When the Heat is On Chapter 9
Title: When the Heat is On (9/?) Rating: PG-13 Author: Angela Penfold Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Characters not mine, not making profit by writing about them.
Chapter 9
The hospital was quiet at night, no groups of visitors blocking the hallway, few traumas sending staff rushing through the building and the best thing of all, barely any nurses around to question where she was going and what she was doing. She'd made arrangements with the hospital to be able to check on Doherty daily and get updates of his and Sweet's condition up until they were discharged but midnight drop ins might be taking that agreement a little too far. The urge to come by and spend time working in the room had been bugging her all evening. Working on another open case hadn't helped, neither had reading an Ed McBain novel or going jogging. In the end she'd given up, grabbed the Doherty file and palmtop and jumped in the car.
Doherty's room was bathed in darkness when she arrived. The still figure propped up in the bed was barely outlined by the lights from the hallway, the same as it had been the two other times she'd stolen in during the nights since the accident. Amelia tried to keep the peace intact as she stripped off her hooded sweatshirt, letting the cool breeze from the AC wash over her bare arms. At night she didn't have to worry about the sun doing further harm to her fragile skin and there wasn't anyone around to gawp at the damage the building collapse had done to her body.
She settled onto the chair she'd strategically placed against the wall by the window on her second visit, more natural light to see the screen by. No brilliant ideas had come to her during her midnight outings but just being in Doherty's presence made her work harder, gave her the motivation to keep going on the case when it seemed like they were making no progress. A week had passed and there were still precious little in the way of clues.
Yawning softly Amelia swept her hands back through her hair. The cap had been left at home like the leather jacket and her dark curls fell free to her shoulders. While she powered up the palmtop and began opening files she chanced a glance in Jimmy's direction. According to the reports she'd got from his doctor he was healing well. With burns there was always a chance of infection but Jimmy'd been lucky, his were healing clean. The surgical incision would take the longest to recover from; the muscles they'd had to cut through were delicate. Wouldn't be long before Jimmy was released and she wouldn't have a reason to have such constant contact with him. Maybe that would be a good thing, she was getting too caught up in the case.
Mentally chastising herself, Amelia picked up the stylus and began jabbing at the screen. The personal involvement with this case had gone beyond chasing the bastard who'd nearly destroyed her life, a level of attraction she hadn't felt since the collapse was pushing its way in now too. One word from anyone to her boss about this and she'd be fired, in his mind professionalism was paramount. Sighing in frustration Amelia flopped back in her seat and stole a glance at the bed once more. Her eyes widened as in the dark she saw Jimmy smile. "Shit," she whispered.
He shifted in the bed, carefully propping himself up further against the pillows. Dimples appeared when he raised a brow and his smile broadened. "Figured I'd catch you in here eventually. Only ever heard you creeping out before."
The smile was unnerving, sending tiny ripples of pleasure through her system. Raising a hand Amelia self-consciously covered the road map of scars that crept over her shoulder and down her upper arm. She couldn't help frowning, trying to cover up the insecurities that were growing. "Part of the job. In every arson case where someone is injured we're supposed to keep daily documentation on the condition and prognosis of all victims from their admission till their discharge."
"Yeah," Jimmy said softly. He gestured towards the hallway. "Heard you talking to the nurse about that this morning. Unless you know something I don't about what my health's gonna be like in the next few hours this would seem like a personal visit Amelia. These midnight trips don't have anything to do with the investigation, do they?"
"Mac," Amelia corrected automatically. Feeling her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment she turned away, staring out of the window. She heard Jimmy shift in the bed, heard his husky voice begin to emerge again.
"Not a crime to feel attracted to someone Mac, beautiful women should never be shy anyway."
The frown had turned into a scowl when she moved to face him again. "What? I'm neither shy nor afraid Mr Doherty. Why should any woman admit an attraction to any guy who already knows how great he looks?"
Jimmy shrugged slowly, the almost arrogant smile still playing over his lips. "Even stunning guys need to hear it now and then." He lifted a hand, gesturing with one finger towards her body. "There is one thing you're hiding, your scars. I've seen you burying them under the jacket, seen you hide all that hair and a pretty face under that cap. Kim told me what happened in that hotel, guess it makes us kindred spirits."
