“I guess. As long as I’ve known Meg, she’s wanted to be in law enforcement. She was so thrilled when she got into the academy.”
He smiled at her. “I knew from the time I was a kid, too. I grew up in a nice, decent neighborhood, but it started getting rough when I was in my teens. I saw a little girl killed by a stray bullet in a gang shooting. The cop who came was a real dedicated guy. I still remember how when he questioned me, I knew he wasn’t going to stop until he caught the guy. And he did, too. I became a cop first, then went into the FBI.” Studying her, he said, “I still remember to stop and eat even when I’m on a case, though. Brett, well, he flat-out forgets half the time. Are you the type of woman who can live with that?”
She flushed, looking away. “I wonder if I even know myself half the time, what type of person I really am. I know I...”
She paused.
“You what?”
“I know that if he’ll let me, I want to hang around your partner for a very long time.”
Diego grinned, set an arm around her shoulders and gave her a brotherly hug. “Just be careful. It won’t be easy.”
“You speak as if you know.”
“I’m divorced,” he said with a shrug.
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I.”
“Her loss.”
“We’ll go with that,” he teased. “She’s a great person. I’ve never fallen out of love with her. But if you see her, don’t tell her that.”
“Will I see her?”
“I doubt it. She moved to Colorado.”
“Well, I still say it’s her loss.”
“It’s a tough road. You have to be ready. You know what I’m saying?” he asked her. “You’re not mad?”
“Hey, you’re trying to keep my girl Cocoa safe,” Lara said. “What’s not to like?”
“Anyway, I suggest you go back inside and get some sleep—or whatever,” he teased. He glanced at his watch. “Brett is due to replace me here in less than three hours. Plenty of time for...whatever,” he said with a grin.
Lara stood and grinned back. “All right, I’m off. And, Diego...”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
“My pleasure, mi amiga,” he said. “Now go.”
Lara didn’t waste any more time but hurried down the path toward the offices. Along the way she paused for a minute. The breeze was rustling the tree branches; except for the auxiliary lights near the buildings, it was very dark here.
She turned back toward the water. She could see the glow that was downtown Miami. It was a beautiful city at night, with multicolored lights from a dozen skyscrapers or more reflecting off the water.
But here, where the shadows lurked...
Anyone could be hiding, watching, waiting...
She hurried along and saw that, as promised, Brett was waiting for her outside the building. She had the feeling that Diego had called him and said she was on her way. She smiled. And when he smiled back she knew that they were good.
She hurried to his side.
“Diego okay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He grinned. “Come on, then. We have a few hours before I need to relieve him.”
She laughed softly. “Your partner suggested that would be more than enough time.”
Brett grimaced. “Did he now? That boy may be in trouble one day. I do have a long memory. But...where are we headed? Matt and Meg took the break room sofa.”
“They’re asleep?”
“They sleep lightly, but yeah, they’re already catching their z’s.”
“We’ll take the extra room in Grady’s apartment,” she told him. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”
She led the way, aware that a feverish flush was already suffusing her skin.
They made it up the stairs and into Grady’s guest room. Then they were tugging at each other’s clothes and trying to touch one another at the same time, their lips meeting, tearing apart, then meeting again. The only thing Brett paused for was setting his Glock on the bedside table, where it would be within easy reach at all times, she realized.
Seconds later their clothes were strewn in a tangle on the floor and she was in his arms, savoring the feel of his naked flesh against hers. It amazed her how quickly she could forget everything but the feel of his lips against her skin, the movement of his body against hers...
His fingers teased at her thighs; his mouth brushed over her breasts. She swept her hands down his back to his buttocks, feeling as if she was sinking in a strange world of molten lava and longing. They seemed to meld together, and yet she was also aware when he entered her, moving with her, filling her with sexual excitement and building fire.
She felt as if she’d been denied too long, and a hunger that eclipsed everything else rose and carried her to a searing—and shared—climax.
Brett whispered against her ear, “My partner did warn you that I didn’t need much time.”
“He did,” she said, laughing.
“But that was only the first course, you know...the appetizer.”
“In that case, I can’t wait for the entrée.”