Asking For Trouble (3 page)

“They can’t be obvious about their presence, or the killers
might not take the bait. While they remain hidden, Detective Strand is sending
over an officer in uniform to escort you inside.”

“Thank you for coming.” Natalie pushed aside the hair
falling into her face, wincing when she raked a deep scrape on her forehead.
The memory of how she’d gotten it was a blank. “I don’t know what I was
thinking, to involve you in this.”

“I’m glad you did.”

His husky tone caught her attention and she slanted a look
at him, finding him just inches away. “It was silly. I know you had better
things to do tonight. A date…?”

Orion shook his head. “No.”

Natalie cleared her throat, overwhelmed by his proximity and
the intent way he looked at her. “All the same, I’m sorry to have bothered you.
I really don’t want to impose upon you further. A hotel will be fine—”

His mouth covering hers cut off whatever else she might have
added. His lips were firm and moist. Their heat transferred to her, making
Natalie realize just how cold she was. Instinctively, she moved closer,
pressing her lips to his eagerly. When he parted her mouth to slip his tongue
inside, she met it with hers. Their tongues parried in an erotic simulation of
battle that soon dispelled the last trace of chill from her body.

A knock on Orion’s window caused them to break apart. Before
he moved his head, he said, “You are under my protection and you’re staying
with me.”

Natalie searched for a response to his command, torn between
asserting her independence and enjoying his oddly endearing mastery. Orion
saved her from having to reply by getting out of the car to meet the uniformed
officer. Following suit, she slid from the car to find another officer standing
beside her door. A flush of embarrassment stained her cheeks when she saw the
knowing glint in his eyes. Both of the officers must have recognized exactly
what she and Orion were doing in the car.

Orion came to her, taking her hand in his. His grip was
comforting and she let herself lean on him, just a little, as they walked up
the steep steps of the hill of the apartment building. It was a charming
Victorian house, converted to multi-family dwellings sometime in the Seventies,
and she had fallen in love with it the moment she first laid eyes on the
rental. The resentment she’d felt earlier returned with a vengeance and she
narrowed her eyes as she scanned the neighborhood. Were the hoodlums who were
driving her out of her home out there at this very moment, watching her every
move? Rather than increase her fear, it added to her anger.

“Are you okay?” Orion asked as they paused at the side door
that led to Mrs. Hawkins’ basement apartment.

“Fine,” she said more harshly than intended. Natalie
softened her tone. “Sorry. I’m just angry at having to leave my home. It isn’t
fair.”

“No, it isn’t.”

She searched for and found no hint of patronization in his
voice. Satisfied, Natalie nodded as Mrs. Hawkins opened her door. Lucy came
bounding out, rushing to greet Natalie with a half-jump. Her paws never touched
her mistress, but her tongue was close enough to Natalie’s cheek to swipe a
doggy kiss across it.

“Yuck.” With a laugh, Natalie pushed Lucy into a more
dignified sitting position. The dog’s rapidly wagging tail and pleading eyes
proved difficult to ignore. She patted her golden-brown head. “Yes, girl, I
missed you too.”

“I hope you don’t mind me bringing her down with me,
Natalie,” said Mrs. Hawkins. “It gets so quiet around here at night…” The older
woman trailed off, her eyes wide at the sight of the police standing behind
Natalie and Orion. “What’s going on?”

“Natalie witnessed a crime.” Orion took Mrs. Hawkins’ hand.
“I’m her boss, Orion Taylor.”

Though close to sixty, a girlish laugh bloomed from Mrs.
Hawkins’ sagging throat when he squeezed her hand. “Of course. I’ve heard all
about you.”

“Really?” Orion slanted a look at Natalie peripherally and
she deliberately looked away, determined not to let him see her embarrassment.
“Nothing bad, I hope.”

“Not at all.” Mrs. Hawkins’ cheerful expression faded when
she looked at the officers again. “What sort of crime, Natalie?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Natalie quickly. “I don’t want to
discuss the particulars. I just wanted to let you know I won’t be here for the
next few days. Please make sure you don’t enter my apartment while I’m gone,
just to be safe. May I trouble you for the copy of the key I gave you? I lost
mine.”

“Of course.” The older woman disappeared for a moment and
returned to the door to hand Natalie a key ring. Then she clutched the neck of
her sweater, pleating it anxiously with shaking fingers. “You will be all
right, won’t you, dear?”

