Tansy woke up feeling mostly normal. A few nights of sleep in Sam’s arms had done wonders for her fatigue and healing.
Today was shower day.
She hated plastic and rarely used it, but for a real shower, she’d found nothing better in her research. She’d used a dry cleaning bag from one of Nico’s suits to make a reusable bag that would keep the cast dry.
Tansy started to slide out from where Sam had her wrapped against him, but he stirred and pulled her back in.
“Morning. How you feeling?”
“It’s shower day.”
That earned her a chuckle. A rough-with-sleep chuckle that had shivers running over her skin.
Sam ran his hands over her in lazy circles, causing her shivers to have shivers.
“Well, if I must deal with a sexy naked woman, warm and wet in the shower, I guess I’ll just have to find a way to cope with it.”
Tansy laughed and kissed his chest before scooting to the edge of the bed to reach for her crutches.
Sam rolled over and scooped her up before she even had her feet on the floor. “I’ve got you. Where’s the protection thing you rigged up?”
“I left it on the vanity.”
“What if Jerry ate it?”
She poked him as he set her down on her feet on the tile floor. “That’s not on his task list. See, it’s safe.”
She’d changed the settings for all the CleanySaurs. Nico had almost shot Albert on the first night, when she’d been too tired to think about changing the settings, or warning him about the robots.
It still made her giggle.
Sam distracted her by turning on the shower and then shucking his boxer briefs. He was fully aroused and Tansy had no room for any other thoughts.
When she reached for him, he shook his head and boosted her onto the counter.
He knelt to wrap and seal her cast, then rang his fingers gently over the wounds. He peeled off the gauze and tape, then kissed the area around the wounds, as he did every day.
Her love for this man expanded every day with every action.
Wanting to be naked and touching him, Tansy yanked off her tank, drawing his eyes up.
Without a word, he lifted her to the ground and helped her slide off her sleep shorts.
The shower was large enough for a small stool and Sam carried her from the counter to the stool and then closed the door behind them, locking them in the steam.
He unhooked the shower-head then proceeded to wash and condition her hair. Nothing had ever felt as erotic as his big strong hands massaging her head and her hair. Her entire body was electrified, and she was shaking with need.
But he wasn’t done.
Sam knelt on the tile floor and gently cleaned her wounds and then the rest of her.
“Sam, I need you. I want you.”
His wicked grin warmed her. “That’s convenient because I need you and want you, too. You sure you want to do this here?”
She laughed. “Positive.”
“Hang on.”
Then he lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. They both groaned at the intimate contact.
Sam leaned her back against the tile wall and grabbed a condom from the shelf before sheathing himself.
She couldn’t stop touching him. Everywhere.
His hands did the same, moving from her breasts to her hips to cup her face.
“Now, Sam. Now.”
He plunged into her, making her cry out with pleasure and arch her back for even more contact.
Sam swore gruffly and started to move. They were both primed to explode, and it wasn’t long before he reached between them to play with her clit and send her flying.
He followed with a hard thrust and a shout that echoed in the tiny space.
Her limbs were shaking, and she didn’t protest as Sam took care of the condom, turned off the shower, snagged a couple of towels, and carried her back to the bed.
Tansy flopped onto the pillows. “Best shower ever.”
Sam laughed. “Sounds like a challenge for another day when you’re out of that cast.”
She rolled into him and kissed him lightly. “Challenge accepted.”
Sam took the covering off her cast, and then they dressed and headed down. She’d given up protesting when he picked her up. Three sets of stairs were a lot on crutches.
On the main floor, he set her down. She’d carried the crutches down with her, so she used them to move to the main room.
Nico and Joe were heading out the next day, so they didn’t have much time left with them.
Graham looked up from the chair where he was working on his tablet. “Good morning. Wait. A very good morning, I see.”
Tansy’s face flushed to the roots of her hair. Sam merely cuffed his friend’s head on the way to the kitchen. “You leave anything for breakfast, smart ass?”
“You build up an appetite this morning?”
“Shut up, Buchanan.”
