“There are cameras at the doors.” She placed the final sample in a bag and sealed it. “I’m done.”
Sam moved fast, crossing the room in a flash and pushing her against the empty bench. She only had time for a quick gasp before his mouth was on hers.
Finally.
She opened for him, their tongues tangling in a desperate desire which had been building for hours, if not days. He lifted her up on the bench and her legs wrapped around him. More. He had to feel her. He slipped his hand under her shirt and with little finesse, cupped her breast, using his thumb to tease her nipple to a point.
She gasped and leaned into him, dragging at his top.
He was going to combust.
Vaguely somewhere behind him he heard a door slam. His instincts kicked in and he shifted away, moving towards the sound.
“Penelope!”
Sam sighed as he recognised Declan’s voice.
Penelope swore, a word he hadn’t thought she would use, and it made him smile. She leapt off the bench and tucked in her shirt as Sam did the same to his own.
“Will you get into trouble having me here?” he murmured, searching for somewhere to hide.
“Penel—” Declan’s voice petered off as he entered the room.
Too late.
Sam smiled as Penelope shifted past him. “I was just about to call you, Declan.”
Declan glanced at Sam and raised his eyebrows.
“Sam was kind enough to help me with the bags when he noticed me at the marina,” Penelope continued. “I’ve contacted Fisheries, prepared all the samples. Preliminary water tests show nothing abnormal.”
Sam had to hand it to her, she handled the interruption with style. It wasn’t what he would have expected from the Penelope he’d first met, but something in the past day had changed, and he liked it.
Declan nodded as if pleased. “You could have called me if you needed a hand.”
“I was in the area,” Sam replied.
Declan ignored him. “Have you arranged the shipment?”
“Just about to,” Penelope replied. “There should be a flight out tonight that can take them.”
“Anything else?” Declan asked.
Penelope glanced at Sam and he took it as a hint to leave. “I’ll get out of your hair if you don’t need me for anything else.”
“We can take it from here.” Declan gestured to the door.
Yeah, he was taking the hint, but Sam didn’t like the way Declan looked at Penelope as if sizing her up. He hoped he hadn’t caused her any trouble. At the door, he glanced over his shoulder. Declan was watching him and behind him Penelope made the sign for a phone call and mouthed I’ll call you.
He couldn’t wait.
Outside he debated whether to wait for Penelope there, but in the end he walked home. He took his time, enjoying the cooler temperature now the sun had gone down.
The buried item on the island was a worry. Best case scenario it was someone illegally camping and not bothering to take away their rubbish, but after this morning, he wouldn’t discount anything. The poachers might have been there on other business. They’d have ready access to weapons if they were smuggling them.
It was tempting to check it out himself, but he didn’t want to miss Penelope’s call. They needed more men on the ground. He tried Sherlock again, but there was no answer.
He should hop on a plane and drag Sherlock’s sorry arse up here. At least then his friend would be forced to face the issue, and it might get some life back into him. If there was a flight tonight, he could be back by tomorrow.