Natalie interjected confidence she didn’t feel into her
voice. “Of course. I’m just being cautious.” She took a step backward. “If
anything seems unusual, please call the police.”

“Certainly.” Mrs. Hawkins gave Orion an approving look.
“You’ll be watching out for her?” It was a question, but issued almost like an
order.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded again, appearing satisfied. “Keep in touch while
you’re gone, Natalie.” Leaning forward, she stroked Lucy’s ears. “You be a good
girl for your mommy, you impertinent thing.” She earned a doggy kiss for her
admonishment. Mrs. Hawkins was smiling when she shut the door.

The five of them continued to the main entrance. Natalie
used the spare key to admit them. She would have taken the lead, but the
officers went first. “It’s the penthouse,” said Natalie with a hint of mocking.
She trailed along behind them, unable to escape Orion’s protective grasp on her
arm even if she had wanted to.

The police left them standing on the third-floor landing as
they went inside her darkened apartment. Lights came on a few seconds later. In
less than two minutes, the officers emerged. One nodded his head, jerking a
thumb in the direction of the door. “It’s clear. Get in and out. Five minutes,
do you understand?”

Natalie nodded, even though the officer had been addressing
Orion. She entered her apartment, unsurprised when Orion followed behind. Lucy
brought up the rear, heading straight to the kitchen to whine hopefully at her
food dish. “Later,” Natalie called over her shoulder. “I’ll feed you when we’re
settled at Mr. Taylor’s house.”

“Orion.”

She looked at him, frowning. “What?”

“Please keep calling me Orion. I like how it sounds on your
tongue,” he added in a husky voice.

Quickly, she turned her back to hide the heat in her cheeks.
The electricity arcing between them shouldn’t surprise her, but under the
circumstances, it astonished her that she could still respond so ardently to
something as simple as a different inflection in his voice. Disconcerted, she
made her way to the bedroom, hidden behind a decorative standing privacy
screen. Built-in drawers and shelves provided a makeshift closet and she took
her large suitcase from the lowest shelf. Natalie was too aware of Orion’s
presence as she set the bag on the bed and started transferring necessities
from the drawers.

A few seconds after she started, he entered the sleeping
area and took her smaller case from the shelf. Natalie knew he was trying to
save time by helping, but it was almost intrusive to have him so near her
bed—the bed where she had played through a number of fantasies starring him. In
an attempt to hide her thoughts, she pointed to the nightstand. “Would you
please empty the items from the top drawer into that bag?” She didn’t wait to
see if he complied as she made another trip to the shelves for more clothes.
Perhaps she was taking too many items, but having no idea how long she would be
unable to return home, she wanted to take everything she could fit into the two
bags.

Natalie jumped when she heard the sound of the bottom drawer
on the nightstand sticking. It always made a pitiful squeal before the wood
yielded and the drawer opened. “No,” she said loudly, turning to stop him. It
was too late.

The drawer hiding her most intimate secrets stood open and
Orion was staring with interest at the contents. Natalie reached past him to
close the drawer, but knew he’d already gotten an eyeful of her toys, lubes,
lotions and erotic romance books. She was so humiliated that she couldn’t meet
his gaze. “I’m done in here, but I need to gather Lucy’s things.”

She grabbed the suitcase from the bed, zipping it closed so
quickly that a pair of pantyhose snagged in the zipper. His hand intercepted
the handle when she started to lift it, and she practically ran from him. It
was all she could do to try to walk normally, and the stitches in her foot
didn’t help. Somehow, she maintained an air of composure as she went to the
cupboards to grab Lucy’s treats, vitamins and an extra bowl she normally took
along during leisurely summer afternoons spent at Genesee Park. A few seconds
after her, Orion emerged from her bedroom, cases in both hands. “That’s
everything,” she said in a voice that was too bright.

His expression betrayed nothing. “Are you ready?”

Was she ready to stay at his house, so close to him, feeling
the way she did? How could she be prepared to get through this without ending
up in bed with her boss? So, was she ready to embark on an affair with the man
she worked for, perhaps during the most stressful time of her life? “All set.”

Chapter Three

His house was beautiful and elegant, just as she had
expected. It had taken almost an hour to reach his place, and the events of the
day had caught up with her. It was all Natalie could do to follow Orion inside,
with Lucy padding at her side. In a cursory way, she noticed the modern design,
sleek furnishings and a huge window that displayed a breathtaking view of
greater Seattle and the Puget Sound beyond. A yawn escaped her and she was
unsuccessful in smothering it behind her hand.