Graham merely laughed and winked at Tansy. When she moved to put the kettle on the stove, he hopped up and did it for her, then reached down to hug her gently. “Glad you’re feeling better.”
Then he moved to the kitchen to pester at Sam over breakfast.
Smiling, Tansy moved to the window to look out over the lake. It was a bright spring day. The snow had completely melted, buds were sprouting on trees and flowers were shooting up from the ground. The grass was beginning to green.
“Thanks, Koko. This is going to be a wonderful home.” She whispered her words, but she knew her grandfather would know. He’d always known.
A group of birds flew up from the trees over to the side of the lake and she wondered if a bear had woken from hibernation. But bears moved easily through the woods. They wouldn’t frighten the birds.
A chill ran through her. Was it a human? Why didn’t she have any drones? That would be next on the list. They could roost on the roof between the panels and be ready to go.
Sam entered the room and came to stand beside her. He handed her a mug of tea and sipped at his own. A strong cinnamon flavor came from both mugs. He wouldn’t admit it yet, but she was converting him from coffee.
Knowing to no longer take anything for granted, Tansy pointed at the area. “I’m not sure it’s anything, but a flock of birds shot out of those trees. Didn’t look like a natural formation. They scattered instead of following the leader.”
Sam slammed down his coffee mug and called Graham. “When will Joe and Nico be back?”
Tansy turned to him. “Back? Where did they go?”
Graham checked his phone. “They’re at the sawmill. They’ll be here soon. I gave them a heads-up. Nothing on the cameras.”
Tansy pointed out the window. “There’s another flock. Definitely something coming this way and not something the wildlife is used to. Someone not used to moving through the woods.” She watched the trees for a bit. “Seems like isolated movement. I’d guess no more than two people, more likely one.”
Graham spoke up again. “I texted Marcus. He’s on his way.”
“Maybe I’m wrong.”
Sam kissed her head and squeezed her in a hug. “Not likely.”
Graham nodded. “What’s the plan?”
“It could be a lost hiker.” She wanted it to be a lost hiker.
“Not likely.” Both men echoed her words back to her.
“Keep your phone on you. Wait, where’s your phone?” Sam looked around, then jogged up the stairs to where she’d had it the night before.
He kissed her and pointed to a chair. “You’ll be able to see from there, but it’s off to the side, so no one should be able to see you in the shadow. We’ll text you once we have him.”
“But…”
He kissed her again. “We’ll be back soon.”
And then they were gone.
Sam double checked the lock on the door and then slipped down the back stairs and to the back of the garage.
Graham would stay there and cover the lodge.
Sam knew the terrain better thanks to his jogs with Tansy, so he slipped into the woods.
At the very least, he’d scout out the situation. At best, he’d take down whoever was on their land.
Joe and Nico would be close, with Marcus not far behind.
Sam jogged through the trees and waited at a spot where some larger rocks tumbled together beside some pines.
A good location if the person turned out to have a gun.
Once Sam was settled, he didn’t have long to wait. Someone swore, and Sam saw trees moving. Then more of them.
“Why the hell couldn’t she live in a damn city like a normal person?” The frustrated complaint was loud enough that Sam recognized the voice. James Stephens.
He fired a quick text off to Graham, knowing he would take care of sharing the info.
Sam doubted Stephens was good with a gun, if he was even armed, but he kept his own gun free in case the man wasn’t alone. According to the man’s running monologue, he wasn’t a fan of the woods or hiking.
When Stephens broke into view, Sam had to stifle a laugh. He was covered in mud, his jacket was torn, and he had a twig stuck in his hair.
The man didn’t look around, didn’t lower his voice, didn’t show any indication that he wasn’t alone.
“Stupid cameras. Stupid woods. Stupid woman. I just want to talk to her.” He slipped and landed flat on his ass. Sam almost laughed out loud. He was wearing fancy dress shoes. Something like what Nico would own.
Except Nico wouldn’t wear them in the woods.
While Stephens scrambled to his feet and wiped his hands on his slacks, Sam moved out from behind the rocks.
“FBI. Hands in the air. You’re under arrest. I’m armed and itching to shoot you.”
