Chapter Eleven

"You don't think…" she tried to say, but the words tasted sour. She was thinking of The Rug.

"I don't see how he'd know we were here, let alone where we were staying."

"You really think The Rug searched our room? What would he be looking for?"

"Same thing we were when we searched his. Identification."

"Do you think we blew our cover?"

She meant did she blow their cover. Kicking herself for causing a scene at the beach. Not that it had been her fault. If he'd let her tackle The Rug like she wanted, he would have been in custody instead of violating their personal space. Missing out on a few extra days of sex with Steph suddenly seemed like a fair trade if playing shadow games was going to put her in danger.

Ranger studied the room again, taking in more details. Something wasn't adding up.

"I doubt it. I don't leave a lot behind when we go out. Nothing incriminating. And the place wasn't tossed. This was a methodical search. Not meant to be noticed. If it was really The Rug, and he was suspicious, he'd have done something more obvious. Leave a calling card to scare us off, or lay in wait for us to return. It's more his style."

She swallowed hard. Trying desperately to keep her fear to herself. Probably thought that since he wasn't showing any that it would make her seem wimpy to admit she was afraid. Completely glossing over the fact that he wasn't normal.

Steph was brave in a lot of ways. Brave enough to do a job every day that most rational adults wouldn't have the nerve to try for an hour. Facing down bad guys who have done terrible things, who could do terrible things to her. She didn't always realize it, but Steph was one of the bravest people he knew. Because she was afraid all the time and she did the job anyway. Liked it, even.

The fact that she had a tendency to cut and run sometimes was just an indication of her interest in living longer.

"So what do we do now?" she asked, hiding behind her bravado.

Ranger shrugged. "Not much to do. We'll just have to be more vigilant. Make a plan to take him down sooner than expected. Preferably when he's not likely to be armed."

"Like on his way into the airport? Or at the beach?"

"Babe, I'm armed at the beach. Chances are good he is too."

"How are you not freaked out about this?"

"It wouldn't be a productive use of my energies. Besides. All we know for certain is that someone looked through our things. We don't have any proof it was The Rug."

"Oh good. Glad we cleared that up."

Ranger held onto his smile. The sarcasm got stronger when she was upset. He closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her just above her ear. "Take a shower. Let me worry about this."

He could still see her unease, but she nodded obediently and headed into the bathroom. He watched her go until she vanished behind the door and he heard water flowing. Then he turned back to the room.

There was a moment where he struggled to suppress his anger.

It wasn't just that their space had been violated. It was that it had made her afraid. She was supposed to feel safe here. Loved here. If The Rug had taken that away from her, he wasn't going to like the consequences. Ranger had had some dark years. Years where he'd done things that made even the shadows afraid of him. He'd spent a lot of time and effort since trying to find his way back. Fighting to find something like civility again. Make up for the damage he'd done to himself and to others.

He tried very hard not to hurt people anymore, but that didn't remove the fact that it had once been his default setting.

He slowed his breathing and willed the wrath back into its place until his heart rate was slow and even again. Wrath wouldn't be productive, either. It shortened thinking. Made him reckless. Something he couldn't afford to be ever again.

He detached his emotions and looked at the room with a professional eye. Searched the suitcases first. They'd been riffled through, but not by an expert. Not even by a novice. This had amateur written all over it. The intruder had sifted through the clothes, but hadn't looked inside the shoes. Gone through the outer pockets, but hadn't searched the lining. Ranger was smart enough not to leave important information behind. Even the nylon webbed gun belt that he left in the top dresser drawer looked benign without the holster attached. Someone might question why he'd need such a big flashlight, but it wasn't something that would garner suspicion.

Silvio was still at home when he called. "Something wrong?"

"Yes. Someone gained access to my room. Where are you on breaking into the security feed?"

