“You got it,” the blonde said, taking the money and the card. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else? I’ve been told I’m real talented.”
The only thing James wanted now was to see another blonde. “It’s a tempting offer, but no. I don’t think that would go over well at home.”
JAMES watched Mandy sleep for a few moments, kicking off his shoes and stripping out of his clothes before climbing into bed with her. Even in slumber, she instinctively reached for him. He pulled her into his arms, folding her tightly into his embrace.
“What happened?” Mandy murmured.
“Cole Gordon is dead,” James said. “He was shot in the back.”
“Why?”
“I think someone needed to shut him up,” James said.
“Someone that wants to hurt me,” Mandy said.
“Yeah.”
“So, what happens now?”
“Now? Now I need you to do something you’re really not going to want to do,” James said. “I thought about going behind your back and doing something, but that never works out well for me.”
“You don’t want me to go to work, do you?”
“I don’t want you to go anywhere without me,” James said.
“For how long?”
“I don’t know,” James admitted. “Whoever killed Cole is in this immediate area. Something tells me it’s not going to be long.”
“Why?” Mandy rubbed her hand over James’ heart, letting its steady beat lull her.
“Whoever this is, I don’t think they want to wait to come after you,” James said. “This is somehow personal to them. I don’t know who it is, and I don’t know why they’re going after you, but I do know I won’t let anyone take you from me.”
Mandy was quiet, thoughtful. “I’ll call the judge after eight. He’ll understand.”
“I’ll call if you want,” James said. “There are some things I want to talk to him about.”
“Like?”
“Like beefing up security around himself and Heidi,” James said. “They’re close to you.”
“You don’t think … ?”
“I think you’re the target,” James said. “If I keep you hidden long enough, though, someone might try some inventive ways to get at you.”
“You know you can’t keep me here forever, right? At some point, we have lives to live.”
James kissed her softly. “I know. That’s why we have to get this right the first time.”
“So, you’re convinced that Cole is the one who set the bomb?”
“I am,” James said.
“And how do you plan on finding out who hired him?”
“I don’t know.”
Mandy inched her way up his chest, burrowing her head in the hollow beneath his neck. “I’m scared.”
James tightened his embrace. “I’m scared, too. That’s why I’m not going to let you out of my sight. You’re going to be sick and tired of me by the time this is all over with.”
“I guess we’re going to have to find something to distract us,” Mandy said, moving her hand down his chest and slipping it inside of his boxer shorts.
James’ breath caught in his chest when he felt her small hand wrap itself around his length, teasing him, enticing him. He fought to keep his voice neutral. “What did you have in mind?”
Mandy ran her index finger along the underside of his hardening member. “I don’t know, a little of this.”
James moaned.
“A little of that.” Mandy raised her head, kissing him deeply. “A whole lot of this and that.”
James rolled over on top of her, not realizing until he was already in place that this was the first time he’d rested the bulk of his weight on her since the explosion. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Is your back okay?”
“James?”
“Yeah.”
“Shut up and make love to me.”
James chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. I guess I’m going to have to start calling you Captain Bossy.”
“That’s General Bossy to you.”
Twenty-Three
On Friday morning, Grady found Sophie sitting on the floor in the living room sifting through a pile of documents. When they’d gone to sleep the night before, she’d been tucked in at his side and dozing dreamily. He had no idea when she’d woken up, or why she’d stealthily climbed out of bed instead of waking him.
“What are you doing, sugar?”
“Thinking,” Sophie said, glancing up. “Did I wake you?”
“I think the lack of you next to me is what woke me up,” Grady said, running a hand through his tousled hair as he slipped down onto the carpeted floor with her. “Why are you up at this ungodly hour?”