Her acute hearing picked up the sound of a footfall on carpet and she stepped away from the bookcase, not wanting to be caught studying the knickknacks, then continued to the patio door, sliding it open. As she stepped out onto the balcony, Shelby joined her.
"I love sitting out here in the evening. It's so peaceful."
Kris glanced down at Shelby, taking in the tranquil look on her face, and nodded, hating that she was going to have to spoil it for the analyst. "It is nice out here, but you should avoid doing that for a while."
Shelby sighed, knowing what Kris said made sense. "Okay. What would you like for dinner?"
"Anything is fine. Do you have any TV dinners? I can just throw one in the microwave."
"No. I don't usually buy those. Do you like spaghetti? Or how about pork chops? I've got some chili I made in the freezer..."
"Shelby, wait." Kris waited until she had her attention. "I'm not your guest. You don't have to cook for me. You didn't ask for this anymore than I did. Just do what you usually do and pretend I'm not even here."
Yeah, right. As if I could, even if I wanted to. "No. I won't do that. You are here and you're stuck with me because I might be in danger. I'm glad you're here and I'm not ignoring you."
She's glad I'm here? Kris liked how that thought felt, but it troubled her, too. She knew she had to put a halt to anything other than a business arrangement. "You might as well, because I'm here to do a job, that's it."
"Fine. But I'm still not ignoring you and if I make something to eat, I'm making enough for both of us. I wouldn't want the person protecting me to be too weak to do her job effectively."
Kris had to smother a smile at Shelby's last comment. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just don't want you to go to any extra trouble on account of my staying here."
Shelby met Kris' eyes. "It's no trouble."
Kris had to force herself to look away from the dancing green pools that were brimming with sincerity. The operative suddenly realized she wasn't going to win this battle and capitulated. "What do you want me to do?"
"Protect me, of course." Shelby grinned when a smile finally appeared on Kris' face.
"That I can do."
"Why don't you put your things in the bedroom? I'll change the bedding for you after dinner."
"I'm not taking your bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
Shelby looked at the couch and then looked up at Kris. "Just how do you think you're going to fit on it?"
"It'll be more comfortable than a lot of places I've slept."
Nodding, Shelby decided to make dinner. They could talk about it later. It didn't make any sense to her for Kris to sleep on the couch. She'd fallen asleep on it more than once and it was just big enough for her. Kris was over half a foot taller than she was.
Shelby walked over to a closet in the alcove by the apartment door and pushed aside her winter coat and a couple of lighter jackets. "You can hang your clothes in here, if you want."
"Thanks." Kris grinned ruefully as she watched Shelby walk into the kitchen. This job was going to be even tougher than she had thought it would be.
An hour later, they finished eating the spaghetti dinner Shelby had prepared and Kris helped her clear the table, placing the dishes in the dishwasher. "That was delicious. You're a good cook."
A slight blush appeared on Shelby's face. "Thanks."
The remainder of the evening passed quickly with Shelby carrying most of the conversation, determined to get the tall woman to relax. Kris felt some of her tension fade as she listened to Shelby chat while she softly petted the kitten that had decided to curl up in her lap, after spending most of the evening on Shelby's.
At eleven Shelby stood up. "I'm beat. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. I'll put out some towels and a washcloth for you when I'm finished."
Kris nodded and turned off the mute button on the TV. She looked back at Shelby when the analyst called her name. "Yeah?"
"I want to sleep on the couch. There's a small TV in the bedroom you can watch."
"I thought we already settled where we were sleeping?"
"You're not gonna be comfortable on the couch. Why don't you take the bed?"
Kris found it hard to reject the sincere appeal that was evident in both Shelby's voice and on her face. "I won't be able to hear or see enough from the bedroom."
Shelby sighed. "Okay." She had enjoyed Kris's company so much she had almost forgotten why Kris was there.
"Shelby." Kris waited for the analyst to look at her. "Thanks for the offer."
Kris was graced with a smile that warmed her heart. Oh am I in trouble. "Nite."
"Goodnight."
A short time later the lights in the apartment were extinguished as both women entered the dream world.
CHAPTER 5
JEB LOOKED UP in surprise when the doorbell chimed. His wife, Sharon, had gone to bed before the late news started, so he hurried to the door, not wanting her to be awakened. A smile spread across his face when he saw his younger brother through the peephole and he unlocked the door, pulling it open.
"Michael! When did you get back? Come on in." Jeb looked up at his tall brother grinning. Michael was 6'3" with close-cropped nearly black hair. He ruefully acknowledged his brother had gotten the looks in the family. His wife had even commented that Michael could have been a model for the cover of Harlequin romances had he chosen to.
"Hey, Jimbo. Just got back. I decided to take a few days of leave." Michael had actually been in town for two days, but his brother didn't need to know that. "I know it's late, but I couldn't wait to see you. It's been what? Two years?"
"At least. You're staying here, aren't you?"
"I don't want to put you out..."
"You won't be. Hell, the spare bedroom hasn't been used since last time you stayed here. You still on cold loan?"
Jeb had been secretly relieved when Michael had requested to be transferred from field operations to the much safer work of providing technical assistance to allies on their intelligence gathering operations.
"Yeah."
"Want something to drink?"
"How about some of that good scotch you keep hidden." Michael watched his brother prepare their drinks, his thoughts far away. For two years, his life had been a living hell, but for the past six months he'd been laying the groundwork to change that. There were only a few more pieces to put into play, but he needed some information first, and his doting big brother would be a good source.
Jeb looked up at Michael as he handed him a scotch on the rocks. "It's more comfortable in the living room."
A few hours later, Jeb looked at the clock, surprised it was approaching three. "I gotta get a few hours of sleep. You must be tired, too."
"Yeah, I am."
Michael followed his brother out of the living room, turning into the guestroom as Jeb continued on to the master bedroom.
Kris was roused for the third time as her subconscious picked up on a barely discernable noise. Alert now, she listened intently in the dark, silent room, her eyes traversing shapes illuminated only by a sliver of light visible between the drawn drapes. Satisfied there was no cause for alarm, she decided to get up anyway. Her internal clock was uncannily accurate and Kris knew it was close to five, her customary waking time.
The operative quietly made her way to the bathroom, but detoured toward a faint light coming from the bedroom further down the hallway. She stopped in the doorway and gazed at Shelby, the night light in the globe of the lamp next to the bed casting a small beam of light across both the sleeping woman's face and the kitten sleeping next to her on the pillow.