Frank cradled the phone and slowly looked up at Cody. "Make yourself scarce," he whispered.
Cody nodded. He looked briefly between Frank and Shay; he could tell they both had received less than good news from Florida. He mumbled something about needing to run an errand and left the building.
Looking across the room, he saw her standing at the railing that overlooked the storage room below. She was deep in thought and didn't hear his approach. A startled gasp escaped her when he wrapped his arms around her from behind and dipped his head to kiss her ear softly.
Shay sighed. "Jake said something..." she turned within his embrace, tears formed and hung in the corners of her eyes. "I won't lie, Frank...I'm not stupid enough to think this guy doesn't know about me and I'm scared witless."
He brushed a stray lock of her honey blonde hair from her cheek. "Frankie said the same thing...to be protective of you. Dear God," he moaned as he rested his chin on her head, "I can't lose you, Shay."
She nodded against his chest and fought back the tears. "Shhh...I'm not going anywhere." She wound her arms about his neck and pressed her lips to his hungrily. She moaned her desire when their tongues met and twined together, teasing, exploring until they were forced to break away, breathless.
Fear, desperation, need...everything was raw on the surface...too close to the edge to ignore. Still the thought of that maniac getting to her...taking her away from Frank and their kids crept back to the surface. She needed to feel the love and desire of her husband again, more desperately than she had ever needed in the past. She would not let the last possible time he loved her be tainted by his thoughts of those murders. She needed him and she needed him now.
Reaching for his belt buckle, Shay unfastened his pants, easing the zipper down slowly. Wrapping her supple fingers around his semi-aroused member, Shay stroked him gently at first, building the intensity as his breathing deepened and his passionate moans increased.
"Shay," he groaned as he palmed her breasts and teased the nipples with his thumbs through her clothing. God, she was driving him out of his mind. Cody could walk back in any moment, but he was beyond caring. His thoughts would go no further than the feel of her body in his hands and the touch of her skin over his heated erection.
He growled suddenly, deeply and pulled a chair over. He sat down with Shay facing him and straddling his legs. His hands traveled the length of her bare legs, pushing her skirt upward while he nipped and nuzzled her breasts through her shirt and bra. Reaching her thighs, his hands traveled inward to graze her moist center through her panties. He eased the material to the side and guided her down onto his thick shaft.
Shay cried out softly as she slid down, taking him fully within her. Holding onto his shoulders, her nails dug deep into his muscles as his hands grasped her by the hips. She tossed her head back in unabashed delight as she rode him for all he was worth.
Shay's head whipped forward, her hair cascading around them, her eyes shinning with the power of their lovemaking. She dipped her head and ran her tongue over his lips, swollen by their kisses. "Come with me," she whispered enticingly as she shuddered deeply.
The feel of her tongue and the sound of her husky whisper was enough to cause him to do just that. He moaned lowly and tossed his head back as he tensed with the exquisite pain of his release.
Shay collapsed against him and they held each other tightly for a few peaceful moments until reality crashed back around them. Frank held her face gently in his hands and brushed away a tear that escaped. Shay smiled softly and whispered, "To love you, as I love you, Frank Donovan...is worth any amount of risk. I would be nothing without you."
"Mon cadeau," he whispered, touching his forehead to hers. Never did he imagine loving anyone so much that his whole body, essence, ached with it. He would die before he would let anyone hurt her.
Shay laughed softly and looked around the room. "Shit, Donovan...Cody could have walked in at any moment."
Frank laughed along with her and grinned. "Maybe he would have learned something. But, just in case, we might want to...um..."
"Yeah," Shay agreed as she moved off of him. "Exactly."
**********
Yawning, he slammed the door as he slid from the Blazer and headed toward the scene. He had decided to spend the night in the crib at the nest instead of going home. It was well past midnight before he had finished his report and did not feel like making the long drive to the suburbs. It was now three a.m.; a short twenty minutes after he received the call from Cody to meet the team at the newest crime scene.
As he walked toward the small motel room, he passed each of his team members who lowered their gazes as he walked by. What was up with them? Not even Frankie would look him in the eye.
He entered the room to see the forensic team dusting for prints. The body lay covered on the bed. He motioned for the coroner to lower the sheet. He watched with detached emotions as the sheet was lowered inch by inch. First revealed was the soft, honey-blonde hair that fanned the pillow. Further lowered, the sheet revealed the smooth, cold skin of the woman's brow. Something about the hairline looked familiar. Then the eyes...so blue and opened wide in horror, they mocked him in is ineptness to keep her safe.
"SHAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!" he screamed, falling to his knees. His wife...his gift...gone...and he had been unable to protect her.
"Frank, Frank," someone whispered in his ear. He shrugged them off, wanting nothing more than to disappear, never to have to deal with another emotion.
"Frank, FRANK!" He felt the slap on his cheek and turned to see Shay sitting beside him in their bed at home.
"Shay," he croaked, agonized by the haunting nightmare.
"Babe, you were having a nightmare," she whispered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You scared me to death." Shay thought she heard a sound escape his throat, something on the verge of a whimper as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face against her breast.
Shushing him softly, she laid back on the pillows bringing him with her. There they laid for the remainder of the night, clutched in each other's arms.
************
