In the end it had all been worth it, because if none of that hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t be sitting in this house with a beautiful woman in his arms. One who understood him and gave him hope that maybe his future wasn’t going to be a lonely one.
Chapter Twenty
Livingwith Isaac wasn’t as awkward as Marie thought it was going to be. After the first night where he’d bared his soul to her, they’d settled into a good routine where he would take her to work and the guys from Alliez, plus Isaac, would alternate watching the hospital.
It had been almost three weeks since they got followed to work, and nothing like that had happened again. Marie hoped that meant whoever tried to take her had decided she wasn’t worth the effort to bother with anymore. Particularly with the might of Alliez Security behind her.
Isaac on the other hand was on constant alert, not believing that they would give up that easily, even given the passage of time. Cass found out the car that had followed them was parked in the driveway of a housenot far from where her attempted kidnappers had disappeared off their radar.
Isaac had led the team that went and investigated the house, but it proved to be a dead end and the residents of the house were shocked to learn that their vehicle had been involved in a potential car chase. As far as they knew the car had been parked in the driveway the whole time. They were an older couple who didn’t get out much and spent most of their time watching the game show channel, not going out anywhere.
The area didn’t have a lot of cameras, so they were of no use to Cass to see if she could identify anyone. Which was probably why they’d chosen that particular area. It wasn’t in the best part of LA, so the people living there tended to keep to themselves.
“You almost ready,” Isaac asked as he stood in the doorway of her room.
“Yep, just putting my earrings in.” She touched the studs with the trackers in them. The only time she took them out was when she showered, otherwise they were constantly in her ears.
“You look beautiful.” Isaac had come up behind her and pressed a soft kiss onto her cheek. There hadn’t been too many make out sessions, because of her work schedule and the fact that she was still getting used to being back in a busy ER and was generallyexhausted after every shift. But she had the next two days off which she planned to put to good use.
She wanted Isaac, and if she had to make the first move, then that’s what she’d do. “Thanks, you look pretty handsome too.”
He wore dark denim jeans and a white button-down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up giving her a good view of his forearms. He’d recently cut his hair, but it was still long enough for her to run her fingers through it. The silver at his temples only added to his sexiness.
“Are you nervous about tonight?” he asked. The question wasn’t unreasonable, they were headed over to Growler and Astrid’s place. Marie couldn’t wait to see what delectable treats the celebrity chef had cooked up for them.
Isaac had mentioned that Growler had tried to dissuade Astrid from cooking for everyone, seeing as they had young twins, but from what Isaac told her, that hadn’t worked out well for him.
Marie admired the fact Astrid could prepare mountains of food for everyone with young kids. When Marie had been married, her plan had always been to work for as long as she could if she’d fallen pregnant. Her ex hadn’t been too keen on the idea, another reason why their marriage hadn’t worked out. If he’d had his way, she would’ve been chained to the kitchen after the baby had been born and her career forgotten.Fortunately, for her sake, it hadn’t happened. Even though she wanted to be a mother, that wasn’t the type of life, or role model, she wanted for her child.
“A little, but Mom assured me everyone is nice and will welcome me.”
Isaac dropped a kiss on her cheek. “They are, and in case you think everyone ignores your mom and doesn’t think she’s a valued part of the team because she isn’t coming, she was invited, but her and your dad only come every now and then to these types of things. That’s what I’ve been told anyway.”
Marie loved that Isaac was trying to reassure her, her mom was a valued member of Alliez Security. She knew that, and so did her Mom. “I know. She told me that she knows that all youboys, as she calls you, need to have this time together. Plus, she and dad have a very full social life themselves, so they understand the importance of the friendship you all have.”
“I may have only been at Alliez for a short while, but she’s an integral part of the team. Her role is just as important as all of ours.”
“She knows, and she loves working for you all. She told me she’s waiting for the rest of the guys to get bitten by the love bug.” Marie nudged him with her arm and gasped when he pulled her close and rested his hands on her hips.
“Is that right?” he queried, his lips a hair breadth away from hers. “I’ll have to tell the others.”
He closed the gap between them and kissed her. She sank into his embrace. Over the past couple of weeks her attraction for Isaac had grown and grown. The knowledge that he would be waiting outside of the hospital, no matter what the time, always helped her get through the toughest of moments. He’d held her, like he had in San Carlion, when she’d lost a little boy who’d been hit by a drunk driver while riding his scooter on the sidewalk. The boy had all the safety equipment possible, but it hadn’t stood a chance against a big pickup.
Isaac broke the kiss and she moaned her disappointment. She was so ready for them to take it to the next level, but Isaac seemed determined to take his time with her. Tonight, though, she planned to let him know in no uncertain terms what she wanted. She had her sexiest matching bra and panty set on.
“If I don’t stop, I’m not going to be able to.” He peppered kisses down her neck.
“I’m okay with you not stopping.” She dragged his mouth back to hers, and the kiss heated her soul to the point she felt the need to strip everything off to cool down.
Once again it was Isaac that slowed down the kisses, and this time, instead ofkeeping her flush against him, he put some space between them. Not enough for her to think he was rejecting her, but enough for them both to be able to cool down. His eyes blazed with desire, and she’d felt how turned on he was, he hadn’t tried to hide his erection from her.
“We really do need to go otherwise we will be late. But I heard what you said.” He took her hand and led her out the door toward his car. His words rang in her ears.
Did that mean that tonight she wouldn’t be going to her own room?
“Doyou have any gossip on Isaac?” Astrid asked as she sat down on the chair beside Marie, her hand resting on her protruding belly.
“Gossip?” The last thing she was going to do was share private things about Isaac. Although she didn’t think Astrid’s question was meant in a malicious way, the girl was too sweet to have ulterior motives.
