Homeland Security (Defenders of Love Book 2) by Unknown Read Free Book Online

the sofa when that guy got the drop on him."
    "Hey, man! I don't sleep on the job! That's reserved for you government guys!"
    "The sofa faces the door! How in the hell did he get in here then without you noticing him?"
    "Dude! A guy's gotta piss you know!"
    "Hold it."
    "What? Feds don't piss? Yeah, I guess that must be true since it might get on your cape."
    "Gentlemen." Katie stepped in between them. "It's no one's fault. This is about me and Nathan. Neither one of you decided to fall in love with a lying, cheating jerk. You are supposed to get along—professional courtesy or something, right?"
    The ding of the elevator and commotion in the hall told them the EMTs had arrived.
    Saved by the bell…
    Kaiden stepped forward and identified himself as they entered the apartment. It took about ten minutes to get Officer Reyes on his way to the hospital. Suddenly they were alone in the apartment and he had no idea what to do next. They couldn't stay there, in the middle of a crime scene but he had no idea how to convince Katie to leave again.

    ***

    Katie stood in the kitchen, frying pan in one hand and a dozen eggs in the other. She should make something for them to eat. It was nearly morning and she had never gotten around to that frozen pizza the night before. She thought she remembered Kaiden saying he had missed dinner as well. Unfortunately she seemed to have temporarily forgotten how to scramble an egg.
    "You need sleep much more than you need an omelet," she muttered, turning to put the eggs in the refrigerator and running straight into Kaiden.
    The entire dozen of extra-large eggs flew out of the cardboard carton, splattering against walls, on counter tops and the floor. Yellow yolk ran in rivers down the cabinet doors and egg shells spread around the room like glitter.
    Kaiden burst into laughter.
    Katie fought back tears.
    He reached over and took the frying pan from her other hand and placed it on the cooktop.
    "Hey, there's no sense crying over spilled milk. Or broken eggs."
    "Look at this mess!" Katie threw her hands in the air in disgust. "Everything is such a mess !"
    Her apartment, her kitchen, her life. The proverbial straw had finally broken the camel's back. Katie dropped to the floor in a pile of egg shells and sobbed. She didn't even look up when Kaiden squatted in front of her. After all, half of this mess was all hi s fault. Well, maybe not his fault exactly but definitely the agency he worked for.
    "It's okay, Katie. If you have a mop and a couple of dish cloths, I can have this cleaned up in a jiffy." He reached over and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
    "Why don't you just go? I'll take care of it. Being with you has become kind of dangerous." A flashback of the near accident at the discount store shot an involuntary shiver down her spine.
    "Hey, I could say the same about you. I can't let you stay here. Your apartment is a crime scene now, twice in fact, and I can't let you be here until the crime scene techs have finished processing everything."
    "Well, isn't that fabulous. I'm living in a crime scene now. Yippee for me. Things really can't get any worse, can they?"
    "If there is one thing my mother taught me: never, ever tempt fate by asking what else can go wrong. Fate can be a real bitch and she will make sure to let you know you ain't seen nothin' yet."
    "Lucky me." Katie started to rise from the floor. She needed to get that mop and get rid of the egg before it dried. Unfortunately, her foot found a slick spot. She slid forward and straight into the crouching Kaiden. They tumbled backward onto the tile floor, her on top of him. Neither of them moved except for the rapid rise and fall of Kaiden's chest against her own. Her body reacted to his pounding heart; her pulse racing to keep tempo with his.
    "Well, this is awkward," Katie mumbled as she tried to extract herself from the tangled mess of limbs.
    "I don't know. Sort of seems okay by me." Kaiden grinned, his arms finding their way