“Don’t know how you got here, Baker, but it’s a damn good thing you did. But you look like hell, bro. I’ll get someone to take you home. Don’t want you driving. And buddy, lay off the booze. We’re gonna need your insights. You’re an important witness, being the first on the scene. Be at the station at 8 a.m. I’ll arrange for one of the guys to pick you up.”
Annika interrupted.
“If you don’t object, Detective, I’d like to ask the sergeant some questions—if he is up to it. His first impressions are important.”
Holding up his hands, Nate shrugged. “Sure thing, Lieutenant. You’re the boss.”
Nate’s eyes narrowed as he turned toward the agitated cop. “Baker, answer the lieutenant’s questions, and in the meantime I’ll get Pete to drive you home. You don’t look good, buddy. Shape up before you get to the station in the morning. You hear me?”
Sgt. Baker nodded, then reluctantly faced Annika.
Sam moved next to Annika. “Do you need help, Lieutenant?”
Annika shook her head. “No, thanks. The Sergeant and I will be fine. I need to focus on how the fire started. I know you and Nate need to deal with the dead body.”
They all turned at the sounds of angry voices.
“I don’t give a good goddamn if you’re Jesus Christ himself. Get the hell behind this perimeter or I’ll have you arrested on the spot. Nuthin’ I’d like better than puttin’ your sorry ass in jail!”
Fred Dalton, Connor’s ground commander, was toe to toe with an angry Brennan Corcoran. It was hard to tell which man’s face was a deeper shade of red.
Sam looked to Nate who gave him an affirmative nod. Annika watched in admiration as Sam eased between the two angry men confronting each other. A master negotiator, he skillfully put the pompous developer and the irate firefighter on the same level—addressing both by their first names.
“Brennan. I’m glad you got here. I was just asking if you’d been notified of this latest tragedy. Let’s go over here at a safe distance and let Fred and his men get the fire under control. These men are doing their best to prevent any more damage to your property.”
Sam focused on Fred Dalton who’d taken a wary step back but was still glaring at Corcoran.
“Fred, keep up the good work. We’ll get out of your way. Brennan is understandably upset. Particularly now that someone has died at the site. Do me a favor, Fred. When you get things stable or if anything changes, come and give me and Brennan an update.”
Fred stepped back looking from one man to the other. After a moment’s reflection, he shrugged and turned to Sam.
“Sure thing, Sam. Just as long as
you
keep this ignorant asshole out of the fire scene.”
“Will do, Fred.”
A slight smile tugged at Sam’s mouth as the angry little man stormed off, muttering under his breath about rich assholes without the brains God gave gutter snipes. Sam motioned to Corcoran to follow him.
“Now, Brennan, let’s you and I join Lt. Nilsson and Sgt. Baker. If you haven’t heard, Sgt. Baker was the first on the scene tonight. His quick actions brought the CFFD here in record time. Unfortunately, not in time to save the man who was sleeping in the house that’s turning to cinders.”
~~~
The next morning, Annika stared at her watch. It was hard to believe it was only 10 o’clock in the morning. The way her body felt, it could have been midnight. They’d been at the fire scene until 3 a.m.. She could barely remember Sam half-carrying her up the stairs to her apartment. He’d given her that sexy smile that melted her insides and murmured, “There’s nothing I’d like better than to tuck you in bed, Lieutenant. After slowing undressing you, of course, one piece of clothing at a time. But given that you are having trouble keeping your eyes open, I’ll be a gentleman and just see you to the door.”
He’d leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Pleasant dreams, Princess. I know that mine will be.”
Even now, hours later, Annika could feel his lips on her cheek. Damn, she was so far gone. She’d never given in to a man so completely. Allowed him to capture her thoughts and her dreams. But Sam Carter had done exactly that. And rather than trying to push him away, she was counting the minutes until she saw him again. As if her thoughts had conjured him up, Sam poked his head in to the entrance to her cubicle.
“Hey. You.”
At the sound of his voice, heat hit her core. Annika was sure her face was as red hot as she felt. She wondered if Sam knew the effect he was having on her. At his sassy wink, she had a damn good sense that he did.
“Hey, Princess. Marian said you were looking for me. Said you needed the contact numbers for Nate’s relatively legitimate forensic accountants. Be prepared to shade your eyes. Nunn and Wiese tread a fine line between what is legal and what is flat out criminal activity. But they can smell wrongdoing in their sleep. Who do you want them to investigate? Corcoran?”