Stephens whirled around and slipped down on one knee. “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot. I’m not armed. I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re trespassing. And stalking.” That was a stretch, but Stephens’ eyes widened in fear.
“I just need to talk with Tansy. She won’t answer my emails. I don’t know her new phone number. And she’s got her gate locked up. How else am I supposed to talk to her?”
“You’re not.”
“But she has to help me. I need her help.”
Sam growled and motioned with his gun. “Turn and walk that way. Try not to fall on your ass again.”
“Will you take me to her? I need to speak to her. She’s the only one who can fix this.”
Rage bubbled beneath the surface of Sam’s skin. “Fix the mess you created? The one that had her kidnapped and drugged and attacked?”
Stephens shrugged. “I didn’t do any of that. That’s on Howard. He’s after me now, and she can fix it. I have to see her.”
Pathetic scum.
Ignoring the gun, Stephens moved forward and grabbed Sam’s arm. “You have to take me to her. I’ll pay you. Take me to her. She’ll fix this.”
“Hands off me or I’ll break your face.”
Stephens gripped him more tightly. “You have to help me. She has to help me.”
The man was a pathetic loser but, as much as Sam wanted to beat him to a pulp, he didn’t need to. And he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize this case. Instead, he shook him off, then gave him a shove to get him moving in the right direction. “Move. It would give me great pleasure to kick your sorry ass.”
Stephens suddenly seemed to realize that Sam was not only pissed but holding a gun. Fear rippled over his face and he turned to walk.
Sam holstered his gun and texted Graham. Coming out with the dumbass. He’s no threat.
Although the idiot continued to mutter about how Tansy needed to help him. How she owed him.
Sam didn’t respond. Not yet. He’d let Tansy have first crack at him.
Stephens faltered when he spotted Graham.
Sam told him to keep moving to the lodge.
Barking sounded through the forest, and the man stumbled again. Then Nico, Joe, and a happy German Shepherd jogged into the clearing.
Stephens stopped, but Sam poked him in the shoulder. “Inside. Did someone text Marcus?”
Graham nodded, and they trooped up the stairs. Joe entered first and moved straight to the main room. The others followed, with Sam bringing up the rear. He locked the door behind him and set the alarm.
He was ninety-nine percent sure this wasn’t a trap, but he wasn’t getting caught unaware again.
“Tansy!” Stephens sounded like a kid seeing Santa.
When Sam reached the room, he was in time to see Stephens stumbling backward. Sam didn’t bother to catch him. The man banged into the wall, righted himself, and then moved forward.
Nico and Joe stood in front of and to each side of Tansy’s chair. She looked like a queen with her knights on guard. Her large, angry, intimidating knights.
Sam moved around the room and pulled up a chair to sit beside Tansy, letting Stephens see them all arrayed against him. The man looked behind him, only to find Graham with a sardonic smile on his face.
No one spoke for a long minute. Tansy kept her face very neutral, until the dog appeared on the deck outside the window, head cocked to the side as if asking what they were all doing.
Nico laughed. “I’ll get him.” When Nico opened the door and whistled, the dog’s ears swivelled and he bounded to the door and then into the living room.
Showing he had good taste, the dog growled low in its throat when he looked at Stephens.
Tansy smiled at the dog and patted her knee. “Come here, gorgeous. Who do you belong to?”
The dog sniffed her hands, then Sam’s. Then he turned to sit between them with his gaze locked on Stephens.
“He’s our dog. His sniffer wasn’t quite good enough for training, so he was up for adoption.”
Tansy stared at him. “Our dog? You got us a dog?”
Her eyes glowed, and he leaned in to kiss her. “I did.”
“He’s perfect. What’s his name?” She patted the dog, but the animal didn’t waver in his attention on Stephens.
“Jetson.”
Her eyes widened. “Jetson?”
Sam laughed. “Yeah. I figured it was a sign. He’s not quite two, and he’s well trained, just failed the sniffer test.”
Tansy rubbed Jetson’s ears. “You hear that, boy? You’re going to live with us.”
