"I mean it. I want you to go home."
"Why?"
He had asked an obvious question, but she gave him an obscure answer. "You just should. I can drive myself to Florida. I don't need you or Noah to babysit me."
The more she explained, the more forceful her voice became. John Paul reacted to her outburst by simply grabbing his bag, dropping it on the bed, and then beginning to shove his clothes inside.
Noah was standing at the kitchen counter, drinking from a milk carton. He'd made himself a huge sandwich and was polishing
it off as she carried her backpack to the door. John Paul was right behind her with her duffel bag and his.
"Let's go," he called to Noah.
"I'm right behind you."
She followed John Paul to the car. He opened the driver's door, popped the lid on the trunk; then, pausing to glare at her, he
tossed their bags inside and slammed the trunk down.
"John Paul, I meant…"
He shook his head. "Don't."
"Don't what?" she asked.
"Don't insult me again. I told you at least three times I was in this for the long haul. Weren't you listening?"
She glanced at the door to make sure Noah wasn't there, then said, "I don't want you to get hurt. Okay? I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you… I don't think I could…"
"I love you too, Avery."
"It's too soon… you can't…"
"I do."
"How can you love me?" she whispered.
His left hand cupped the back of her neck, and as he slowly drew her toward him, he whispered, "Want me to count the ways?"
Tears stung her eyes. He wasn't going to be reasonable. "You're stubborn."
"So are you."
"It won't work."
"We'll make it work."
"I'm a liberal," she whispered in desperation.
He kissed her and then said, "I can live with that, but I can't live without you. Simple as that, sugar."
His wonderful mouth covered hers in a long, hot, thoroughly arousing kiss. He didn't overpower her with his strength, didn't
have her chained to him. No, he was being extremely gentle as his mouth slanted over hers. She could have pulled back, but
she didn't want to. She greedily kissed him back.
He growled low in his throat, which only encouraged her to be bolder. And when at last he lifted his head, she sagged against
him. She pushed away from him when the screen door opened.
Noah walked out onto the porch, pulled the door closed, and then tossed the keys to John Paul.
"You drive while I catch up on some sleep."
He caught the keys without taking his gaze off Avery. "You're gonna marry me."
"No, I can't marry you."
"Did I ask?"
"You just said…"
"Did I ask?" he patiently repeated.
Noah glanced at both of them, shook his head, and then dove into the backseat. "Lover's spat?" he asked.
"No." They both snapped the word at the same time.
She grabbed the keys out of John Paul's hand. "I'm driving."
He didn't argue with her. The dynamics between the two fascinated Noah. Who would have thought the bear would ever fall?
He guessed the old saying was true. There really was someone out there for everyone. A soul mate. Wait until he told Theo
about this. He wouldn't believe it either. The bear was in love.
He couldn't suppress his laughter. "What the hell's so funny?" John Paul grumbled.
"You. You're funny. Hey, Avery. Ever hear the one about the Marine…"
John Paul tilted his seat back and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long, long trip.
Chapter 33
The plans kept changing. Carrie didn't like change, any kind of change, unless, of course, she was the one in charge of making those changes. Agent Hillman was point man, and Agent Bean was his gofer. Hillman's first command when he was placed in charge of Carrie was to order Bean to tell her the decision had been made to keep her in Colorado.
After Bean informed Mrs. Salvetti of the Bureau's decision and suffered her reaction, he returned to Agent Hillman and threatened to hand in his resignation if Hillman ever made him do that again.
"I'm putting in for combat pay," Bean announced.
They could both hear Carrie screaming from the waiting room. "Doesn't she realize there are sick people in this hospital?"
Hillman muttered, clearly appalled by the woman's conduct.
"She doesn't care," Bean countered. "She's demanding to go to Florida and stay in the safe house with her niece."
"I take it, then, you didn't tell her we can't find her niece?"
"No, sir. I thought I'd let you explain that to her."
"For God's sake, man. You're an agent with the FBI. Surely you can handle a cranky woman."
"With all due respect, sir, she isn't just a cranky woman. She's a…"
"A what?" Hillman snapped.
A she-devil, Bean wanted to say but didn't dare. Hillman wouldn't believe him. Besides, he would find out soon enough what
the Salvetti woman was capable of when she wasn't happy. "Sir, she isn't what I would call a normal woman. Normal women don't have fire shooting out of their eyes."
Hillman was disgusted. "She'll do whatever we tell her to do."
Wanna bet? The ringing in his ears, he noticed, had subsided into a dull echo. "Yes, sir, I'm sure she'll listen to you." He said
the last without breaking into a smile and was quite proud of his achievement.
"We have the woman's best interests at heart. Surely you explained our motives to her, didn't you, Bean?"
"She didn't give me the opportunity to explain our position."
"When she calms down-"
They both heard another shout. Bean grimaced as Hillman demanded, "Who's in there with her?"
"Gorman," he answered. "He must have told her we haven't been able to locate her niece."
The door to the waiting room opened and Gorman stepped out. Hillman and Bean stood at the end of the hallway and watched
as Gorman hastily pulled the door closed. His face was as red as hot peppers.
Gorman spotted Hillman, drew himself up to his full six foot two height, and walked down the hall to join them.
"Is she giving you trouble too?" Hillman asked.
Bean tried not to snicker. Of course she'd given him trouble. Just look at his face.
"She's a… difficult woman," Gorman said, trying to be diplomatic. "She refuses to cooperate. Told me she's going to Florida
with or without Hill of Beans."
"Hill of Beans?" Hillman asked.
Gorman cleared his throat. "That's what she's calling you and Agent Bean. Hill of Beans. She's also demanding a beach house."
"A beach house? She wants a beach house?" Hillman asked incredulously.
Bean cast him a smug I-told-you-so look. Now, perhaps, his superior would agree that the Salvetti woman was as difficult as
he'd told him she was.
"And what did you say to her demands?"
"I told her that wasn't possible, that since her testimony isn't mandatory, she'll be staying in Colorado. I explained the defense attorney has the transcripts of Skarrett's first trial and he hasn't asked to depose Mrs. Salvetti again and that, for that reason,
there wasn't any need for her to go to Florida."
"And her response?" Bean asked.
"She tried to grab my gun."
"I'm sure she was bluffing," Hillman said. "Let's give her a few minutes to cool off," he suggested.
It was going to take Carrie more than a few minutes to calm her temper. Blowing up was her response to the fear gnawing at
her stomach. What the hell was Avery going to do? Did she think she could stroll into that courthouse and testify against
Skarrett? Carrie kept picturing her niece being gunned down on the courthouse steps.