Part 17 (1/2)
His hands roamed down her back to her soft bottom, pressing every part of her to him. Her body squirmed against his, rubbing purposefully across his erection. Drew groaned and backed her against the wall. They hit with an awkward thump, but their kisses never missed a beat. He leaned against her, pressing into every curve. If they got any closer he'd be inside her, which was exactly where he wanted to be.
One hand rose to find her breast and she arched into it, whimpering when his thumb pa.s.sed over the hard nub of her nipple. He sucked on her lower lip, kissed her firmly once more, then moved his mouth away from hers just long enough to utter a succinct, ”Upstairs.” No other words seemed necessary.
”Mmm,” she replied against his lips, licking and nibbling and driving him insane. ”That sounds like a good idea.”
He dragged her into one last deep kiss, then whispered harshly, ”Let's go,” just as the doorbell chimed over their heads. He jumped like it had been a gunshot.
”What the h.e.l.l?”
Lauren's foggy expression cleared. ”Pizza delivery.”
”Let's ignore him.”
She grabbed his arm. ”Wait, I want food. Besides,” her eyelids lowered seductively, ”you're about to work up a very big appet.i.te. I promise. Take ten seconds to pay the man and I'll demonstrate.”
He growled with a different sort of hunger.
”d.a.m.n.” He reached for the wallet in his back pocket, s.h.i.+fting uncomfortably as he pulled against the snug fit in the front of his jeans. He pulled out bills while she opened the door. A crack of sunlight and cool air entered, then disappeared in a whoosh as she slammed the door shut. Panic widened Lauren's eyes as she stood with her back to the door.
”What's wrong?”
”It's Trenchcoat,” she whispered, as if the man could hear her through the heavy door.
”Who?”
”The guy in the Burberry trench coat who hangs out with Hawknose, the guy with the gun.”
Drew froze. ”The man who tried to kidnap you is standing at our front door?”
”He's delivering our pizza,” she squeaked. ”He's wearing the pizza place's jacket and he's holding my extra large with mushrooms and green peppers, but I know it's Trenchcoat. I recognize him.”
”s.h.i.+t.” He stuffed the wallet back in his pocket, his arousal already flagging. The doorbell rang again as he gave hurried directions. ”Step back as you open the door, so he has to come inside. And talk to him so he keeps looking at you.” He positioned himself to be behind the arc of the opening door, waiting tensely. ”Go.”
Lauren's face was still flushed and her hair slightly tousled. Drew hoped Trenchcoat found the sight as incredibly distracting as he did. If the man kept his eyes on Lauren, Drew felt confident of his ability to take him down.
She didn't question him, just turned to do what he asked. The door opened, forcing Drew backward. Following directions, Lauren stepped away, saying ”Come on in,” with such a slight quiver in her voice that he was sure the other man never detected it. Past the edge of the open door, Drew watched a red-jacketed man step into the foyer, a large pizza box in his hands. Trenchcoat.
Drew moved forward silently, stopping behind him. Reaching out, he tapped the man on the shoulder. Trenchcoat gave a startled jump and turned his head. Ready for the move, Drew aimed his fist at the man's jaw and threw his hardest punch.
Trenchcoat grunted and crashed against the open door. The pizza box dropped. Lauren darted forward, caught the box, and stepped back again as the man teetered like a drunk and fell to his knees. Raising a confused face, Trenchcoat tried to focus on the person before him. ”Mrs. Creighton?” he asked, blinking dizzily. Drew caught him with a second punch, snapping the man's head sideways. His body followed, crumpling to the slate floor.
”Wow,” Lauren said.
Drew grimaced and shook the pain from his hand. ”Please tell me you're still sure that's the same man.”
She bent over the unconscious figure. ”That's him.”
”Good.” He noticed the pizza box in her hands and smiled. ”Nice save.”
She smiled back, losing some of her tension. Stepping over the man on the floor, he put his hands on her shoulders. He couldn't get closer while she held the pizza box between them. ”Hey, I'm sorry I made you put yourself in front of him like that, even for a few seconds. I didn't think about how scary that might be for you.”
She shrugged. ”It was, a little, but I'm okay.”
He smiled. ”That's all I care about. Let's find out who this jerk is.” Bending over the still form, Drew unzipped the red jacket and felt around. He found what he was looking for in the man's s.h.i.+rt pocket. Standing, he flipped open the thin leather ID holder.
And froze. ”Oh, s.h.i.+t.”
”No kidding,” Lauren said, peeking inside the pizza box. ”They gave us olives instead of green peppers.”
”Not that, sweetheart.” He held the open ID for her inspection. ”This.”
Her face paled. ”Oh, s.h.i.+t,” she agreed. She met his eyes. ”Secret Service?”
Drew ran his hand through his hair. ”We've captured a Secret Service agent. Swell.”
Lauren didn't trust the man, even in his unconscious state. She stood several feet away, clutching the pizza box. ”Maybe we should tie him up.”
Drew was one step ahead of her. He had already yanked off his belt and was using it to fasten the man's hands behind his back.
”How can he be Secret Service?” she asked. ”That man and his partner tried to kidnap me. At gunpoint! I thought Secret Service were the good guys.”
”It's probably a fake ID,” he said, cinching the belt around the man's wrists.
”That FBI agent told us the guys who tried to kidnap us were probably part of the bribery scam. He didn't say they might be Secret Service agents.”
”That's what I'm saying, it's probably a fake ID. Or else that twerp didn't know what he was talking about, which wouldn't surprise me either.”
Drew rolled the guy over, reached inside his jacket and came out with a gun. Lauren bit back a gasp, but Drew handled the gun confidently, looking it over before tucking it into the back of his waistband.
He folded his arms and surveyed the trussed agent. ”Whoever he is, let's hope he's not the real thing. I could probably get several years in prison for knocking out an agent and a few more just for tying him up.”
”No you won't, you were just protecting me.” Drew hauled the moaning Secret Service agent to a sitting position and slapped his face. ”Come on, fella, you're messing with my love life. Wake up.”
His groggy eyes gradually opened. The man squinted first at Drew, then Lauren. Jerking his arms and finding himself bound, he aimed a nasty look at Drew, who gazed back, unmoved. With only the pizza box between her and her attempted kidnapper, Lauren moved closer to Drew and felt his arm come around her waist. That was much safer.
Gingerly, the man licked a drop of blood off his puffy lower lip and raised his eyes to Lauren. ”Mrs. Creighton, I give up,” he said in a weary voice. ”I'm tired of chasing you. Would you please just tell me why you don't want me to protect you?”
Lauren's mouth dropped open. ”Protect me? You tried to abduct me! And I'm not Mrs. Creighton.”
”I did not-” He paused with a frown, appearing to doubt what he'd heard. ”What do you mean, you're not Mrs. Creighton?”
”Mrs. Creighton is my sister, Megan. My name is Lauren.” She didn't see any harm in telling him. At least he might stop trying to kidnap her.
The man's voice sounded confused. ”Sister? I was told to pick up the Senator and Mrs. Creighton and take them to a safe house. I wasn't told about a sister.”
”Who didn't tell you?” Drew cut in. ”Who are you working for?”
”Secret Service. The name's Agent Chapman.”
”Yes, Dwayne Chapman.” Drew flashed the ID he still held. ”I see that. But can I believe it?”