opened, and then tongues got involved, and then…and then they were both panting and sort of arching into each other.
“The laptop,” he murmured, his breath ragged, his hands beneath her shirt. “We’re here for the laptop.”
Right. With a steadying breath, she backed out of his arms and pointed to it on the small table by her bed. “And get the locked box out of the drawer underneath it.”
“What’s in it?” He grinned at her. “Condoms?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “Something even better for protection-my backup gun and ammo.”
Hawk looked impressed. “A woman after my own heart.”
He headed for the nightstand while she did her best to get her racing pulse back under control-but
Since Gaines. And their last date hadn’t exactly been a rousing success-
Oh, God.
It all came back to her. He’d taken her to his second home, a luxurious ranch outside of Cheyenne, a “secret haven” he’d called it.
“Abby?” Hawk put his hands on her arm. “What is it?”
What was it? Suddenly, she knew where to find Gaines.
19
LOGAN OPENED HIS EYES WITH some trepidation, but to his relief the blazing pain in his head had faded to a dull throbbing.
He could live with that.
Another thing he could live with? The woman curled up at his side.
Callen had stayed. Well, mostly because she hadn’t wanted him to leave the hospital, but he knew it was more than that. Any woman who held his head while he tossed his cookies on a helicopter, risked her job to hide him, then played strip poker just to make him listen to her, was interested in more than just a patient/nurse relationship.
Or so he hoped. He stroked a hand down her side and she jerked straight up, eyes clear. “You hurting?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Leaning in, frown in place, she put a hand to his forehead, but he took it in his and brought it to his chest.
There. That felt slightly better. But he wanted to pull her entirely inside him. “Here. I hurt here.”
Still frowning, she yanked his hospital gown down to stare at his chest, her fingers running softly over his skin. “I don’t see anything. Let me call the doctor-”
“No, it’s not that kind of injury. Listen, Hawk’s going to call-”
“He already did. He’s coming for you. But-”
“No buts. We won’t have time for this once he gets here, and before I go-”
“If you’re in pain, we should rethink you going at all.”
“Before I go,” he repeated, “and make a really big fool out of myself here, I just want to ask you something. About last night.” He met her gaze. “It was different, right? I mean, for you, too-”
“I’ve never been with a patient like this before, if that’s what you’re asking.” Callen looked down at their clasped hands. “Never. In fact, I haven’t…with anyone…in a long time. I haven’t met anyone that I wanted-I’ve been working a lot, and-” She bit her lip and shook her head. “No, those are lies. A year ago I got out of a long relationship, and I haven’t wanted to risk my heart again.”
“Makes perfect sense, since I feel the same way. Or did, until about twelve hours ago.”
“Logan-”
“Look, I know this is ridiculously fast, but I’ve just got to tell you, before today goes straight to hell-”
“No. No going straight to hell. No going anywhere.”
“Actually, yes, I am. With Hawk, but-” He blinked, as he realized something. “I’m not in the same room as before.”
“No.”
His old room had been white, stark and smelled sterile. This one had soft pastel painted walls and different equipment-very different. Stirrups, for one.
“I moved you. You’re under a different name, on a different floor. Hawk’s idea.”
Good. It didn’t matter where he was, as long as he got out to help Hawk. “I’ll need clothes.”
“Logan, this is crazy.
“Crazy. Yes. Crazy for you. You should know, I have no idea where this thing is going between us. I only know that I don’t want it to end when I leave here.”
“Oh.” She breathed this softly, with no hint of whether that was a good or bad
“I want to see you again after this is over.”
“You want to see me again.”
“Tonight, if possible.”
“Tonight.”
“And tomorrow. And the next day. And-”
“I…get the idea.”
“But do you like the idea?”
Her smile warmed his heart. “Okay, but Logan? I’m coming with you-”
“No. No way.”
“You’ll need a nurse. Especially one with access to stimulants that can keep you on your feet long enough to get somewhere safe, and take care of you when you collapse after they wear off.”
“No, Callen. I’m not risking you.”
She let it go while she brought him clothes. And when he saw what she brought him, he shook his head. “
“If the entrances and exits are being watched…” She smiled cajolingly. “A brand new momma is the perfect disguise to get you out of here undetected.”
Logan stared at the huge tent dress, wig and bag of makeup. “Fuck me.”
She grinned. “Ah, honey. Maybe later. But for now, let’s pimp you up.” She helped him pull the huge dress over his head, fussing with it, then standing back to admire it.
He shook his head. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Uh-huh.” She placed a dark blond frizzy wig on his head that made him look like a white RuPaul. “Cherry or strawberry?” she asked.
“Huh?”
“Lip gloss.”
“Uh-”
“Strawberry,” she decided, and stepped between his legs to apply the makeup.
His hands went to her hips and he pulled her in snugly, or as snug as she could get with his cast up to his thigh. It wasn’t close enough. He spread his legs wider and let his hand slide down her back to squeeze her ass.
“Well.” Callen laughed. “I’ve never been come on to by a woman before.”
“It’s different for me, too, believe me.” He let his hand slip into her scrubs, then beneath the edging of her panties.
Her breath caught. “It feels kinky.”