It had been among the first things he'd asked for. It would have made finding The Rug easy. There were cameras hidden in the public areas throughout the resort. He'd seen them tucked discreetly into the corners at the restaurants, and over the archways that divided one area of the resort from another. It would have allowed hotel security, and anyone who could tap the feed, the ability to track a single person as long as they were on the public walkways.

Silvio shifted. Powering up his computer. Might not have been awake a minute ago. "I have a worm working its way into their system, but it hasn't found access to the security feeds yet. I was able to strip down the central mainframe because it's connected to the online booking registry and had only a moderate level of encryption. I'm still working on the rest."

"Work faster. It was just a convenience before, but now it's a necessity. I'd like to know who had the balls to break into my space. And I'd like to be able to track his movements."

"I'm on it."

Ranger heard the tap shut off. He disconnected. Steph was standing in the doorway behind him when he set the phone down on the bedside table next to his gun and his wedding ring. "I've got Silvio working on getting access to the hotel's security feed. I saw some cameras hidden in the foliage near the arbors. Might be able to identify the intruder. Or at the very least put a man on the monitor to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"If you say so."

Some of her strength had come back. Must be feeling better now that she wasn't covered in soup. He turned to look at her. Her damp chestnut waves were raven around her face, her fair skin pink and scrubs and soft. She'd put on a fluffy white hotel robe. The collar pushed up around her neck and trailed down into a V over her breasts. Settling into her waist to highlight her curves. Her skin would be soft inside it, too. Warming under his lips when he tugged the belt open and explored every inch of her again like he had so many times already.

He stalked toward her and she shifted on her feet. "I've been thinking," she tried to say. Didn't stop his progress. She tensed. He knew it wasn't from fear. The change in her breathing told him her heart had started pounding. Her lips turning moist as she watched his mouth. She was getting turned on despite her every effort. "Are you listening to me?"

"Not even a little bit," he said, and then he backed her against the wall and kissed her. He'd mostly been teasing. Mostly. Though as she opened up to him he had to admit his listening skills dropped considerably. The electricity shot between them and he felt her tremble. She made a little whimper against his mouth. Knowing the pleasure that was coming. He hooked a finger into her belt and pulled until it came loose, letting the robe fall open just enough to give him a glimpse of her.

"Wait," she gasped in a breathless way that made him hard. His hands were inside the robe already, skating over her stomach on their way to her ribs.

He drew back a fraction with a light smile, his lips still brushing hers, drawing out the anticipation. "What am I waiting for?" he asked, teasing her some more.

She melted into the wall and her eyes fluttered shut. He loved the way she turned to putty when he touched her. Steph was so fierce and independent. Hard-headed, in fact. Watching her turn pliant for him was even more arousing than the soft skin and entrancing blue eyes. He brushed across her breasts, his thumbs following the peeks of her tight nipples, and she nearly burst into flames.

And then she shuttered. The playing gone. "I'm having trouble with this," she admitted.

He paused. "With what?"

"With this. Whatever this is. I'm not good at it. I know you can compartmentalize and do emotional distance, but I can't. I'm not built that way. So I'm having trouble with the whole fun now no future thing, and it's messing with my head."

Of course it was. She was a good girl. Good girls needed more than affection and sexual release. He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. Doubt. Unease. Self preservation. He drew in an even breath. He knew what was coming. "And?"

"And I need a minute."

He let the breath out in a silent sigh and took a step back, watching with longing as she retied the robe. He always knew this would be a problem. From the first time he ever considered getting her naked. It was the biggest reason he fought it for so long. Steph wasn't the torrid affair type. Steph was the marrying type. The kind of girl you hold onto. Promise to love and protect. The kind of girl who wants to share her life with someone who can wrap around her completely. Someone she can trust. Have complete faith in. Share a soul with.

And that wasn't him.

He could bring himself to admit that he wanted her. And not just her body. He wanted her time and attention too. Her faith and her trust. Whether he would ever deserve it was debatable, but that didn't stop him from trying. And he knew that he didn't want to share her.

