“Thanks for coming by,” Leese told him. “Appreciate it.”
“No problem.” After pressing a kiss to Cat’s cheek, he said to Leese, “Keep up the massage, it seemed to help.”
Refusing to take the bait, Leese walked him to the door. Voice low, he said, “Watch your back when you leave. I don’t think anyone’s keeping track, but you can’t be too careful.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“I’m serious.”
Miles studied him, then nodded. “Okay, sure. I guess I can play the stealth game, same as you.” He looked past Leese to where Cat had begun tidying the kitchen. “She’s nice, Leese. Pretty hilarious too.”
“Yeah.”
“And like you said, damned sexy.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t underestimate her, okay?”
What the hell did that mean?
Whistling, Miles pressed the door button on the private elevator that would take him to the lobby, and the doors closed behind him, robbing Leese of the opportunity to come up with a reply.
Thoughts colliding, he stepped back into the penthouse and secured the door. For a moment, he watched Cat moving around. True, she seemed less stiff now, her gait a little more natural.
Massage, huh? Yeah, he could handle that—maybe.
He joined her and they worked in silence until everything was tidy again. Not wanting to wait any longer, Leese said, “Let’s talk.”
Her face immediately went hot, her expression guarded.
“Not...” Sighing, he took her hand and led her to the sofa. They could talk about the contents of the lockbox later. Right now he had something more important he wanted to cover. “I found a listening device—a bug—in your apartment, inside the lampshade in the living room.”
The embarrassed color washed from her face, leaving her pale with shock, yet a second later angry heat flooded in again. “Those bastards were spying on me?”
“It’s probably safe to assume they put it there after you busted them conspiring, not before. My guess is they assumed you’d eventually return there, and when you did they wanted to know.”
Her jaw worked. “So if I had, they’d have greeted me?”
It turned his stomach to imagine her at their mercy. He kept the rage in check because Cat needed his calm control right now, not additional fuel for her fear. “That’s the likeliest scenario. But they misjudged you, didn’t they? At every turn, you’ve outsmarted them.”
“I can’t run forever. Eventually they’re going to catch up to me.”
“No.” He held her face in his hands. “Eventually they’ll trip up and be caught.”
Sadness kept her smile dim. “Maybe. I hope so. But God, I want it over.”
“I know. And I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.” His thumbs brushed her cheeks. “Even if that means doing things you don’t like.”
Straightening with irritation, she poked his shoulder. “Like going to my house after we agreed you wouldn’t?”
“I never agreed to that.”
She grumbled, “Well, you should have.” With new umbrage she muttered, “You could have been shot today.”
“Not even close.” When would she accept his skill level?
She touched his chest with her fingertips, then slowly opened her hand against him. Finally she lifted her gaze to his. “Do you think they’re still in my yard?”
“I doubt it, but if they are, they’re probably sharing body heat.”
That nonsense answer, meant to defuse her worry, got her started snickering, and then she couldn’t stop.
Hysterics? Leese wondered, even as he smiled with her.
“Picturing that,” she said around her chuckles. “I hope parts of them freeze off.” With new hilarity, she fell against him, her shoulders shaking with her robust laughter.
Leese put his arms around her.
Hysterics or not, this was nice, a hell of a lot nicer than her looking so lost.
He didn’t mean to bring it up so abruptly, but as he stroked his fingers through her silky brown hair, it just came out. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
That ended her giggles real quick. Stiffening, she tried to shove back from him but he held on.
Trying to reassure her, he said gently, “Every woman I know has a—”
“Don’t say it!”
The smile played with his mouth, but he kept it contained with an effort. “Okay,” he soothed. “Just know that it’s not a big deal.”
She groaned, long and loud.
Leese squeezed her, and couldn’t resist just a little teasing. “I am curious about one thing.”
Another groan, this one more heartfelt.
“Why did you lock it up, but leave your gun out in the drawer?”
After a huff of breath, she mumbled something indecipherable against his sternum.
“What’s that?” He tried to tip her back, but now she was the one holding tight. “I can’t hear you.”
Shoving back suddenly, she took him by surprise and surged to her feet. Her face looked scalded, making her accusing blue eyes brighter by comparison. “I don’t want anyone knowing my private business, that’s why it was locked up. And I kept the gun close so I could shoot anyone who snooped.”
Fighting another grin, Leese cautiously stood in front of her. “So the gun was strictly to protect the locked up—”
“Ohhhh...” she growled, snapping away from him and stalking away. “Just be quiet!”
“I think you’re adorable.” Following on her heels, Leese caught her elbow, turned her and pinned her to the wall. When she turned her mulish gaze up to him, he fought the urge to kiss her attitude away. “I also got you some of your own clothes, shoes, books, art supplies—”
Her gaze shot to the door where he’d left the luggage. “That’s what all that is?”
“And the weapons and lockbox, yeah.”
She dropped her forehead to his sternum. “You know, just because you don’t want to have sex, you didn’t need to bring that.”
“What?” he teased. He’d love to hear her say it.
She glanced up at him. “I can promise you, it’s not a substitute.”
Well, hell. Now he was envisioning all sorts of things. As briefly as he could manage, he kissed her. “There were men in your house, honey. Who knows if more will show up, and if they’ll search the place looking for a clue about where you’ve gone.” Another kiss, this one a little longer. “I didn’t want anyone else knowing your personal business.”
“You’re right.” She hugged her arms around him. “Thank you.”
Heart and resistance melting, Leese said, “You’re welcome.”
“I’m very glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Not even a scratch,” he assured her.
“Thank you too, for getting rid of the bug and the jerks.”
Against her temple, he said, “That was my pleasure.”
“Leese?”
He liked her agreeable like this, all soft and sweet, especially after the show of anger. “Hmm?”
Slipping her arms up and around his neck, she said, “We need to talk.”
Not what he was expecting at this particular moment, but he’d take it. “About the other men who were with Webb?”
She screwed up her expression and sighed. “You have a one-track mind.”
He felt her hands traveling down his back and said, “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
Lips quirking, she agreed. “True enough.” She stepped him back and held out a hand, palm up.