Chapter Seven
It was nearly six p.m. before he returned to the nest. Christ, that new Associate Attorney General, Jason Jeffries, was a blowhard. Not only did he not have a clue about government defense, he was just an idiot, plain and simple. How on earth he had been appointed to that position, Donovan could not even fathom.
Burkholtz had warned him that Jeffries did not see the need for an undercover unit in the Justice Department when they had the FBI and the DEA to handle the majority of the cases. Donovan spent the better part of the day convincing the moron that his team did have a place within the government spectrum of agencies.
Jeffries was still not one hundred percent convinced, but he had agreed to the budget requests Donovan had turned in to Director Burkholtz. At least he didn't have to deal with the budget for a short time.
He unlocked the door to the nest and entered the large warehouse. Only one vehicle remained in the parking lot. Shay's Jaguar. He found her asleep at her desk; her head lay on her arm. The laptop was still on and a program open. He looked over her shoulder to read what she'd been working on.
It's been nearly a month since the rescue mission in Colombia. Frank hasn't been the same since returning. He snaps at everyone, especially Cody (okay, so that isn't anything new), for no reason. It's hard to believe he could have fallen so hard for a woman he barely knew, but it seems he has. Love is funny, they say. Me, I say it's a cruel monster that eats the hearts out of good people.
He shook his head in disbelief. Monica had actually thought he was in love? The possibility had never entered his mind. Thinking about his actions after Shay had disappeared, he supposed he had given the impression of a scorned lover. Of course, they hadn't been lovers at that time. And, since that time, he hadn't taken another lover. She really had worked herself under his skin, hadn't she? Last night was the best and most intense sex he had ever had. He shrugged. What does sex have to do with love?
Shay murmured in her sleep and moved her head just enough for it to slip off her arm and bang on the desk. "Dammit," she moaned sleepily.
"That's what you get for falling asleep on the job."
"Sweet Jesus!" she cried, standing quickly to face him. "You scared the hell out of me."
He laughed, cupping her face with his hands and kissed her quickly. "Oh, by the way, I found your sandals."
"You did?" She asked when he moved his hands away.
He nodded and his eyes danced with mischief. "They were under the couch."
"Did you bring them?" she asked as she moved into his embrace.
"No, I put them under the bed. You can get them the next time you visit." He moved to kiss her but was interrupted by the sound of a cell phone ringing.
She kissed him quickly. "Hold that thought, Mister." She flipped open the phone, "Hello?" She pushed away from Frank as she listened to the caller and walked away from him. "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing."
"Is something wrong?"
"Maybe. I have to go," she replied and headed for the door.
"Running again?"
Shay stopped before leaving the room and turned to face him. It was time. "Come with me."
The statement was simple, but spoke volumes. She was ready to tell him the truth of why she left all those months ago. He moved toward her and took her outstretched hand and squeezed it gently. "Nothing would please me more."
************
She paused before opening the door to her hotel room. "Frank, promise me you'll give me time to explain everything before you judge me."
He frowned at her statement. What could she possibly be hiding that she would think he would judge her?
She inserted the card key and opened the door. The adjoining door to her father's room was closed and she moved ahead of Frank to peek into the crib. D.J. wasn't there. He must be in her father's room. She knocked softly on the adjoining door before turning to Frank. "There's someone you need to meet."
"What the hell?!" he asked loudly when the door opened to reveal Jake holding an infant.
"Whoa! Wait a minute, Frank," Jake pleaded as he backed away into Thomas' room. "It isn't what it looks like."
"Jake, what are you doing here?" Shay demanded.
"I came by to see D.J. and Thomas was having a hard time of it, so I thought I'd give him a break," Jake stated, bouncing D.J. in an attempt to quiet his unending sobs.
"Give him to me," Shay demanded. "What's the matter with you men?" She wiped the drool from D.J.'s chin with his undershirt and walked over to the refrigerator. "He's teething, you goofball."
"Oh," Jake said as he watched her take a teething ring from the freezer and held it to the baby's mouth. D.J. grabbed the ring with both hands and chewed on the cold plastic happily.
Frank took note of the dark complexion and hair color of the baby. "Is he yours?" he asked Jake.
Jake's eyes widened, but was speechless. He realized just how stupid jealousy could make the most intelligent person.
"D.J.'s six months old, Frank," Shay replied. Annoyance dripped from her voice, she couldn't believe he would accuse Jake of fathering her child. "Do the math."
Frank's mind worked quickly. Shay would have been about two months pregnant when they "rescued" her. She was with Espinosa for four months.
"Yes," she said, confirming his thoughts. "He is Jorge's son." She sat solemnly on the bed, holding her son. She smoothed his ruffled hair as she looked up at Jake. "Thanks for giving Dad a break."
"No problem," he replied as he bent to kiss D.J.'s head and told him, "See you tomorrow, kiddo." He kissed Shay on the cheek before standing to face Frank.
"He's my godson, Frank," he admitted, moving closer to his boss. He leaned close and whispered, "Hurt her, and I'll kill you myself."
Donovan arched a brow and whispered, "Don't make threats you aren't prepared to carry out."
Jake backed away in stance only. He meant what he said. He respected and cared for his boss, but Shay had become like a sister to him. Since the day he found out she was pregnant, he had become increasingly protective of her, even though they lived miles apart. He did not care who he would have to fight to take care of her now. "Oh, trust me. That is one promise I won't have trouble keeping." He nodded curtly and left the room.
