“First, clothes, then I’ll send the threats to a buddy of mine off base. If anyone can track your perp, it’s Squeaker.”
Fiona glanced over at him with a quizzical brow. “Squeaker? You’re putting your faith in a man named Squeaker to find my stalker?”
“It’s not their real name,”Vincedefended, not bothering to correct Squeaker’s gender. She’d find out eventually. Squeaker was an unconventional name for an unconventional woman, but no one could touch Squeaker’s computer skills in this area.The FBI had caught her hacking into their database and those of several other federal agencies several times since she was a kid, well, younger. Everyone underVince’s age was a kid to him.
“How did he get his nickname?” Fiona asked, resting back in her seat, half turned toward him. She seemed genuinely interested in knowing about Squeaker.
Vinceshrugged. “I don’t know. I never asked. I guess you can ask yourself.”
“Maybe I will,” Fiona said eagerly.
Vincedidn’t like her tone of voice. It wasn’t jealousy, he wasn’t a jealous person. Fiona could be with anyone she wanted. But she would be sorely disappointed if she thought something would happen between her and Squeaker. Unless she swung that way and liked younger women. “We’re here,” he growled, pulling into a parking spot and putting the truck in park.
Fiona sat up, looking at the sign. “The mall?”
“Why do you say it like that?” Didn’t most women like shopping at the mall? Or just shopping in general?
“Like what?”
“Like you’re offended I took you here,” he said, hopping out of the truck.There was nothing wrong with this mall. It had several stores for her to choose from, if she was into particular brands and designs.
“I just didn’t peg you for a mall guy,” she said, following him and staring up at the mall like it was alive and would attack her.
“We’re here for you, not me.” What was her deal? It was a mall. He was trying to be nice and take her somewhere to get clothes. She made it sound like he took her to a lingerie shop and was asking her to try on the merchandise for him. “I’m sorry if I thought you wanted to wear more than the clothes on your back.” He threw his hands up.He would never understand this woman. One minute she was happy and the next she was getting upset with him over taking her to a stupid mall. He couldn’t win.
Fiona looked startled, then bit her lip. “I’m sorry, you’re right.”
Vinceleaned down, cupping his ear. “Sorry, I’m a little deaf in this ear. Too many explosions. Could you repeat that?”
“Ass,” Fiona chuckled, smacking him playfully in the stomach.
Vince’s stomach warmed from her touch. It hadn’t hurt but he felt something from the brief contact. “If you want to go somewhere else, just say so,” he said gruffly. What was his problem? She was a girl, woman, he amended. No different than any other woman.Vincestill found himself taking a step back. He couldn’t think right when in close proximity to her. Distance was good.
“This is fine.” Her body language called her a liar. She was stiff as a board and appeared to be shaking. His concern doubled when he saw how pale she’d turned, and then it hit him. She was having a panic attack.
“Fiona.” He rubbed her arms, noting how cold she was. Her eyes stared ahead, unseeing. He had to snap her out of it, but how? He didn’t want to hurt her. “Come on, baby girl.” He gently shook her but it didn’t work. Another idea struck that he was sure would get him smacked, but if it worked, it would pull her out of her attack.
He framed her face with his hands and kissed her. He told himself he was doing it to help her and not because he had wanted to for the past hour, but it didn’t stop him from groaning at the first taste of her lips in four years. He was like a starved man that just found a banquet feast.Vincetried shutting off his emotions and turning this clinical, but Fiona blew his plans out of the sky like a missile, when her lax lips moved against his. Her hands roamed over his back, turning to claws as she clutched him to her.
Vincewanted to drown in her. That same feeling he had buried for the past four years came back in a tidal wave. Hell, a tsunami. She moved against him expertly, having him hard in seconds.Vince’s right hand slid to the back of her head, fisting her hair. He would stop this foolishness in a minute. Fiona’s tongue darted between his lips, twirling with his.Vincefell forward, pinning her against his truck. Fiona wrapped a leg around his waist, grinding against his pelvis.
Damn, she had turned into a wanton woman. Not that he was complaining, but they had to stop. He was here to protect her, not fuck her.
Just asVincewas about to put a stop to things, Fiona pulled back. She kept her eyes closed, resting her head against his chin. Both were panting as if they had run a marathon.“I swear to god, if you say anything about what just happened, I will knee you in the balls.”
Vincealmost laughed at her threat, though he knew she would carry through. “Are you up for going inside?”
Fiona pulled back and looked up at him, nodding. The blank stare was long gone, his Fiona was back.
Wait, what? Did he honestly just think that? He had never placed ownership on a woman before. She wasn’t his, could never be. “Then let’s go,” he announced loudly, stepping back as if she were on fire. Fiona hadn’t prepared for the sudden move and almost fell over but caught herself. She glared at him but didn’t say anything.
“Sorry about that,” Fiona said softly next to him. Her arms were crossed over her chest like she was huddling into herself. Her eyes were downcast as she kept pace with him.
“Do you want to talk about it? Was it a flashback or something?”
“Not of the Congo, if that’s what you’re guessing. I don’t care for malls. When I was a kid, I got separated from my family. I thought it would be fun to go to one place while they went to another. No one noticed I was gone for a little while. With so many of us it’s easy for a few to stray off without anyone noticing. By then, I had no idea where I was or how to find my family. It took a while for us to find each other again. I know it sounds silly that it would affect me now.”
“Not at all,” he said gently. Fear was fear. It didn’t have to make sense to anyone. Especially a childhood trauma. “If you’d prefer we go somewhere else, we can.”
