Chapter 22

Tara was sitting on the side of a spectacular fountain in downtown San Antonio, not far from her office. She couldn't keep her mind off the kiss from the night before.

Tara had been thinking about Bobby all morning, distracting her from her work on the computer firewall. She'd come out here, hoping the fresh air and change of scenery would help, but being alone only made her think of him more.

When a shadow fell over her, her heart tripped in her chest as she spun around quickly. Despite her best intentions, a part of her hoped to find Bobby behind her. Instead, Wayne Franklin was standing over her, his cowboy hat sitting low on his head, partially obscuring his face from her view.

"Tara, I've been looking all over for you," he crooned worriedly. "I just found out about what happened yesterday. Are you okay? Do we need to set up surveillance at your house?"

"I'm fine, Wayne. Just fine," Tara said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice as he sat down beside her.

"Oh, that's good," Wayne sighed in relief. "The day I lost my Denise was one of the worst days of my life," he muttered quietly as he watched the people pass by on their lunch breaks.

"What?" Tara questioned, confused not sure she heard him right. My Denise? Was there something more than a work relationship between the two of them? she wondered.

"Ah-h-h," Wayne stammered. "I mean, I don't know what I'd do if I'd lost another of my best programmers," he bemoaned, taking her hand in his.

"Not to worry, Wayne," Tara reassured him gently, pulling her hand from his. Suddenly uncomfortable, she pulled her purse onto her lap, holding it to her stomach with both hands. "My husband and I are both trained agents and can handle a simple drive by. Since Bobby and I've only been in town less than a week, we figured it was probably a case of mistaken identity anyway," she explained quickly.

"You think so," Wayne asked shifting slightly, his knees brushing up against hers.

Though relatively insignificant, the movement made Tara very self-conscious and vulnerable despite her training. Was Bobby right after all? she wondered.

"Uh, yeah, I mean, I haven't been working on any cases yet, other than Morgan's to get them closed out," Tara looked around at the fast moving crowd nervously. "Bobby's only been presenting at schools and community centers so I doubt he's made anyone mad…yet," she shrugged, hoping she was making the incident sound unimportant.

Tara didn't know what she was going to do with this new information. I could be making too much out of an innocent comment, she thought. But if I tell Bobby he'll just blow up again and I don't know if this is relevant, she debated herself.

"Yes, yes, of course," Wayne murmured distractedly. "Any leads?" he asked as an afterthought.

"No, we were able to get the license plate," Tara told him, noticing the slight change in his demeanor when she mentioned working on Morgan's cases. "Unfortunately, it came back stolen. San Antonio PD hasn't located the car yet, but figure it will probably show up in the river eventually," she stated observing him out of the corner of her eye.

"Good, good," Wayne stood, shifting his weight back and forth, looking around suddenly self-conscious. "Well, I'd better get back to work, but keep me informed," he smiled, and with a tip of his hat, he was gone.

Curious, Tara watched Wayne hurry away. Her brow furrowed as she thought of the strange information she'd gleaned from that conversation. Now I just have to figure out what it means, she thought.

"Sometimes that man is so exasperating," a voice said dryly from behind her.

Tara swung around so quickly, she almost ended up in the fountain. Barely steadying herself before falling in, she couldn't stop her purse from tumbling onto the sidewalk.

"Oh, Shanna, you startled me," Tara laughed as the brunette knelt to retrieve her purse.

"Sorry about that, Tara," Shanna apologized with a sweet smile. "I was just coming to check on you when I saw you with our illustrious leader. What did he want?" she asked as Tara stood up beside her.

"Nothing important," Tara grimaced, not what she should share. "What's up?" she inquired, hoping to change the subject while she thought about her next steps.

"Kat and I just wanted to check on how things were going with the firewall?"

"Great actually. It should be up and running by Monday," Tara acknowledged. "I had to set up a PIX for the RA's to work, but everything should be secure," she explained.

"It's about time," Shanna admitted reluctantly. "I never was too comfortable with what we had. It was so old and outdated, but with budget cuts we didn't have the ability to contract out to do it."

"Well, then I'm glad I got transferred here," Tara grinned broadly.

"Now if we only had something that could catch whoever was hacking in," Shanna wished aloud. "Denise got close a couple of times, and Brad was trying to help her since she didn't have access at the Kerrville RA to everything he did. That's what bothered me….that we couldn't catch them," she sighed, turning to watch the passing traffic.