Shay took a moment to change D.J.'s soiled undershirt for a clean one. "What say, little man? Do you need a changing?" She checked his diaper and found him dry. "Nope, guess Jake changed you."
She cleaned her hands with a baby wipe before picking him up and walking over to Frank. "D.J., this is Frank. Don't mind the stupid look on his face, darling. He's really not such a bad sort."
Donovan shook his head and reached for the boy.
D.J. went willingly into the stranger's arms, curious about his mom's new friend.
"Hello, D.J.," he greeted warmly, hugging the child softly. "He's beautiful, Shay."
"Thank you."
"He's what you've been so reluctant to tell me?" He chuckled as D.J. grabbed his hand and promptly started to chew on his thumb.
"Sorry," Shay laughed. "His gums are bothering him and he'll chew on anything for relief."
"No problem." He moved over to the bed and sat down and placed D.J. on his lap. "So, you were going to explain?"
Shay picked up a cloth from the dresser and retrieved the teething ring she had set aside earlier to change D.J.'s shirt. She sat down next to Frank and gently pulled his hand from the baby's grasp. When D.J. let out an annoyed cry, she cooed to him and wiped his chin before giving him his teething ring.
"I left Colombia the way I did because I was confused and frightened," she began. Her head was lowered as she cleaned the baby's slobber from Frank's hand. When she looked up at him, he looked almost amused at what she was doing. "Anyway, I wasn't thinking straight and Dad arranged it so that I could disappear long enough to decide what to do."
Frank merely nodded. He could only imagine what she might have been feeling at that time. Pregnant by a man she despised.
"It was stupid, to leave the way I did. I don't know why or how, but in the couple days I knew you, I grew extremely...um...enamored with you. It was easier to leave without really knowing you than to risk rejection once you found out I was pregnant. Not to mention whose child it was."
While his mother rambled, D.J. discovered a new toy, Donovan's facial hair. The child decided it was quite a bit of fun to tug and pull at the short, rough hair. It seemed to bother the man his mother was talking to, however. He couldn't imagine why.
"So, you went to France to decide what to do?" he asked, while trying to evade D.J.'s exploring fingers and not laugh while trying to have a serious conversation with Shay.
"Yes, and to wait for reassignment. I was transferred to the FBI and assigned to the VCTF in Atlanta. When it was discovered that I had become pregnant with a criminal's child while undercover, well...let's just say the reviews were not kind." Shay lifted D.J. from Frank's lap onto her own.
"And, you were afraid I would judge you the same way," he supposed. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to face him.
"Yes. Much later, I was afraid you would reject me because I decided to keep him." Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she admitted her fears. "Mostly, though, I think I was just afraid you would reject me. Period."
Donovan groaned as he lowered his lips to hers. "I think last night proved that rejecting you was the last thing on my mind."
His kiss was soft and warm and sent shivers through her entire body. "Shhhh....just kiss me like that again," Shay urged.
"Ahem."
They both looked up to see Thomas Renquist standing in the doorway of his room.
Frank stood quickly, feeling somewhat like a high school boy who had been caught with his hand up the prom queen's dress. "Um..."
"Save it, Donovan," Renquist insisted harshly. "Although, I must admit it's better if you're kissing her. That way, at least, you can't say anything stupid to set off her temper."
Shay laughed as she stood and handed the baby to his grandfather. "Dad, I need to take Frank back to his car. "
"Okay, baby. Call me if you decide to stay out all night." He laughed heartily at the look of disbelief on Frank's face. "Hey, she's not just my daughter, she's a grown woman."
"Dad, stop teasing him," Shay admonished. "Be a good boy for Pappy," she instructed her son before kissing his pudgy cheek. "See you later, Dad." She took Frank's arm and ushered him from the room.
As they were walking down the hall toward the elevators, Frank asked, "What does D.J. stand for, anyway?"
Shay smiled as she pushed the "down" button. "Donovan Jacob. Oh, now, there's that eyebrow thing. You're going to wind up with a permanent goofy look if you keep that up."
"Donovan Jacob?"
Shay shrugged as she entered the elevator and pulled him in with her. "Yes. Donovan Jacob. Jacob after his godfather; Donovan after some weirdo I fell head-over-heels for before D.J. was born."
She pushed him into the corner as the elevator doors closed. "Ever done it in an elevator?"
"Yes, it isn't all that it's cracked up to be," he admitted as his mouth covered hers hungrily.
Shay moaned throatily as she broke the kiss. "You're just full of surprises, Agent Donovan," she said as she traced his lips with the tip of her finger.
"Sure," he grinned. "I have my moments. Sexual acts in public have their excitement level, but honestly I only have one desire at the moment." He lowered his head to nuzzle her neck and nibble her earlobe.
"What's that?" she asked, winding her arms around his neck.
"To show you where your sandals are."
The elevator doors opened and the sound of their combined laughter caused the older couple that was about to enter to hesitate. Frank and Shay smiled at them as they exited the elevator. The couple smiled back and the woman could be heard saying, "Remember when we couldn't keep our hands off each other like that?"
Frank looked down at Shay and winked.
She winked back and pulled her hand from his grasp. "Race you to the car!"
To be continued...