Annika nodded. “Among others.”
Sam grinned. “No wonder you’re a top notch investigator. You know how to keep your mouth shut. Well, the dynamic duo is expecting your call. FYI. Nate put them on Corcoran’s tail a couple of days ago. Told them to report to you.”
Annika tried to hide her annoyance. Of course Nate wouldn’t think anything of butting into her investigation. At Sam’s questioning glance she stifled her response. She’d been told more than once by her superiors that she didn’t always have to go it alone. But trust had never been her strong suit. She wished she could be as easy as Sam and Nate were with each other. They never seemed to feel the need to prove themselves. But then why
would
they? They were both as close to perfect as they could be. When she didn’t respond to Sam’s unspoken question, she was grateful he didn’t press.
“Nate and I are off to meet with the Chief, to bring him up to date and to see if we can stave off the press. Don’t have to tell you, given Nate’s rep with the media, we’re going to be overrun soon. Hope you’re up for it, Annika. When the press gets a glimpse of our dazzling new fire inspector, they’ll be tearing down the ramparts. Be prepared, Princess. You’re soon going to be a media sensation.”
Annika stared at him, horrified. Oh God, no. Not that.
Sam moved toward her and pulled her close.
“Hey, don’t look like that, Princess. If anyone deserves to be a star, you do.”
Annika blurted out her real fear.
“But, what if the ATF folks see it and they are put off. They might think I’m trying to get attention, trying to use my looks… to get known, or… or something.”
Sam shook his head.
“You think too much, Annika. If the ATF higher-ups see the media coverage, they’ll see a hard charging investigator who not only can hold her own with the rabid press corps, but is beautiful to boot. Give yourself credit, Lieutenant. You’re a stunning woman.
And
you are a first rate cop. The fact that you are both is to your credit.” Sam looked her square in the eye. “Don’t run from it, Annika. Claim it.”
~~~
At mid-afternoon, after a very profitable discussion with the savviest, shadiest accountants she’d ever met, Annika headed to the gym. She needed to run off her nervous energy on the treadmill. She’d thought about hitting the running trail, but didn’t want to be gone that long. The excited shouts from the gym drew her in.
She’d heard the men raving about Sam and Nate’s skill in the MMA ring, but she’d never seen them fight. Joining the four-deep crowd encircling the ring, she watched in wonder, staring at the two striking men doing battle. They looked like warriors of old, or perhaps something out of an Avengers’ movie. She knew from her internet research that Sam had been a Special Forces MMA and CQC master trainer. And she’d heard that Nate was a Tae Kwon Do tenth degree black belt and Muay Thai instructor level fighter. Several rounds into the match, Annika knew she’d never seen martial arts at this level. Or seen two more skilled, more magnificent fighters. While Nate was clearly the stronger, more muscular of the two, Sam had him beat when it came to technique. Their rock hard bodies glistening with sweat were a sight to behold. They matched each other blow for blow, strike for strike, checking their actual hits—or they could have beaten each other to death. Instead they put on a show of unmatched fierce artistry. They both relied more on traditional martial arts, kicks, strikes and acrobatics, than they did on grappling or ground control. Except for the brutality of their athleticism, they could have been dancers in a powerful tableau created by a master choreographer. They took her breath away. When they raised their gloves signaling the end of the match, the crowd of appreciative cops and firefighters sent up a rousing cheer.
Annika stepped back to allow the eager men and women who were crowding around Sam and Nate to close in. She watched Sam accept the effusive praise from onlookers with his usual quiet dignity while Nate high-fived everyone in sight, trading barbs and insults along with good humored ribbing. They were a glorious pair.
As Annika pressed back against the wall not wanting to insert herself into the moment, Sam spotted her and his eyes lit up. He made his way through the throng of admirers to her side.
“Hey, Lieutenant. I didn’t know you were here. If I’d known you were watching, I wouldn’t have gone so easy on the Big Guy.”
Nate overheard and shouted across the room. “It’s a good thing, Lieutenant, that he didn’t see you. It might have blown his concentration and he’d have been even easier to take down.”
Annika smiled at the chorus of boos and catcalls that greeted Nate’s taunt. Sam just shook his head and moved closer to her.
“So, what did you think, Lieutenant? How’d I do?”