Smiling wryly, Amelia shook her head. "Doesn't make us anything Mr Doherty. I'm in this room for one reason only, that's to work your case. The more hours I put in on it the more it'll come together." At least she prayed it would come together.
"Jimmy," he said firmly. "If I've gotta call you Mac then you're calling me Jimmy. Come here."
"What?" Amelia stared at him, confusion in her green eyes.
"Come here," Jimmy repeated. "At least if you're gonna continue lying about what you're doing here you can do it from the side of the bed. The nurses won't come running to bitch at me for being too loud at night when I answer your questions that way."
Her eyes darkened, from anger at him seeing through her ruse so easily and from the rush of the desire that came at the thought of being so close to him. Closing her fingers around the tiny computer Amelia stood up. She moved across to his bed slowly, a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. "You're pretty sure of yourself Jimmy. I didn't come to watch you sleep." Awkwardly Amelia settled herself near the foot of the bed, perching on the edge of the mattress.
"Right, you came to question me. Those glances you snuck at me before you knew I was awake were just a bonus right?"
Amelia chuckled, shaking her head. There was no chance of pulling away when his charm was so constant, it wormed its way through her defences even when she tried to bolster them. She leaned into his touch as he took her hand, drew her up the bed until she was sitting near his chest. Managing a smile, Amelia looked him right in the eyes. What she saw had heat sliding through her stomach, made her pulse start racing. "You know you're irresistible. I've heard about your reputation Jimmy."
He smiled in response, using one finger to stroke the delicate skin of the underside of her wrist. "I've heard about yours too, did some asking around." The one thing he'd heard from all sources was that work was this woman's life. "Not everything's about work Mac."
She shook her head, fear beginning to flutter through her body. "I came here tonight to work."
"Tonight's not about the investigation," Jimmy said huskily. "It's about what else has been building here, about this." Keeping a hold on Amelia's wrist, Jimmy drew her close and settled his mouth over hers. He swallowed her instant gasp, kept the kiss gentle until the following groan emerged and Amelia gave herself over to him.
Title: When the Heat is On (9/?) Rating: PG-13 Author: Angela Penfold Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Characters not mine, not making profit by writing about them.
Chapter 9
The hospital was quiet at night, no groups of visitors blocking the hallway, few traumas sending staff rushing through the building and the best thing of all, barely any nurses around to question where she was going and what she was doing. She'd made arrangements with the hospital to be able to check on Doherty daily and get updates of his and Sweet's condition up until they were discharged but midnight drop ins might be taking that agreement a little too far. The urge to come by and spend time working in the room had been bugging her all evening. Working on another open case hadn't helped, neither had reading an Ed McBain novel or going jogging. In the end she'd given up, grabbed the Doherty file and palmtop and jumped in the car.
Doherty's room was bathed in darkness when she arrived. The still figure propped up in the bed was barely outlined by the lights from the hallway, the same as it had been the two other times she'd stolen in during the nights since the accident. Amelia tried to keep the peace intact as she stripped off her hooded sweatshirt, letting the cool breeze from the AC wash over her bare arms. At night she didn't have to worry about the sun doing further harm to her fragile skin and there wasn't anyone around to gawp at the damage the building collapse had done to her body.
She settled onto the chair she'd strategically placed against the wall by the window on her second visit, more natural light to see the screen by. No brilliant ideas had come to her during her midnight outings but just being in Doherty's presence made her work harder, gave her the motivation to keep going on the case when it seemed like they were making no progress. A week had passed and there were still precious little in the way of clues.
Yawning softly Amelia swept her hands back through her hair. The cap had been left at home like the leather jacket and her dark curls fell free to her shoulders. While she powered up the palmtop and began opening files she chanced a glance in Jimmy's direction. According to the reports she'd got from his doctor he was healing well. With burns there was always a chance of infection but Jimmy'd been lucky, his were healing clean. The surgical incision would take the longest to recover from; the muscles they'd had to cut through were delicate. Wouldn't be long before Jimmy was released and she wouldn't have a reason to have such constant contact with him. Maybe that would be a good thing, she was getting too caught up in the case.
