their apartment building. “I guess that’s the direct way of putting it. I don’t want to really spy on him, I just thought…”
“You don’t want me disconnecting my monitors?”
Risa was surprised—and a little worried. Should she do this for Kristy? She tried to quiet her mind and listen to her “gut feelings” but she couldn’t—her rational mind took over. What Kristy was asking was harmless, as long as they kept it under control.
“Sure, we can see what he’s up to this weekend,” Risa agreed. “But I don’t watch anything too private, so no looking when he’s walking around naked.”
“He walks around the apartment n-naked?” Kristy’s mouth dropped open, and Risa smiled, saying nothing. This could be fun.
DANIEL WATCHED the two women a few car lengths ahead of him as they raced back up Route 6 toward Falmouth. They appeared to be talking animatedly, and he wondered about what. His mission had been accelerated whether he liked it or not.
Having family on the Cape gave him a good cover—but he hadn’t counted on bumping into Anna. He gripped the wheel more tightly, barely noticing the landscape around him while he drove. The area hadn’t changed too much over the years—more stores, more people, but it was still relatively deserted. The swell of tourist season was a few months away.
Keeping an eye on Risa would have been easier with more people around—he could get lost in the crowd. Instead, his sister had found him lurking in the women’s lingerie department at the mall, where he’d stood out like a sore thumb. He’d come up with a believable explanation off the cuff, but now he had more problems. Anna knew he was here, and the rest of his family would know before long.
Although he’d managed to back out of the fiancé story, there remained several kinks in his cover. He needed to have a convincing reason he wasn’t staying in Harwich, at his family’s home. Pursuing a love interest in Falmouth was the first option that had popped into his mind.
Risa wasn’t buying any of it, of course. He had to spin the story differently to reassure her that she was safe, and not send her running—especially if she was up to something. Partial truths always worked better than outright lies; he could admit to checking up on her, making sure she was adjusting, but also claim to be visiting his family.
Would she believe that he’d been harboring a latent attraction to her all those years, and had come to try to make good on it now? Maybe capitalizing on pulling her out of the lab, saving her life? Possible, though he was less comfortable with that angle. Playing both ends of his story was tricky, but not impossible; he’d certainly been in tougher situations. This was merely inconvenient.
While he’d had his share of affairs, he couldn’t afford to think about Risa that way, not until he knew what was going on. He never let himself get involved that way on the job unless it was unavoidable—and only if he could retain complete control of the situation. Something told him that would not be the case with Risa.
However, he couldn’t quite erase the lingering sensation of their kiss. He had no idea what had compelled him to kiss Risa. In spite of himself, he’d been carried away, just for a second, shocked at her softness, stunned at his own pulsing reaction to her. Remembering the moment had his heart rate spiking disconcertingly.
Risa wasn’t experienced, he knew that, but the way she’d leaned in had a sweetness he hadn’t anticipated. She’d responded with more curiosity than desire, but he’d found it just as inflaming. She was beautiful. Innocent—at least in the physical sense. How could a young woman have a normal sex life with Risa’s powers? Not to mention growing up in a government lab where she was constantly monitored.
As they pulled into the small parking lot in front of her apartment building, he slowed down, lengthening the distance between them, and instead of following, he took a sharp right and hit the gas. He had to think, to process what had happened. Now wasn’t the time to confront her. She’d want answers, explanations, and he had to think, to get the upper hand. Whatever happened between them would be on his terms, not hers.
“OKAY, FESS UP.”
Kristy cornered her as soon as they got through the apartment door, lugging all of the bags that they’d brought home from the store. God, how many clothes did Kristy think she needed? Risa was only one woman, and she’d done well wearing more or less the same outfits for twenty-six years. What was she going to do with all of this stuff?
Hoping to deflect the conversation she knew was looming, Risa bent and picked up a scrap of leopard-print silk that slipped from one of the bags.
“What’s this?”
“That, sweetie, is a thong. Fashion’s brilliant way of avoiding panty lines.”
Risa held it up, investigating the thin string of fabric that she logically realized would go…Her gaze swerved back to Kristy. “No way am I wearing this.”
“You’ll have to at least try it—amazingly comfortable. Men love them—very sexy—so stop stalling. I told you about my crush, so now you tell me about yours.”
“There’s not much to tell.”
She had no idea why Daniel MacAlister was here. Why had he intruded and gotten her out of trouble? Kissed her? And then disappeared? Kristy seemed to see Daniel’s appearance as romantic. She wouldn’t if she knew him, and what he was capable of.
“Um, guys don’t usually materialize out of nowhere, save the day, proclaim they have feelings for you, oh, yeah, and kiss the daylights out of you in front of anyone who’s watching. Share.”
Risa sighed, relenting. “I did work with him, and it was strictly professional. If he had feelings, I never knew, and I don’t want to.”
Kristy’s eyes widened with concern. “I’m picking up a weird vibe from you—is he stalking you?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Risa dismissed the idea with a frown. “I don’t know what he’s up to.”
“Risa, if he’s not a danger, a man like that is not to be cast aside lightly. Did you see those eyes? He was looking at you like he could have eaten you in one big bite.”
“He probably could,” she murmured to herself, not wanting to pursue this conversation anymore. To redirect Kristy, she flicked on the monitor and switched the feed to Ben’s room, relieved when she saw her upstairs neighbor’s image fill the screen. Kristy was immediately distracted.
“He’s soooo cute, I can’t stand it. Look at his furniture! I knew he’d have good taste. I could tell by the way he dressed, even though I usually see him with his lab coat on. Oh, my…and he’s flexible, too.”
Kristy and Risa observed Ben on the computer monitor, moving through his stretches before he started performing a set of powerful martial arts moves, battling an invisible assailant. Risa recognized the expertise in his abilities, the smoothness of his movements, the concentration on his face. Ben didn’t move like an amateur. Still, a lot of people studied martial arts. There were three schools in the local area.
“My guess is that he holds at least one black belt. I had a few lessons myself—and Ben looks pretty advanced.”
Kristy