If he ever gave into his selfish impulses, he would make her his in a heartbeat. In fact, if he had his way they would already be living together in his apartment at Rangeman. Hell, anywhere, as long as she was his. But it would still be only half a relationship. Because while she could share her entire soul with him, there were dark corners of his that he couldn't ever give her. Shining her light on them would only make her afraid of him.

He watched her thoughts moving across her face. She still wanted him. And that made her sad.

She finally looked away. "I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted."

"What about the minute?"

"I'll deal with the minute tomorrow."

He couldn't pull his eyes away as she wandered over to her suitcase and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of black underwear. She was self-conscious with him watching, but he couldn't look away. He could have pressed her. Talked her into ignoring her conscience so that he could make her feel good, if only for a little while.

He didn't.

ooo

The sun was still down when he woke beside her the next morning, her warmth radiating through his body. It was nice. Sometimes it was easy to forget what real intimacy was like when he was alone in his solitary life. Before Steph had started sleeping in his bed sometimes, he used to limit himself to a few hours at most when he was with a woman. Just enough time to satisfy their urges and move on. On the rare occasions that he'd stay and fall asleep, his habit of early rising always saved him the awkward shuffle of the morning after.

Not that any of the women he'd chosen would expect him to stay for breakfast. He would have never aligned himself with someone who was interested in more than casual sex.

It was different with Steph for a few reasons. Not the least of which being that for a long time after that first night, sharing a bed with Stephanie hadn't involved anything but sleeping. He might have tried several times to change that. Nearly succeeded, too. But even without it, having her lay beside him was comfortable in a way he couldn't explain. They had a companionable relationship. One that engendered affection and genuine feelings. Even without the sex.

In fact after a while, his big king-sized bed with the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets had started to feel cold and empty without her.

He curled an arm around her and settled her back into his chest. Her heat warming him. Filling him with that unknowable energy again. It was a sensation he liked. And that was a little scary.

He lay next to her for a long time until the sun rose and it started getting harder to control himself. If he didn't get out of the bed, he was going to start touching her until she was awake and eager. He knew she'd be receptive. Until after. Then she would pull back even further. That was her MO. It was why he was so careful not to push her when she was conflicted, no matter how much she wanted him. Steph was too skittish. As much as she would enjoy it, seducing her when she wasn't ready wouldn't bring her closer. It would make her shy away.

Ranger got up and went into the kitchen. On a normal day, he would head to the gym. After last night, that didn't seem like a good idea.

He had some serious doubts that it was The Rug who had searched their bedroom. It just didn't ring right. The Rug was a professional. True, most of that profession was putting bullets in people, but he had a long history of it. Ranger knew from experience that a lot of wet work involved staying in the shadows. Hunting down your target with accuracy while making sure that no trace of you is ever found. Assassins who bungled a simple search weren't likely to live long enough to get good at their jobs. And while it was true that The Rug had a history of grandstanding for intimidation purposes, this didn't have his touch on it.

Which begged the question. If it wasn't The Rug, who the hell broke into their cottage?

Ranger had made a lot of enemies over the years. Too many to count. Most of the more recent ones were in Jersey, but he'd made enemies all over the world during his Special Forces days. People with long memories. And while it was unlikely any of them would track him to Oahu and infiltrate a secure resort, it wasn't impossible. Especially if they hired someone to do their dirty work.

His instincts told him this wasn't a serious threat. His experience told him it was better to be cautious than dead.

He closed Steph into the bedroom and went into the living room to work out. Spend some of the energy he wanted to use with her. It would be limiting, but it was a better option than leaving her unguarded. He might put in a lot of effort to avoid examining his feelings for her too closely, but he was certain of one thing. If she was ever seriously injured or killed, the careful control he'd spent so many years fostering would break. And God help the man responsible. Especially if it was him.