"Well, actually…" Tara started hesitantly. Of everyone that she'd met so far, Shanna and Kat had been the two that she trusted the most. The two women had even spent many of their off hours working to locate the missing Morgans and track down who had been hacking into the system.

"What? What did you do?" Shanna looked at the petite blonde, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I haven't told anyone, but I've got a program set up that will shadow anyone that tries to access the system," Tara explained in a hushed voice. "If anyone tries to access the network legally or through a backdoor, we'll be able to track them back and locate them, using a modified GPS software program," she smiled.

"Sweet," Shanna grinned, clapping her hands together in excitement. "What do I need to do to help?"

"Well, let's get Kat and get the rest of the RA's set up for going live on the firewall, and I'll show you how the program works. We can take turns keeping track of the log," Tara offered as they started back towards the office building.

"Sounds like a deal to me," Shanna agreed. "Let's go!"

Chapter 23

Even though it was a weekend, the beach was pleasantly deserted. Bobby claimed a large umbrella and two beach chairs, making one of this typical comments about keeping Tara out of the sun.

"You're tanned," she remarked, nodding toward his brown arm. "Why are you so concerned about me getting some sun?"

"You're lighter skinned," he replied promptly. "Statistics show that people with fairer skin tend to burn more easily, leading to a higher incidence of cell damage and skin cancer. One out of every…."

"Enough," Tara held up her hand in laughing protest. "You're beginning to sound more and more like Myles," she teased.

"Sorry, Hannah's a walking encyclopedia of facts," Bobby confessed sheepishly. "I guess I just picked up a couple of things from her," he shrugged.

"Maybe we should introduce her to Myles," Tara suggested, tensing slightly at the other woman's name. What is it about this woman that bothers me? she wondered. I haven't even met her in person yet.

"Good thing Sparky's coming tomorrow," Bobby flashed her a dimpled grin. "Maybe he can get me back to normal." Tara found herself smiling back.

"Normal? Is there such a thing when it comes to you?" Tara joked, seeing the flash of amusement in his blue eyes.

"Funny," he smirked. "Want to swim?"

"You're hardly dressed for it," she remarked, glancing at his shirt and jeans.

In answer, Bobby stood, kicking of his shoes and peeling off his shirt and jeans, revealing brief black swim trunks beneath. "Race you to the water," he said, and loped toward the surf.

Tara was left lying beneath the umbrella, her mouth open and eyes wide. Whoa! Who's idea was it to come to the beach anyway? she wondered, heat rising on her cheeks, warming her better than the sun ever could.

After the stressful couple of days of not talking to Bobby, Tara jumped at the opportunity when he had offered to drive to the shore. Now she was beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea. She hadn't slept much the night before, thinking of her conversation with Wayne Franklin.

She had no problems telling Bobby about the monitoring program Kat and Shanna were now watching for her. However, Tara couldn't make herself discuss Wayne's slip with him.

I have to tell him about it eventually, Tara determined as she made her way down the beach to the waterline. But maybe I can find more information first, she resolved with a sigh.

Tara soon discovered the water was cool as she waded into the lapping waves until the water reached her knees. Bobby was already some distance out, swimming steadily. He motioned for her to join him.

Tara hadn't mentioned it to him, but she'd never been swimming in saltwater before. She'd waded into plenty of freshwater lakes and creeks back home, had her toes nibbled by fish and turtles, even dodged a water snake or two. They were familiar creatures to her while she knew nothing about saltwater creatures, except for what she read.

She pictured crabs, stingrays, jellyfish, and fish with sharp teeth. She knew all of them were native to this area. Did they come this close to shore? Tara wondered as the theme from 'Jaws' played in her head.

The sand shifted beneath her feet with another wave, and she stumbled for balance. Her right foot came down on something hard. When it moved, she squealed.

"What is it?" Bobby was at her side instantly.

"I think I stepped on a crab," Tara said breathlessly.

"Hermit crab, probably," he relaxed noticeably. "They're harmless."

"Oh." Tara moved cautiously a few feet deeper, letting the water lap at the bottom of the scarlet one-piece suit. Unable to get the music out of her head, she stopped. "Bobby?"

"Yeah?" He was watching her with an odd light in his blue eyes.

"Are there…er…sharks or anything around here?"

Bobby laughed, unable to control his amusement.

"Don't laugh at me," Tara scowled at him, planting her fists on her hips.

Bobby motioned some distance down the beach to a family of four or five kids, who were splashing through the water. "Would those people let their kids swim out here, if there were sharks?" he asked.

