us.” Satisfaction he could not hide filled his voice. He liked knowing that. A lot.

“Very.”

“I still like you in my shirt.”

She laughed, the sound musical and very feminine.

“I talked to Hotwire. He’s going to see what he can see.”

“Did you call my dad to have him look into the possibility another agency has Prescott targeted, too?”

“Yes. Earlier. I’ve also been listening to the bugs I planted last night.” He’d have to bring in one of the field agents staying in town to help listen to the bugs in real time.

“The disrupter doesn’t stop them sending signal?”

“No, but some of the transmissions are fuzzy.”

“Have you heard anything of interest?”

“Something about a UGCV.”

“What is that?”

“Unmanned ground combat vehicle.”

“A robot?”

“Yes. Our country has reached testing stages for technology that would be your basic war machine of specific to mass destruction that can be controlled by a portable unit within frequency range or via satellite from anywhere else in the world.”

“Armageddon.”

“We’re hoping not, but in the wrong hands that kind of machine could do horrific damage.”

“You mean like terrorists who don’t care who they kill as long as they win?”

“Exactly.”

“And you think Prescott has one he’s going to auction off.”

“More likely the plans for one, but yes…I think that’s the merchandise that has so many clients from different nationalities interested in it.”

“He really doesn’t care who gets hurt by his actions, does he?”

“Beth, baby…I have the disturbing feeling that Prescott is the kind of man who likes to hurt other people.”

“I’m starting to think you might be right.” She shivered.

He rubbed her back. “I need you to put a listening device in the office. I wasn’t going to try, but just before we left, I saw Prescott take several of his guests to that part of the house. If the device is found, it wouldn’t be automatic for him to trace it back to you.”

“I’d take the chance.”

“I won’t.”

She shook her head. “For such a tough guy, you can be a real worrywart.”

“Only about some things.”

“Besides me, name another.”

“I worry about Queenie. My mom. My sister.”

“I guess I’m in exalted company.”

“If you see my family that way, then yes, you are.”

“I’m not family though.”

“You’re my woman.”

“For now.”

“Now is when we live.”

She nodded. “I’m sure Prescott’s personal office is soundproof, so I don’t know if it would do any good to put a bug in the one I use or his secretary does.”

“Can you get inside?”

She bit her lip. “Yes, but I don’t think you’ll like my methods.”

Something clenched in Ethan’s gut. “You want to flirt with him.”

“I think it would work.”

“Try other methods first.”

She saluted, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Yes, sir.”

“Woman, you are a menace.”

“I live to serve.”