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

had been stirring up in her since she laid eyes on him in the interrogation room? No, probably not.
    Yes! Yes, you do! Especially if his lips are on you at the time.
    Pushing the thoughts of Kaiden's lips out of her mind, Katie walked out to the living room. Kaiden and Officer Ramsey were circling each other like a couple of lions in a ring, neither one saying a word. If not for being absolutely exhausted, Katie would have enjoyed the little show.
    "Okay, I'm ready."
    "You think you can handle watching this place better than the other guy?" Kaiden asked Ramsey.
    "What? You think only you feds know how to sit on your asses?" Ramsey shot back.
    "Come on, Kaiden." Katie interrupted the shower of testosterone. "I really need to get this stuff out of my hair."
    And you need to get out of here before someone starts shooting.
    Kaiden glanced over at her while keeping an eye on Ramsey. "Yeah, okay. Let's get out of here."
    Katie kept her mouth shut as Kaiden all but pushed her out the door. Officer Ramsey watched them go but didn't say anything else. She had pretty much had all the male ego she could take for one night. Now all she wanted was to take a shower and forget this night ever happened.

Chapter Five

    Katie didn't say a word as they took the elevator down to the parking garage. She still didn't speak when they were in his truck and she only nodded at the desk clerk when they checked into a small hotel on the edge of the tourist district. They stood in the hall in front of room 203B when Kaiden couldn't stand her silence any longer.
    "Something eating you?" he asked as he slipped the key card into the slot on the door.
    "What would ever give you that idea?"
    "Certainly not your sunny demeanor." The lock clicked and the key card slot lit up green.
    Katie didn't answer so he opened the door to the room and waited for her to enter. She still hadn't said anything to him ten minutes later when she grabbed clean clothes and some toiletries and disappeared into the bathroom. The room had two double beds. Kaiden settled on the one closest to the door. He kept a packed bag, commonly referred to in the business and by his mother as a go bag, in his truck. The James family, particularly its matriarch Clara, prided themselves on being prepared for everything. The go bag had served him well on the job many times.
    Kicking off his dress shoes, Kaiden sighed in relief. Men's dress shoes were the worst. He much preferred a good pair of tactical boots or even running shoes—they were much more practical in his line of work.
    Once he stripped out of his tuxedo shirt and belt, Kaiden sat down on the bed and leaned against the headboard wearing only his unbuttoned black dress pants. He could hear the water running in the shower as his eyes slowly closed.
    The sounds of Katie in the bathroom were comforting. It reminded him of being married and having someone to come home to. Knowing he had someone there, someone to hold when the day—or days—were done, had made his life complete. Until it was gone and his bed stood cold and lonely. Although he rarely admitted it, his now busy life felt empty. Being around Katie, first in the hospital and then for the last twelve hours, had brought some excitement and warmth back into his heart.
    Like it had done so many times before, his mind wandered back to that last night in the hospital. He wasn't allowed to shower yet as the wound needed a couple more days to heal, so she came in and offered to spruce him up a little for the outside world. He could have cleaned himself up but the thought of the cute little nurse sponging him down had worked for him. He had no idea how much it would work though. They had laughed and joked as she mixed some soap in the warm tub but it had all come to a screeching halt the minute she touched him with the wet cloth. Kaiden's entire body had heated at her touch. His nerve endings had fired over and over again until he was almost on fire. She felt it too, he could tell. She