Part 22 (1/2)
Drew kissed her forehead and pulled her into another fierce, protective hug. He guided her past staring people to the end of the boarding line. Using both hands, he lifted her wrist and examined it closely. Even though the red marks were fading, Drew frowned as he smoothed his fingers over her skin. He probed gently, flexing and ma.s.saging, causing her to flinch a couple times but going a long way toward soothing her rattled nerves.
”Nothing broken,” he concluded with obvious relief. ”Maybe sprained. Can you move your hand?”
Lauren flopped her hand up and down, testing. ”It still works.”
Drew smiled, then pulled his brows together in a worried frown. ”I didn't see the guy well, but that hair-”
”It was him,” she confirmed, s.h.i.+vering at the memory. ”The same guy who was in the pictures with Meg. Why would he be here?”
”He's probably one of the guys following us.”
It was the only logical answer. But it didn't fit with the suspicions Drew had voiced about the photographs. ”I don't see any reason why one of Meg's exboyfriends would follow us,” she said, thinking aloud. ”I bet those photos really are faked.”
Drew tipped his head, acknowledging the possibility. ”Your faith in your sister is touching, honey, but keep in mind he could have seduced her in order to blackmail her. Blackmail seems to be the name of the game for everything that's been going on.”
Lauren wanted to jump to Meg's defense, but in truth she was no longer sure just what her sister would do or with whom she would do it.
”Maybe we're jumping to conclusions,” Drew said. ”Just because he had long blond hair doesn't mean he was Meg's-” He hesitated. ”-partner in those pictures.” in those pictures.”
She recalled the man's perfect features, cold eyes, and emotionless smile. ”No, it was him. I saw his face.”
Her revulsion must have shown. ”Hey,” Drew said softly, stroking a hand through her hair. His gaze grew tender with concern, and she mentally added that to his list of good qualities. d.a.m.n. They were beginning to add up for someone who was just a fling.
He tilted her chin up and smiled. ”I guess I should be glad it was his face you were looking at in those pictures.”
”As opposed to?” Then she got it. ”Very funny. It's not like I could have been looking at anything else, since it was usually buried in...”
She broke off, aware of curious glances from a nearby couple. ”Never mind,” she muttered.
She was still worried, but Drew's joking had calmed her, and his arm around her shoulder was rea.s.suring. She snuggled closer as the line inched forward.
He seemed to relax, too, while they boarded the plane and found their seats. As Lauren buckled her seat belt, she felt him watching her, an odd look on his face.
”What?” she asked.
He shook his head and smiled. ”Nothing. Just thinking.”
He'd been giving her odd looks like that lately, sometimes so intense she thought he would drag her off for a quickie, and sometimes so preoccupied it was like he wasn't there at all.
Drew's mind was wandering again. Somehow his thoughts had gone from worrying about Lauren and how to keep her safe, to envisioning her safe and happy at his Colorado home. Maybe he was just homesick.
Lauren was quiet as she looked out her window. Was.h.i.+ngton and the eastern seaboard dropped away below them. He spoke gently, reluctant to cause her more worry. ”His being there wasn't a coincidence, you know.”
She nodded, turning a concerned gaze on him. ”Do you think he was one of the guys in the hotel parking lot?”
She was surprised when he shook his head. ”No. That would be an easy solution, but the clerk at the front desk said two guys with Secret Service ID asked for us. So they were the two guys in the car. Blondie has to be one of the bad guys.”
It was enough to make his head ache. How many people could be following them?
Lauren frowned. ”He said he'd handcuff me if I didn't obey. Doesn't carrying handcuffs mean he's someone official?”
”Did he say he was?”
”No.”
”Then he wasn't. A real agent would have announced who he was. Anyone can buy handcuffs. And he took off as soon as I stepped in. No matter what he said, I don't think these people want to create a scene. From now on, stay close to me. They won't try anything if we're together.”
At least he hoped not. If it was the same guy who'd tried to run them down after the emba.s.sy party, he wasn't adverse to taking risks.
She looked doubtful. ”Do you think they'll follow us to Florida?”
Yes. ”Maybe.” ”Maybe.”
She sighed and turned back to the window.
She wasn't fearless, but she was brave in spite of her fear. Good. He wouldn't have to worry that she would be too paralyzed to act quickly if necessary. But he was starting to worry about something else-that this would get a lot more dangerous. They were making someone very nervous.
Lauren's spirits improved when they landed in Fort Myers and discovered the weather was a sunny eighty-five degrees.
”Let's ask the rental company if we can get a convertible,” Lauren said.
The sparkle in her eyes made him smile. ”I don't know. That sounds pretty impractical.”
He'd been teasing, but she looked surprised. ”Yeah, it is. Can we do it anyway?”
He laughed. ”Honey, we can do whatever you want.”
Her brilliant smile sent an arrow right into his heart.
As the day went on, his elevated mood persisted. He'd been cautious and alert, but hadn't spotted anyone following as they wandered around the airport and lingered over lunch. No doubt someone would catch up with them later. And if Agent Chapman decided to waste Secret Service money by sending some flunky to tail them around southwest Florida, he'd consider it added protection. He wouldn't let it interfere with the pleasure of being with Lauren.
He had her to himself for the next day and night. Drew found himself humming under his breath while he waited for Lauren outside the ladies' room at the car rental agency. He recognized it as one of the tunes they'd danced to at the emba.s.sy party. The music seemed to have gotten stuck in his head, but he didn't mind. For a hunted man, he felt incredibly carefree.
Still humming, he checked his cell phone for messages: one. Punching in the retrieval code, he expected to hear Gerald's voice, but the angry growl in his ear was far too low to belong to his father's a.s.sistant.
”G.o.dd.a.m.n it, Creighton, call me.”
Agent Chapman. Drew dialed and waited for the familiar snarl on the other end.
”Creighton, I told you to stay put.”
”Yes, you did,” Drew answered pleasantly.
His cheerfulness didn't help Chapman's att.i.tude. ”Did you hear from your father?”
”No.”
”Because if you did, and you two idiots are trying to handle this on your own-”