"I don't know," Tara shrugged, feeling a little stupid.

"Don't tell me this is your first time in the ocean," he shook his head.

"Well, yes," she admitted. "When I was little, I used to go swimming in the lake at my grandmother's…"

"You really aren't the adventurous type, are you, Tara?" Bobby teased, tugging her hair.

"I try to be," Tara sighed deeply.

Bobby's sudden grin was positively wicked, and she didn't have time to interpret it. A moment later, Tara was underwater, having been bodily lifted and tossed lightly into a cresting wave.

She came up, spitting salt and blinking furiously, her eyes stinging from the unfamiliar grittiness of the water. "Bobby!" Tara wailed, pushing wet hair out of her face. "That was a really lousy thing to do."

"Just trying to be of service, shelia," he was still laughing. "You can't be adventurous half an inch at a time."

Her open palm hit the water at a slashing angle. His laughter turned into a sputter when the resulting stream hit him squarely in the face, and then he dove for her.

A laughing, gasping water battle ensued. Tara was at a definite disadvantage, due to her smaller size, and her unfamiliarity with rolling waves and shifting sand. However, she held her own, she decided with satisfaction.

Taking advantage of a perfect opportunity, Tara used her training at Quantico to hook a foot behind Bobby's leg and tug. He went down like a rock, but not before catching hold of her and dragging her with him.

They came up together, laughing in the rolling waves, clinging to each other for balance. Then the laughter faded. Bobby regained his footing slowly, his gaze locking with Tara's.

Her eyelashes beaded with water, her hair plastered to her head, Tara suddenly became aware of the feel of his wet, slick skin beneath her palms. He was warm, hard, and strong, she thought vaguely.

His tan extended over every inch she could see of him. Water clung to his hair, darkening it to almost black. His eyes were bright and piercing, almost as though they could see right into her.

Tara was mesmerized, unable to move even if she wanted to. Waves shoved gently against her, but Bobby held her steady. She felt safe while at the same time, she felt decidedly panicky, her pulse racing, her skin tingling, her breathing shallow and rapid.

It seemed inevitable that he was going to kiss her, and she found herself wanting it so much. If he didn't, she thought she'd surely shatter from disappointment.

Bobby didn't disappoint her, drawing her closer, giving her every opportunity to pull away. For the first time in weeks, she didn't event try. He pulled her closer still, their wet bodies plastered together so tightly they appeared as one. The water lapped around Tara's rib cage, hitting Bobby just above his waist.

If there were any crabs, stingrays, jellyfish or even sharks, Tara no longer cared. For all she knew just then, she and Bobby could have been standing alone on a deserted island.

His mouth was cool, wet, and salty as he brushed them over hers. Tara parted her lips, welcoming the warmth she felt from flowing from him. She didn't worry about who might be watching them, or ask herself what might happen next. She simply enjoyed.

Bobby drew away first. Sighing, he kissed her nose before lifting his head. "Tara?"

"Mmm?" she was still drifting, he cheek resting against his pounding heart.

"Let's have a taco."

"What?" Tara blinked and frowned.

"Lunch," he said firmly, loosening her arms from around his neck, but not quite meeting her eyes. "I'm starving."

How could he possibly be thinking about food? Tara gaped. It took her a moment to recover enough to appreciate his common sense. This was certainly not the time, or the place, for necking she reminded herself as she stumbled back toward the beach with him, steadied by his arm around her waist.

Maybe someday soon, we'll find the right time and right place, Tara thought, finally realizing this was what she wanted. She swallowed hard, concentrating on getting back to the beach umbrella without having her suddenly unsteady knees buckle beneath her.

Chapter 24

It didn't take Bobby long to find a Mexican restaurant and buy them some tacos. They brought them back to the beach and ate them on their blanket under the umbrella. Tara tossed the trash into a convenient waste can, but kept the bag.

"I want to find some shells to take home to my niece and nephew," she told Bobby. "Want to help me?" she asked, jumping up from the blanket.

"Sure," Bobby agreed. "How old are your niece and nephew?" he asked, his eyes on the sand at his feet as they strolled along the edge of the water.

Tara pounced on a promising looking shell, then tossed it aside in disappointment when she discovered that it was broken on the bottom. "Claire is eight and Justin's six."

"Do you get to spend much time with them?" Bobby handed her a pretty, little pink shell.

