let himself go, let himself pound inside her, giving her everything he had until the wave crashed through him. He was suffused with pleasure and then warmth and peace as he sank down beside her, staying close for a moment.
He let his head find her breast and he listened to her heartbeat. “I was so worried.”
Her hand smoothed his hair back. “I’m still worried. We have a lot to face tomorrow.”
They did. “Cara will let us know if they have enough to move on Jessica in the morning. Have I told you how gorgeous and smart my girlfriend is? How I wake up every day and I’m happy to be with her?”
She groaned, but her hand kept stroking his hair. “You’re impossible to stay mad at. But seriously, Hutch. I’m sorry. I was mad at myself. I’ve worked hard and it’s all gone to hell, and I took it out on you.”
“I should have told you what I was doing. You would have known why I didn’t join you.” He whispered the words against her breast. “You were perfect. You gave them nothing, and I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d turned me in.”
“I didn’t even truly consider it,” she admitted. “Even when I was confused and angry, I couldn’t give you up. I’m surprised Kyle punched you, though. He was the one who yelled at me that you would come for us. He told me not to talk because our friend would get us out.”
“He did?” He’d been surprised that Kyle had stayed on the job. And yet, if watching McKay-Taggart was Kyle’s secret job, he would do anything to stay on. “Baby, I need you to be careful around Kyle.”
He wasn’t holding anything back. Not ever again.
“Why? Because he was mouthy with the cops? He was, you know. Totally mouthy. I kind of thought he was doing it so the attention was on him and not me,” she said quietly. “I think he was trying to look out for me.”
It would have been better for Kyle to lay low, but he hadn’t. Still. “I’m supposed to watch Kyle and let our boss know if I think he’s working for someone. For the CIA, or maybe someone worse.”
She turned to her side, and he wished he hadn’t brought it up. He wasn’t ready to leave the bubble they’d found. But she needed to know.
“You think he’s a spy?”
“I think he’s suspicious, and I want you to be careful. You need to understand that even if I leave you alone with Kyle, someone else is watching. If anything happens, you’ll still be protected.” He kissed her forehead and with reluctance rolled out of bed to deal with the condom. Luckily the Rumpus Room came complete with a bathroom and a decadent shower where he could clean her up before he got her dirty all over again. “The good news is you won’t be going back to Genedyne any time soon. You can come up to work with me.”
He would watch over her.
He moved into the bathroom, getting rid of the condom and washing his hands.
Noelle was on her side when he returned, her head resting in her hand and a thoughtful look on her face. “I have to call my dad in the morning.”
She was so much calmer. She’d needed to know he would never let her go, that no mistake either of them made had to mean the end if they clung to each other.
“It’s going to be all right.”
Her nose wrinkled. “You’ve never had an overprotective Cajun sheriff worried about you.”
“I’ll talk to him.” He moved back into the room. “Unless you want to go home. I can take some time off.”
It might be for the best.
“Let’s see what Cara has to say in the morning.” She reached her hand out toward him. “It might be nice to go home for a bit if you come with me. I’d like you to meet my parents.”
And have an overly protective Cajun sheriff size him up? For her, he would do anything. “I’m going to have to have a long talk with your dad. I really did serve some time.”
“He’ll give you a medal for what you served time for.” She squeezed his hand. “My dad will love you because you take such good care of me. But I do have some decisions to make. The truth is even if Cara arrests Jessica tomorrow, Genedyne still owns my research, and it’s going to be hard to get it back.”