“Of course.” Not that she could see much through the ice.
Justice worked with quick efficiency, clearing each window with a scraper while also continually checking the area. Normally the car would have been protected in the covered lot, but he’d parked close enough to the opening that the ice had blown in everywhere. As she’d said, it was a miserable night. Hopefully they wouldn’t lose power.
Once back in the car, Justice put it in gear and pulled away. As soon as they were on the main roads, he said, “Leese is going to be severely pissed.”
“On the contrary, he will be thrilled, because now, Justice, we have a way to get to them.”
The light of realization dawned in his eyes. “You aren’t handing her over?”
“Of course not. I’ll forgive you, just this once, for doubting me. Just don’t let it happen again.”
Justice slowly unleashed an enormous grin. “Yes, ma’am.” He waited a moment more before laughing. “You’re scary, you know that, right?”
Flattered, Sahara smiled at him. “Why thank you, Justice.”
“Welcome.” He shook his head. “Honestly, I don’t know what you have planned, and neither did Tesh. That makes him even more dangerous.”
“Yes, it does.” And somehow they had to keep Catalina safe. She drew out her cell and dialed Leese.
After she explained, she found out that Justice was right, after all.
Leese was pissed.
She thought about reminding him, despite her very lenient attitude, that he worked for her. But in truth, she enjoyed the protective anger. It reminded her of her brother.
Scott, too, had often worried for her.
But he’d also taught her to be strong and smart and independent. Tomorrow she’d meet with Leese and they’d work out details.
“Until then,” she told Leese, “you should worry about Catalina, and let me worry about me.” She disconnected on his protest, smiled at Justice and asked, “How would you like to spend the night?”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LEESE’S MEETING WITH Sahara didn’t happen.
Shortly after he’d gone to the store for more protection, the snowstorm worsened and they ended up with the second largest snowfall to ever hit Ohio. From Toledo to Portsmouth, record cold, snow and ice shut down cities. Road crews couldn’t keep up and the mayor declared a snow emergency, recommending that everyone stay home for safety reasons.
Sahara got through to him twice, but the landline connection was iffy and speaking over the cell phone was too dangerous. Only a few people had made it into the agency, and Sahara wasn’t one of them. Given how many wrecks were reported, Leese was glad she didn’t try.
He figured Tesh and his cohorts were equally disabled by the weather, so it was probably a wash; he and Sahara couldn’t make plans, and the people after Cat couldn’t cause problems.
Through the next two days, the power went off, came on and went out again. There were plenty of candles in the penthouse, they had enough food and the propane fireplace in the center of the room radiated heat everywhere. The switch, of course, didn’t work, but Leese was able to manually turn it on.
The building was still secure; even when the power blipped, the auxiliary power, run by a generator, kept everything locked up right and tight.
It didn’t make sense, even to him, but he didn’t mind being snowed in with Cat. In fact, it felt like a forced respite, an ensured time period with her. He couldn’t research, couldn’t go out, and that meant no one else could either.
All he could do was enjoy her.
And he enjoyed her a lot. “You know, Cat, I could get used to this.”
Glancing over her shoulder at him, she asked, “What? Posing?”
Leese smiled. He rested in bed, naked, his shoulders propped against the headboard, one corner of the sheet barely covering his lap.
Catalina, equally naked, stood in front of a makeshift easel sketching him. She’d pinned up her fawn-colored hair in a loose, tousled bun that threatened to drop free at any minute.
“Actually, I meant watching you work naked.”
“It seemed fair,” she said in a distracted way, leaning close to use the side of her baby finger to add smudges to the charcoal drawing. She blew softly on the paper, then leaned back to get a different perspective. “And I don’t mind you looking.” She flashed him a quick smile. “I’m not super modest or anything.”
“No reason you should be.” She had a cute, sexy little body, all soft curves and satiny skin. Her breasts were moderate, her waist tiny and that heart-shaped ass... He loved holding on to those firm cheeks while driving into her.
And if he didn’t curb those thoughts, he’d get a boner and ruin the picture. “I wish I had your talent.”
Absently, she asked, “Why’s that?”
“I’d draw you too. Just as you are right now.” Her body bare, expression focused, looking like the perfect wet dream. “With the candlelight on your skin and that particular concentrated expression on your face.” He saw her smile and added, “You’re beautiful, Cat.”
She paused in her sketching. Bit her lip. Then turned to him. “You really think so?”
God. How could she not know? He took in the sight of her soft nipples, her smooth belly, the neat patch of downy pubic hair. “Yeah,” he promised, his voice brusque. “I look at you and I want you.”
“Even though we just had sex?”
“That was...” He glanced at the clock. “An hour and a half ago.”
The smile played with her lips before she turned away again. “Thank you. I’ve never really minded how I look. I mean, for the most part, I don’t think about it that much. I have what I have and there’s no changing it. I know I’m short and far from stacked, but it’s not like I can somehow make myself taller. I’m not an ogre, and I have my health, so...” Her shoulders lifted. “It’s nice to hear that you’re not disappointed.”
“Far from disappointed.” She finished up and, with coal-blackened fingers held out to her sides, stepped back from the sketch. “What do you think?”
Leese sat up to see the large drawing. Bemused, he draped his forearms over his knees and couldn’t resist smiling. He felt a little self-conscious, a lot complimented and pretty damned turned on.
They were both naked, after all.
Cat had drawn him in the bed, a smirk on his face as he stared right at her. She’d caught the sexual interest in his gaze, the tolerant amusement on his mouth. It was a novel thing to be with a woman who saw him so much better than he saw himself. “I think you’re too talented to just teach art.”
Casual as you please, she strode to the dresser and picked up a damp cloth to clean her hands. “You’re sweet, but I’m not good enough to make a living off my art, and I like eating too much to go the starving artist route. So I teach, and that’s okay, because I love kids.”