Mentally chastising herself, Amelia picked up the stylus and began jabbing at the screen. The personal involvement with this case had gone beyond chasing the bastard who'd nearly destroyed her life, a level of attraction she hadn't felt since the collapse was pushing its way in now too. One word from anyone to her boss about this and she'd be fired, in his mind professionalism was paramount. Sighing in frustration Amelia flopped back in her seat and stole a glance at the bed once more. Her eyes widened as in the dark she saw Jimmy smile. "Shit," she whispered.
He shifted in the bed, carefully propping himself up further against the pillows. Dimples appeared when he raised a brow and his smile broadened. "Figured I'd catch you in here eventually. Only ever heard you creeping out before."
The smile was unnerving, sending tiny ripples of pleasure through her system. Raising a hand Amelia self-consciously covered the road map of scars that crept over her shoulder and down her upper arm. She couldn't help frowning, trying to cover up the insecurities that were growing. "Part of the job. In every arson case where someone is injured we're supposed to keep daily documentation on the condition and prognosis of all victims from their admission till their discharge."
"Yeah," Jimmy said softly. He gestured towards the hallway. "Heard you talking to the nurse about that this morning. Unless you know something I don't about what my health's gonna be like in the next few hours this would seem like a personal visit Amelia. These midnight trips don't have anything to do with the investigation, do they?"
"Mac," Amelia corrected automatically. Feeling her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment she turned away, staring out of the window. She heard Jimmy shift in the bed, heard his husky voice begin to emerge again.
"Not a crime to feel attracted to someone Mac, beautiful women should never be shy anyway."
The frown had turned into a scowl when she moved to face him again. "What? I'm neither shy nor afraid Mr Doherty. Why should any woman admit an attraction to any guy who already knows how great he looks?"
Jimmy shrugged slowly, the almost arrogant smile still playing over his lips. "Even stunning guys need to hear it now and then." He lifted a hand, gesturing with one finger towards her body. "There is one thing you're hiding, your scars. I've seen you burying them under the jacket, seen you hide all that hair and a pretty face under that cap. Kim told me what happened in that hotel, guess it makes us kindred spirits."
Smiling wryly, Amelia shook her head. "Doesn't make us anything Mr Doherty. I'm in this room for one reason only, that's to work your case. The more hours I put in on it the more it'll come together." At least she prayed it would come together.
"Jimmy," he said firmly. "If I've gotta call you Mac then you're calling me Jimmy. Come here."
"What?" Amelia stared at him, confusion in her green eyes.
"Come here," Jimmy repeated. "At least if you're gonna continue lying about what you're doing here you can do it from the side of the bed. The nurses won't come running to bitch at me for being too loud at night when I answer your questions that way."
Her eyes darkened, from anger at him seeing through her ruse so easily and from the rush of the desire that came at the thought of being so close to him. Closing her fingers around the tiny computer Amelia stood up. She moved across to his bed slowly, a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. "You're pretty sure of yourself Jimmy. I didn't come to watch you sleep." Awkwardly Amelia settled herself near the foot of the bed, perching on the edge of the mattress.
"Right, you came to question me. Those glances you snuck at me before you knew I was awake were just a bonus right?"
Amelia chuckled, shaking her head. There was no chance of pulling away when his charm was so constant, it wormed its way through her defences even when she tried to bolster them. She leaned into his touch as he took her hand, drew her up the bed until she was sitting near his chest. Managing a smile, Amelia looked him right in the eyes. What she saw had heat sliding through her stomach, made her pulse start racing. "You know you're irresistible. I've heard about your reputation Jimmy."
He smiled in response, using one finger to stroke the delicate skin of the underside of her wrist. "I've heard about yours too, did some asking around." The one thing he'd heard from all sources was that work was this woman's life. "Not everything's about work Mac."
She shook her head, fear beginning to flutter through her body. "I came here tonight to work."
"Tonight's not about the investigation," Jimmy said huskily. "It's about what else has been building here, about this." Keeping a hold on Amelia's wrist, Jimmy drew her close and settled his mouth over hers. He swallowed her instant gasp, kept the kiss gentle until the following groan emerged and Amelia gave herself over to him.