The crew near the building continued moving their wares as he and Meg thrust against each other. Even with thin fabric between them he knew he was close to losing it. The friction, along with his recent abstinence, wasn’t a good combination. He found her incredibly sexy and that didn’t help either.
Her hips rose again as he pushed toward her. He grabbed for control but Meg arched her back, cried out, shudders racking her body. His control was shot to hell. He clamped his mouth to hers, tongues entangling then thrust against her a few last times. His grip tightened as his climax rocked him down to his toes. She clung to him, their breathing heavy.
A larger wave crashed over them, letting him know the tide was coming in. He also hoped it cleaned away any evidence of what he’d done. What they’d done. The sound of engines gunning had his head whipping up. The three cars that had stood outside the building were now leaving a trail of dust behind them.
“Guess we were convincing,” she said, her voice husky and low.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “But I thought we were doingFrom Here to Eternitynot the diner scene fromWhen Harry Met Sally?”
Her laugh was awkward her breath still shaky. “Damn believable, huh? You picked the right person for your little undercover mission then.”
He sat up pulling her next to him. She couldn’t have been pretending, or could she? Or like him, had she gone over the edge? He could hardly ask her. She’d never admit to something like that. Of course he wouldn’t either, so it was a moot point.
“Let’s go check out the building. See what’s inside.” He pulled her up, grateful to change the subject. Discussing sex with her was more dangerous than any of Moreno’s men.
They casually walked up to the shack in case anyone else was around then peeked inside the windows. The door was locked when he tried it. He hadn’t expected it to be open but it was worth a try.
“I don’t see anything inside,” she commented, her hands shielding the glare from the sun.
“They must have moved everything in there to the cars. It wouldn’t have mattered if we’d gotten here sooner. A guard would have been on duty. At least we know it was being used for storage. Wish we could have gotten a license plate number.”
“I got the one on the blue sedan,” she informed him then rattled off a series of letters and numbers.
How had she done that? He’d kept his eyes on the building and the men but knew his mind hadn’t been functioning at any level to memorize a license plate.Hadshebeen faking it? God, how pathetic did that make him?
“Great,” he croaked trying to be enthusiastic, feeling like an idiot. “Let’s head back. We both need to shower off the salt water before we check out. We won’t have much time if we hang out here any longer.”
He started walking and she fell into step beside him. Her dress was still molded to her figure, enticing him to grab her for more of what they’d done. Reprimanding himself he walked faster.Business arrangement. Don’t forget it.There was too much at stake. If he was being honest he’d admit what was at stake wasn’t just the case, it was also his heart.
* * * *
“Did they tell you what happened?” Meg’s voice squeaked as she and Chris got out of the rental car. He shook his head entering the hospital, his hand on her back.
“Doolittle only said Tina was found beaten and in bad shape. She won’t say anything to the cops though. She’s afraid of something. Probably the person who did this.”
She followed him into the elevator thinking of her friend. Chris had gotten a call while at Key Largo that Tina had been found early this morning injured. The local PD hadn’t gotten any information from her yet. They were hoping Meg could get her to talk.
“You think it was Moreno, don’t you?” She swallowed her own fear at the thought.
“I think it’s a distinct possibility. If it was, that’s another nail in his coffin. But Tina has to make a statement. Do you think you can get her to tell us what happened?”
She shrugged exiting the elevator. “I don’t know. She’s the closest thing I have to a friend but it’s not like we hang out after work. She’s got her little brother to take care of. She spends most of her off time with him.”
Their footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway as they approached the room. The antiseptic smell heightened the fear that was spiraling through her at the thought of Tina being hurt. It could have been her. She left the club quickly most nights since the incident with Gunther and Sonny. No way was she giving them an opportunity to repeat the performance.
Tina lay on the white sheets, her mocha skin contrasting starkly. The bandage on her forehead stood out against her dark curls. A swollen eye, split lip, and several bruises were evident as soon as they walked in. Her right arm, encased in a cast, rested on a pillow.
“Tina?” She kept her voice soft in case she was asleep. Tina startled, her eyes opening swiftly, fear evident in them. “Hi, we heard what happened?”
“Hey, Katie, Mr. Martin,” she addressed Chris who had followed Meg in. “Just a little accident. I’m sure I’ll be fine soon. Might not be serving drinks for a while though with this.” She lifted her arm slightly.
Meg moved closer to the bed and leaned against it. “How did this happen? Who did this to you?”
Alarm returned to her friend’s face, moisture filling her eyes. “Nobody,” she denied shaking her head frantically. “I…I was mugged on my way back from work.”
She was lying. Meg could see it on her face. She picked up the uninjured hand and squeezed. “Was it Moreno? Don’t lie to me. I recognize the fingerprints on your arms. I’ve had a few myself.”
Tina threw a nervous glance at Chris then looked away. Meg followed her gaze assuring her, “He was worried about you too. You’re his favorite waitress.”
