Red Zone (32 page)

Rebecca picked up the phone and called downstairs to place their order. The man on the other end of the line informed her it would be delivered to the room in about twenty minutes. After placing the menu back on the coffee table, Rebecca walked out onto the balcony. Most of the city was sleeping, but she could still see cars moving about on the streets. She was alone, yet surrounded. It was an all too familiar feeling. 

At dinner on Friday night, Gage had asked her to consider a relationship with him. A real relationship. There was no denying what her heart wanted. Her head was holding her back. She knew herself well enough to know that she didn’t do things halfway. With the men she’d dated in the past, she’d gone into it looking for a long-term partner, a husband. She didn’t play games. Gage was the first man she’d broken her rules for, and he was the only one who’d stolen her heart. 

A knock sounded at the door, and she walked back inside to answer it. An older woman stood in the hallway holding a tray, her smile way too bright for that time of night. Rebecca took the food, laid the tray down on the table against the wall, and went to get the woman a tip. 

“Thank you,” Rebecca said, handing her several bills.

“Anytime. Have a good night, ma’am.”

Rebecca closed the door, her hand pressing firmly against the wood. She turned around, about to pick up the tray and carry it over to the sitting area, when she noticed him. Gage leaned casually in the doorway wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips. Droplets of water dripped slowly down his shoulders and chest. All thoughts of food were forgotten. 

Rebecca lifted her gaze to meet his. He was watching her, waiting. The next move was hers. She knew what he wanted. She knew what she wanted. The only question was whether or not she would take that step.

Blocking out the voice that was telling her she shouldn’t give in, Rebecca crossed the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his face down to hers. Her tongue plunged into his mouth forcefully, her fingers burrowing their way into his damp hair. She was taking everything he was willing to give her, and it still didn’t feel like enough. 

She felt his hands pull at her clothing. He seemed as desperate as she was to get rid of the barriers between them. Piece by piece, her clothes dropped to the floor, until the only thing separating them was the thin fabric of her panties, his towel discarded along with the rest of her clothes. 

Her hands slid down his chest, enjoying the feel of muscle beneath the tips of her fingers. She scraped her nails over his nipples. He responded by digging his fingers into her hips, grinding her against him. 

She gasped, breaking the seal of their lips. He reached from behind, moving her hair out of the way and holding her at the angle he desired before attacking her neck with his mouth. Rebecca dug her fingers into his back, trying to hang on as wave after wave of sensation took over. She couldn’t think, only feel. 

The next thing she knew, she was being lifted, her legs encircling his waist. She knew he was taking her somewhere, but she didn’t much care where as long as he didn’t stop what he was doing. 

In what felt like an eternity later, she was laid down on the cool sheets of the bed. Gage was poised over her, his lips and tongue continuing to work their magic on her neck and collarbone. The material of her underwear was still in place, separating them. Reaching down, she pushed the fabric down her hips. He brought his right hand down to help rid her of the last obstruction.

The feel of his skin pressing against hers was indescribable. How had she willingly gone for days without feeling this? She needed him inside her, wanted to feel the pleasure that only he could give. Her fingers tugged at his hair, urging his lips to return to hers. 

His mouth sought hers vigorously. All the hunger she felt was given back to her and then some. He kissed her with bruising force, and she reveled in the sheer emotion behind every kiss, every touch. 

When he finally entered her, it was as if something inside her clicked into place. All the feelings of detachment and separation, of isolation and uncertainty, were gone. With him, she felt full, not only physically but also emotionally. The rush of emotions overwhelmed her and sent her clinging to him as she fell over the edge into the most intense orgasm of her life. 

She continued to hold onto him as he found his own completion. He collapsed on top of her, his body weight more than welcome. Her fingers drew small circles on his shoulders, feeling the damp skin beneath that had nothing to do with his shower.

Gage pulled out of her, shifting his weight to the side so as not to crush her, but never released his grip on her. He laid his head on her chest, his arms wrapped around her, holding her tight as if willing her not to pull away from him. She responded by hugging him closer. He didn’t have to worry about her going anywhere. She wasn’t sure she could leave him if she tried. 

Rebecca lay in bed with his head cradled to her breasts. She listened to his breathing slow as he drifted off to sleep, and felt her own eyelids growing heavy for the first time in days. Tonight, one thing had become clear to Rebecca. Although she wasn’t sure how a relationship between the two of them would work, she knew they had to try. She couldn’t attempt to gloss over the truth anymore. She loved him. Whether or not he fit into the plan she had made for her life didn’t matter. He was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She just had to figure out how to tell him. 

Chapter 30

Hansen had spent almost the entire weekend parked outside Fuller’s house with no luck. His neck was cramped from sleeping in his car, and he was badly in need of a shave and a good meal. The fast food and convenience store fare was starting to turn his stomach. He never thought he would crave leafy greens, but they would be a nice change from the grease he’d consumed over the last three days. 

It was already noon, and there was still no sign of Fuller at his house. Hansen checked his notes for what felt like the hundredth time. Fuller was due at work in a little over an hour. Figuring he might have better luck there, he started the car and pulled away from the curb. He would have just enough time to swing by the hotel, shower, and change. Hopefully, in an hour’s time, he would be face-to-face with the mysterious Mark Fuller. 

Forty-five minutes later, Hansen was feeling much better. It was amazing the difference a shower and shave could make. He’d even stopped in the hotel restaurant and picked up a salad, which he was eating while parked across the road from Fuller’s place of employment. 