"This is a pretty one. Claire will love it," Tara admired the shell, wishing she knew more about the creature that had made it. "No, not as much as I'd like to, but my sister says I spoil them terribly. I just can't resist buying them cute clothes and toys I know they'd like. My sister fusses at me, but she doesn't really mind. She's such a good mother that she's able to compensate for my indulgences. Though she keeps warning me that I'll have to change my ways when I have kids of my own, or I'll find myself with a houseful of greedy little monsters," she laughed, surprised by how freely she spoke about her family around him.

"A houseful?" Bobby asked with a smile. "Is that how many you're planning, shelia? Should I warn Stanley?" he questioned curiously.

"That's just a figure of speech, Bobby. I think two or three would be plenty for me," Tara replied, rinsing off a gray shell she'd dug out of the sand. Pleased to find it in excellent condition, she added it to the sack. "And I have no intentions of having kids until I find someone I wouldn't mind raising them with – and that just hadn't happened yet," she mused. Until now, she added silently.

"What about you?" Tara glanced up at Bobby. She didn't know if Darcy was still in the picture. "When are you going to settle down with your own little brood?" she teased, not sure if she wanted to hear that he'd made plans with someone else.

"Now you sound just like my mum," Bobby grimaced. "She's been dropping hints about grandchildren now for years. She even comes right out and demands some occasionally, saying she's not getting any younger. Like you, I need to find a woman that understands my job, and that I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with," he said, looking at her intensely.

"Uh, um, exactly," Tara nodded, turning away as she tried to catch her breath. Does that mean Darcy is out of the picture, or Darcy isn't the one? she wondered. "I don't want to get married and raise children until I'm absolutely sure I'm ready. With a job like ours, not many people understand what we have to do, and the long hours," she mused, staring out into the water. Could we make it work? she wondered somberly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bobby was watching her with that thoughtful, assessing expression again. Tara blushed, suddenly aware of how personal the conversation had become.

"Here's another one," Tara said quickly, moving away as she bent to dig up a shell. She hoped her activity would hide her sudden embarrassment.

Tara knew they'd soon be packing up to make the trip back to San Antonio. With Sue and Jack coming in tomorrow, she knew she didn't have long to talk to him.

I'll talk to him when we get home, she resolved silently. Yes, that's what I'll do, she decided, glancing over at him briefly as they continued down the beach.

Chapter 25

It was very late that afternoon when they made the two-hour trip back to San Antonio. The sack from the Mexican restaurant clinked with the shells they'd gathered for Claire and Justin.

Both Tara and Bobby were windblown, slightly sunburned, and liberally coated with sand. Tara's hair had dried in a salty tangle, and her makeup was long gone, but she didn't care. She'd had a blissfully wonderful day.

Bobby hadn't tried to kiss her again, but there had been a warmth in his eyes she liked when he looked at her, which he seemed to do a lot. His touches had been casual – brushing back a lock of hair, steadying her on the sandy beach, a touch of hands when he handed her a particularly nice shell.

Each time, Bobby seemed in no hurry to break the contact. He'd lingered just long enough to make her fully conscious of his warmth, his strength, before he drew away. It encouraged Tara as she planned what she was going to say to him when they got home.

Thinking about this being their last night alone together, Tara found herself suddenly pensive. For the first time in hours, she remembered the case they'd been sent here to work on. She sensed that there would be no more leisurely afternoons alone with Bobby, once Jack and Sue showed up the next day.

Tara knew she had to talk to Bobby, but she couldn't help worrying what his reaction might be. The thought of being rejected elicited a tug of sadness somewhere deep inside her. I've pushed him away so much, what if he decides he doesn't want to take the chance on us again, she wondered silently as they pulled into the driveway.

After unloading the car, Bobby walked beside her up the driveway as Tara found herself hesitating, knowing the conversation that was waiting. After those kisses in the surf, she hoped she was reading his feelings for her right. However, she was a bundle of nerves as the seconds ticked passed.

Tara looked up when Bobby suddenly stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He sat down the bag he was carrying and reached out gently, touching her cheek as he brushed away a bit of sand.

"I don't want today to end," he whispered huskily. "Have dinner with me tonight," he said, and it wasn't exactly a request.

His gaze focused intently on her mouth, Tara could feel her lips tingling, almost as if he'd already kissed her. She resisted the strong urge to moisten her lips with her tongue.

The taut moment seemed to stretch for a very long time. Breathless, Tara was about to respond when a loud crash was heard from inside the house.