Annika tried not to stammer. But standing inches away from the tall gorgeous man, his toned muscular body gleaming with sweat, made it hard to breathe. She swallowed hard and aimed for nonchalance.
“What can I say that you don’t
already
know, Commander? You’re good.”
He threw back his head and laughed, his eyes twinkling with unabashed delight. He raked his eyes over her, a knowing sweep of her body, and winked. “That I am, Annika. That I am.”
His sexy voice and clear insinuation sent shivers of desire streaking over her heightened senses. God, if he came any closer or smelled any more masculine, or, God forbid, touched her, she’d melt in a puddle on the floor. She was saved from the indignity of declaring her infatuation to the world by two secretaries from the dispatch pool.
The pretty dark-haired woman whose name was Carrie, injected herself between Annika and Sam. Her friend, a statuesque red-head the guys all called “Tiger” was close behind.
Carrie sidled up to Sam and poked a bright red finger nail against his bare chest. Her voice was sultry and as sugary thick as syrup.
“Sam, you promised me some time in the ring. How about now? I’ve been practicing that take down move you taught me. I think you’ll be impressed.”
Not to be outdone, her stunning friend added, “How about taking us both on? It could be fun, or maybe we should all just meet later?”
Sam frowned and shook his head.
“No, sorry ladies. Not now.”
He sought out Annika but she had backed away leaving the stage open for the adoring groupies circling him. He caught her gaze and called out, “Wait a minute, Lieutenant!”
When she shook her head, his frown deepened. But Annika continued to make her way through the crowd. She rushed into the locker room and didn’t look back. She didn’t want to admit it but she couldn’t bear the sight of Sam surrounded by adoring women. When she came out ten minutes later, he was waiting for her. Wearing sweat pants hanging low on his hips and naked from the waist up, he was still damp from the shower. She would have brushed by but he caught her arm and pulled her up next to him.
“Annika, you misunderstood. I barely know those women. It was nothing.”
She tried to break his hold, but his grip was firm. She tossed her head in haughty agreement. “Of course, it was nothing. Nothing for you, Sam. You don’t have to do anything, do you? It’s like bees to honey. You attract them just by… being you.”
Annika was horrified at the words that came unchecked out of her mouth. Sam looked startled then a slight smile crept across his face. He leaned in closer.
“Hmm, Lieutenant, is that a flash of jealousy I hear? Worried about the competition?”
From across the room, she heard Pete call out to her.
“There you are, Lieutenant. Connor’s looking for you. Some of the lab results you were waiting for are back.”
She jerked away from Sam, her anger flashing to the surface. Throwing him a disparaging glare, she snapped, “Don’t let me keep you from your fans, Commander.”
As she fled from the gym she heard his low chuckle and didn’t have to look back to see the grin on his face.
Chapter 12
Annika took a sip of wine and peered out into the dark starry night. The crescent moon shed just enough light to cast deep shadows on her second floor patio. Like every bachelor pad worth its sleazy reputation, Nate had graced his former apartment with a generous hot tub on the outside balcony. Annika grimaced. No telling how many eager women had splashed in these tantalizing bubbles. Tonight her aching body cried out for the healing waters. It had been a long day filled with troubling—and exciting—memories. Not the least of which was the vision of Sam’s glorious body gleaming with sweat when he’d bounded out of the MMA ring toward her.
The rush of emotion the memory sparked crashed when she thought about her idiotic response to the women in the gym who swarmed him. Good God. Why not just act like a jealous teenybopper? How embarrassing could she be? Sam’s grin had said it all. Damn. He probably loved it. Didn’t all guys like ‘girls’ fighting over them? But, for God’s sake, she wasn’t fifteen years old, she was twenty-eight. And he wasn’t the first man in her life. She’d had others. She shook her head and snorted at the trivial comparison. Yes, she may have had a couple of other ‘lovers,’ if you applied the term loosely. But she had never had anyone like Sam in her life. Not even close.
Annika took a deep swallow of the smoky Cabernet. Maybe getting a little tipsy and soaking in the hot tub would help to stifle the humiliating memory. The balcony patio faced away from street, looking instead to the deep woods, and providing privacy to whatever naughtiness she could dream up. Basking in the buzz from the wine, she began a slow strip tease. Nothing like stripping for herself, to underscore how ridiculously alone she was. But she could pretend, couldn’t she?