It was a couple of hours before the change in air pressure in the cottage told him she was conscious. Even after shadowboxing, and doing pull-ups in the doorframe, and pushups until he was dripping sweat onto the hardwood floor, he still felt the urgent need. Fighting the impulse to climb over her and kiss her awake. He made coffee when she moved from deep sleep to dozing. Set a creamy cup on her bedside table.

He felt her eyes, finished his set and stood, wiping the sweat from his face. She was watching him through the open doorway with a mix of awe and interest. "I called in for some breakfast. Should be here soon."

"Great," she answered. She scooted back against the headboard when he came into the room. Taking up the coffee so she could hide the way her eyes dilated as they poured over him. He was shirtless. Sweat trickling down his hard body. She lingered over a few of his scars. Probably curious what their stories might be. He wondered if he would ever tell her, if she had the courage to ask someday.

She looked down into her cup. "Don't you usually go to the gym?"

There wasn't any fear in her question. Like last night had never happened. That was both endearing and worrisome. Steph was the only woman he knew who could acclimate to fear so easily. Also didn't seem to think through the consequences. "I didn't think it was smart to leave you here asleep and unprotected when we don't know who broke in last night."

"You don't think they'd try something, do you?"

"Let's just say I've learned to be cautious." He looked her over. Her brown waves were erratic. Standing up in places like a crazy lady. He used to tell her it was scary. He guessed in a way it still was. It was just that after sleeping with her so often, and now making love on a regular basis, the messy curls were just sexy. Usually the result of something memorable and fun. He warmed. "It would probably be best if we laid low today. Let our problem get complacent again."

"And how do we lay low?"

He fought a smile. Let his eyes skate down her body. "Well. We could either find a little out of the way spot to spend most of the day. Or we could stay in."

He could see her first thought was that staying in without any clothes on might be fun, but almost as quickly the doubt crept back in. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She'd shown well enough that she was capable of giving herself to him with wild abandon. But that still wasn't enough. Not yet.

He sighed and walked to her suitcase, sifting through until he found the black bikini and matching tank top and tossed it onto the foot of the bed with a black and violet wrap. "Guess you still need that minute."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Babe. But you might want to work out whatever issue you're dealing with. I can be a good guy, but even I have my limits."

He left her there and went into the bathroom to wash off his workout.

It had been an idol threat. As much as he wanted to resume things between them, he knew that applying any kind of pressure to help her barriers fall would be a short-term solution that caused long-term problems.

Patience was a virtue. One he had gotten good at after a long, hard road. He could wait.

o o o

He didn't tell her where they were headed as they drove the 911 along the coastal road that led around to the north side of the island. He'd never been there himself. Rico had told him about it. The hike wouldn't be as difficult for her as Diamondhead would have been. She might even enjoy the quiet walk through the woods.

Ranger pulled up to the trailhead and parked in the shade of the trees. Steph looked doubtful. "We're not going in there, are we?"

"That was the plan."

"It's not far is it?"

"Couple miles." He angled out of the car. He was going to walk around to her side to open her door, but she scramble out of her seat before he had a chance.

"But I can't walk that far in the jungle in flip flops."

Ranger had already considered that when he'd gone through their bags. Steph had brought several pairs of shoes, but nothing versatile enough to go hiking. Which made it ironic that she'd talked about hiking the volcano yesterday morning just because The Rug had a brochure. He didn't say a word. Just opened the trunk and pulled out the hiking boots he'd asked for. Once again, they were tucked into the corner. Put there by a massive man who had managed to sneak into a secure parking structure for a second time in as many days. Ranger set the boots into Steph's hands. Socks on top of the boots. "They should already be broken in."

Steph gaped. "Were those in the trunk this whole time?"

Ranger smiled.

"Okay. Tell me the truth. Is Noah actually magic?"

"Noah's innovative, and he's good with a lock. Any skills beyond that are outside of my realm of expertise."

"So yes."

God, he loved her. She really was pure sunshine. He slung an arm around her neck, kissing her ear. "I've got a few things I could show you if you want to see magic."