By one o’clock, Fuller hadn’t made an appearance, and Hansen was starting to think the man had skipped town. He was about to pick up his cell and call Rebecca to let her know the stakeout had been a bust, when a car drove past and pulled into the restaurant parking lot. The man inside had sandy blond hair, same as Fuller. He took his time exiting the vehicle, but once Hansen got a good look at him, he was certain it was his guy. Making sure his gun was in his holster and his cuffs easily accessible, Hansen jogged across the street. 

Fuller took his time strolling across the parking lot to the front entrance of the restaurant, apparently not at all concerned that he was already ten minutes late for work. Hansen caught up with him two steps from the door. 

“Mark Fuller?” he asked.

The man looked up at him, appraising. “Who’s asking?”

Hansen removed his badge from his pocket and showed it to Fuller. “I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”

Fuller’s eyes went wide a split-second before he took off running. Hansen was instantly grateful that his wife had insisted he get in better shape. Otherwise, he never could have kept up with a man at least twenty years his junior. 

The chase lasted for roughly three blocks before Fuller started to slow, then stumble. Hansen was on him before he picked himself back up, slamming him down to the pavement, and reaching for his cuffs. He kept his knee in Fuller’s back until he heard the satisfying click of metal as the handcuffs closed over the man’s wrists. 

Standing, Hansen flipped the man over and helped him to sit up. 

“I haven’t done anything.”

“Then why did you run?” Hansen asked, towering over Fuller.

“Why wouldn’t I run? Everyone knows you cop types harass people just for the fun of it.”

Hansen laughed. He’d been sitting in his car waiting for this man for days. Maybe all the isolation was going to his head, but the thought that he had nothing better to do with his time than chase after some conspiracy theorist struck him as hilarious. Fuller looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. Maybe he had. 

When he finally got himself under control, Hansen picked up a small wooden crate someone had discarded in the alley and set it down a few feet in front of Fuller. Hansen sat down, his hands folded in front of him. 

“As I said before, I have some questions for you.”

“I told you I don’t know anything. I’m going to be late for work.”

“You were already late for work when you pulled into the parking lot. I doubt you’re highly concerned. Now, where have you been for the last week?”

The man’s mouth opened in shock. “You’ve been watching me? Oh man . . .”

“Answer the question.”

“Are you gonna call the cops and have me arrested?”

“No. Not yet. Right now, I’m trying to figure out what you know, and then I will decide if I turn you over to the local police.”

“Is this about the car I rented?”

Hansen smiled.
Now we’re getting somewhere
. The guy wasn’t as stupid as he let on.

“Why did you rent the car? You aren’t driving it.”

Fuller shook his head. “It wasn’t for me. Look. Some guy came in while I was working last week. He said he had a job for me. I was suspicious at first, so I asked him if it was something illegal. He swore to me it wasn’t. He just needed a rental car, but since his license had been suspended, he couldn’t do it himself. Told me he had to go see his sister who was sick, and the only way to get there was by car. I almost told him no, but the money was hard to resist. I don’t make much flipping burgers, you know.”

“So this man, he paid you to go rent a car for him. Then what?”

Fuller shrugged. “Then nothing. I just rented the car and drove it back to the restaurant. The guy met me here, paid me, and then took the car.”

“So why did you disappear for a week?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had some cash. I decided to have a little fun. Enjoy myself.”

“So this guy still has the car?”

“Yeah, as far as I know. He had me rent it for two weeks.”

“Do you think you could recognize the man if you saw him again?” Hansen asked, standing. 

“Yeah. Not every day some dude offers you cash to rent him a car.”

Hansen pulled Fuller to his feet. 

“Good. You and I are going to go look at some pictures.” 

The first thing Gage noticed when he woke up was that he was not alone in bed. His arms were wrapped around Rebecca, his face lying between her shoulder blades. She was still sound asleep, her naked body flush with his. He hugged her closer, using one hand to brush the hair away from her neck. It felt good to touch her again like this, to be with her so intimately. 

His thoughts drifted back to the previous night. He’d walked out of the bathroom to hear voices at the door. It hadn’t crossed his mind to consider what he was wearing, or not wearing. Spending years using communal showers had rid him of any level of modesty a long time ago.

What he hadn’t expected was Rebecca’s reaction. He’d watched various expressions cross her face before she’d practically run toward him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. Gage had wasted no time removing her clothing and carrying her to the bed. They’d been apart too long. All he wanted to do was feel that completion he’d only ever found when connected to her in the most primal of ways. 

He ran his hand down her side to her hip. Her skin was smooth under his palm. She looked so peaceful as she slept. There was even a tiny smile gracing her lips. He could only hope she was remembering last night. It wasn’t something he was likely to forget anytime soon.

A knock on the door drew his attention. Rebecca stirred and turned her body toward him, stretching, giving him an unobstructed view of her breasts. The woman had no idea how tempting she was.

“What time is it?”

Gage glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Almost ten. We forgot to set the alarm last night.” He ran his finger down her cheek, and smiled when she blushed. 

The knock sounded again, louder than before, and he sighed. 

“I need to get that.”

She started to get up. “I should—”

His kissed her, and she sank back down onto the bed.

“Stay. I’ll go see who it is and get them to go away. Probably the hotel manager making sure we have everything we need or something. Wouldn’t be the first time,” he said, slipping out of bed. 

He plucked a pair of jeans from his bag and threw them on, not bothering with underwear. Gage hoped to go another round before they had to leave for the photo shoot. If he had his way, they wouldn’t leave the hotel room until they had to catch their flight home. He didn’t think Mel would be too happy with him, though, if he blew off the reshoot.