Then she lifted her face to kiss Sam.
Joe’s voice brought their attention back to the room. “One more step and I’ll shoot you and add attempting to escape custody to the charges.”
Sam looked up to find Stephens staring around the room. “I don’t believe you’re cops. No one showed me ID.”
In unison, Sam, Nico, and Joe flipped out their badges. Stephens paled and turned his attention back to Tansy.
“You have to help me. I’ve got someone named Howard threatening me. He’s going to kill me unless you give him your data. He’ll even pay us for it.”
“No.” Tansy didn’t bother with more than the one word and she maintained steely eye contact with the dumbass. Sam wanted to cheer.
“But he’ll kill me. You owe me.”
Tansy’s eyebrows shot up. “You are delusional. You used me from the beginning, cheated on me, stole my idea, stole intellectual property that didn’t belong to you, gave my name to an international criminal who then kidnapped me, broke my leg, and had me stabbed over a dozen times. I owe you nothing.”
Stephens paled further. “He’s a violent man. He’ll hurt me, and you have the power to stop it.”
“You’ll be safe enough in jail.”
“Jail? I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Tansy shook her head. “Aside from the things I’ve just listed, you’ve also trespassed on my property, resisted arrest, and then there’s the biggie.”
Stephens was shaking his head in denial.
“You offered to sell government secrets to a terrorist. That’s called treason. You’ll be lucky if you ever see daylight again.”
There was silence while Stephens opened and closed his mouth, unsure of what to say.
Graham moved out of the room and came back with Marcus. In uniform.
Where the badges had worried him a little, the uniform seemed to break him. Tears formed in his eyes and he backed away.
He bumped into Nico, changed direction, and hit Joe. “You messed with my sister, asshole. You’re going down as far as we can bury you.”
Stephens’s knees buckled at that, and he dropped to kneel on the floor. “Tansy, please.”
“No. You’re going to get exactly what you deserve.” Tansy grabbed onto Sam’s hand and he could feel her trembling.
She hated confrontation, hated conflict of any kind. But she wasn’t showing any fear to Stephens. She was strong and powerful, all the more so because of her level tone and steady eyes.
Marcus stepped forward and hoisted James to his feet. “You need to come down to the station with me. You’re lucky Vermont abolished its death penalty.”
Nico understood the tactic and chimed in. “The original crimes were committed in California. I believe the death penalty remains on the books out there. These crimes have crossed multiple state lines. There will be federal charges. Homeland security will also be involved.”
“Tansy, you have to help me.”
Sam thought she might break his fingers when she squeezed his hand again. She didn’t answer, but didn’t break eye contact either.
Nico and Marcus left the room, each holding one of the man’s arms. He continued to shout for Tansy as they marched him outside, down the steps, and to the trail.
When he was out of sight, Tansy sagged back in her seat and blew out a breath. She closed her eyes and the hand he held shook more violently.
Sam scooped her up to sit in his lap. Joe moved in to squeeze her shoulder as well.
Jetson nosed himself in between them all with a whine and licked her hand.
She let out a small laugh. “Thanks. I’m okay. Or I will be. Thanks, everyone.”
Joe kissed her head and sat in her vacated chair. Graham moved over to sit as well.
Tansy frowned. “They weren’t serious about the death penalty, were they? I couldn’t live with being responsible for that.”
Joe rubbed her arm. “They were just scaring the shit out of him. Letting him know he’s in deep and he’s not crawling out anytime soon.”
Sam nodded. “They’re prepping him. He’ll be scared enough to beg the Feds for protection in exchange for his testimony. Jail is the safest place for him right now.”
Sam tilted her chin until she looked right at him. “You’re not responsible for anything that happens to him. This is all on him. He’s an asshole who tried to use you and profit from it. Whatever happens, he deserves it.”
She nodded, but her eyes remained shadowed. His little warrior had a soft heart.
Jetson gave a soft woof as if to agree with Sam and rested his head on her thigh, making her smile and reach down to pet him.
Her eyes were sparkling again as she looked up at Sam. “So, tell me again how we ended up with this charmer?”