Orion carried her bags. He didn’t break stride as he
transferred both to one hand in order to put his arm around her waist. Natalie
leaned against him willingly, briefly wondering what had happened to her
usually strong streak of independence.

“You look dead on your feet.”

She nodded, wincing at his wording. If circumstances had
been just slightly different, she would be dead right now. The thought of lying
on a cold table in the morgue made her shiver.

“Come on, love, let’s get you to bed.” He squeezed her in a
gentle hug before leading her down the hallway.

Natalie followed him into the room, wondering if he was
taking her to his room. His wording had been ambiguous. The thought should have
alarmed her, but didn’t. Instead, she experienced a rush of disappointment when
she looked around the room, recognizing from its unoccupied air that it was a
seldom-used guestroom decorated in white and light blue.

The bed beckoned, but she somehow resisted the urge to fall
straight into it. Natalie waited as Orion stowed her suitcases in the closet
and then walked to the door, Lucy his companion the entire way. He paused at
the doorframe. “Do you need anything? Food, a drink, perhaps a sedative?”

Natalie shook her head. The ER doctor had offered her
anti-anxiety medication and prescription pain relievers for her foot, but she
had declined. She wasn’t opposed to taking necessary medication, but feared
either of the drugs might have locked her into a nightmare world where the
night’s events repeated over and over, without her being able to wake up enough
to escape. To avoid that, she was making due with ibuprofen. “I’m fine.
Thanks.”

He hesitated for half a second longer before nodding. “If
you need anything, my room is at the end of the hall. The kitchen is back the
way we came, and there is a bathroom through that door.” Orion gestured to a
white door in the opposite corner of the room. “Please call me if you need
anything at all.”

“I will.” She managed a small smile, knowing she wouldn’t
disturb her boss unless it was an emergency. It was already so awkward between
them, with everything changed so much in just a few hours. Natalie didn’t want
to add to the tension by asking for anything else. “Good night.”

“I hope you can sleep.” He closed the door behind him after
a farewell pat on Lucy’s head.

Natalie stripped off her clothes and fished out a nightshirt
from her case. She didn’t bother with removing the remaining streaks of makeup
from her face, brushing her teeth or combing her hair. Instead, she fell
straight into bed. Lucy climbed in beside her and she cuddled the dog close to
her. As she drifted off, Natalie remembered she hadn’t fed her canine companion
yet, but the tug of sleep was too strong, and Lucy wasn’t complaining. She fell
into a dark void, hoping no nightmares would follow.

Sometime in the early hours of the morning, Natalie woke
abruptly. She couldn’t remember what images, if any, had haunted her dreams,
but remnants of the fear clung to her, coating her body in a film of cloying
sweat. She left the comfort of the luxuriously soft mattress to seek a shower.
Only after she’d washed thoroughly, in water hot enough to turn her skin red,
did she feel refreshed.

Upon reentering the bedroom, a glance at the clock on her
cell phone revealed she wouldn’t need to be up and ready for the office for
several hours yet. Hoping she could somehow return to sleep, despite feeling
too awake and on edge to ever rest again, she chose a pair of cotton pajamas
instead of dressing in street clothes. Natalie eyed herself ruefully in the
full-length mirror in the closet. In the oversized maroon PJs, she was anything
but sexy. If Orion happened to see her like this, lust for her wouldn’t drive him
mad by any stretch of the imagination.

“C’mon, girl,” she said to Lucy. The dog fell in step beside
her as Natalie took time to retrieve her water dish from the dog’s items before
walking out of the bedroom. In the hallway, she made a conscious effort to
close her door quietly and pad on bare feet across the black wooden floor. She
didn’t want to wake Orion, but for more than reasons of consideration. It just
wasn’t in her to face him right now. Her own behavior embarrassed her. How
could she have been so weak? Even if she’d had a relationship with Orion beyond
the office, her total dependence on him last night would have been
embarrassing. As it stood, she had acted very inappropriately and had made
herself way too vulnerable to the man to feel comfortable in his presence right
then. Honestly, she had no idea how she was going to face him in the morning.
It wasn’t as though she could pretend none of it had ever happened.