Page 3 of Liaising Kai

“And Amber?” Amber Dalton had gone on a routine friendly fire incident at the Warfare Training Center involving a Marine that turned into a harrowing murder, kidnapping, and human hunting case that had almost taken her life. If it wasn’t for Tristan Michaels, the master sergeant who had been assigned to assist her, and his mad mountain skills, she would have perished.

“Happy as hell with her husband and daughter.” Her voice caught for a moment, but she took a bite of her salad and swallowed hard.

The mention of Amber and her husband reminded him all over again of his first joint case with NCIS. “I heard Neve and Russell moved to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and she’s teaching at the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer’s School there.” Amber was married to Tristan Michaels who was Neve’s brother. Davis smiled remembering how those two had been so contentious with each other. Now they were happily married, compromising and raising their three-year-old twin boys.

“She is. They’ve come a long way according to Amber. I’m happy for them both.”

He nodded, thinking how much he’d like what they had, but he could never seem to see that with any woman, not even Abigail. “And Andrea? Where did she end up?”

“With Chris at the shipyard in DC.”

“Nice.”

She nodded. “He is singing her praises, and we miss her. But we have a new probie. Lucy Montgomery. She’s a petite ball of energy.”

“I’m sure she’s getting the best mentors at NCIS,” he said.

Kai Talbot blushed in such an endearing and sweet way. He was so surprised. “I can see that Jason and Kelly are doing extremely well,” she said, moving him off the subject. “She’s got a perpetual smile on her face, and that’s saying something for a medical examiner. Kiko, their daughter, is flourishing as well. They’re blessed to have found each other again.”

He nodded. It was true. Jason was over the moon, now married to the woman he’d been in love with for so long. Once they faced reality and owned up to their fraternization, their obstacles were resolved, opening up a sweet happily ever after. Again, he envied what they had.

Soft music had been playing ever since they were served their dinners. It was the band that started up later in the evening. Usually, he and his dad were gone by then.

He rose and offered his hand. “Care to dance?”

“You are determined to turn this into a date.”

He stared at her, not pulling any punches. She knew the score. He hadn’t been subtle about his attraction to her. What he didn't know was what was holding her back. He couldn’t hide the layers of interest he had in her and he was sure his expression showed it.

Catching a ragged breath, Kai looked down as if working on her own equilibrium. His was shaky, and she’d had more to drink than he had…by design. He had noticed all the guys in here giving her panting looks, and him dark ones as if he was their ultimate cockblock. No one was getting close to her tonight. He would make certain of it.

She rose, and he could almost hear the silent collective groans. She was magnificent in that dress, but Davis knew more about her than her killer body, and he craved it just as much as anything physical with her.

She took his hand, and her touch was electric, running through him like a live current, comfortable in his role as her shield.

He took her out to the dance floor and drew her against him, the pressure of his hand against her bare back pressing her deeper into his embrace. Her forehead nestled against his jaw, and she sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he tried to hold in all the emotions rolling through him. Inhaling unevenly, Davis rested his head against hers, his arm tightening around her as they began moving to the music, drawn into the intimacy of this private space. The sensual, intimate tempo folded around them, the power and eloquence of the lyrics expressing everything he thought about her.

She leaned back and looked up into his eyes and the pain was back, deep and sharp. The muscles in his jaw tensed. There was a need for comfort, for connection, a need for him to simply hold her, and tell her everything was going to be okay.

After the song, he took her wrist and drew her back to the table. He pulled out some cash and set it down.

“Davis,” she said, and she affected him all over again by the aching need vibrating through his name. All soft and vulnerable and his already overheated body tightened even more along with a spot inside his chest.

His voice quiet and a little gruff, he said, “I’m taking you home.”

Sensing how fragile she was, he didn’t say anything until he got her outside. The chill of the night air made her shiver, and he drew her against him. His arm across her back, he stopped and shrugged out of his leather jacket and slipped it around her, holding it as she pushed her arms through the sleeves. Matching his stride to hers, Davis hugged her against him, and she huddled there, telegraphing sensual tension that made his breath falter.

Suddenly his need turned into something more. The thought of being locked fiercely against her, of having her lift her hips against his groin, made his pulse race, and he closed his eyes, so overwhelmed by a rush of hot desire. He hadn’t brought those drinks over to her table, or listened to her while she talked, or danced with her for this. It wasn’t the culmination of the date she thought he’d wanted. This wasn’t a date. It was a rescue.

He pulled up to her house and was around the car in a heartbeat, opening the door for her. He took her hand as she emerged, and he marveled at the sight of the house that looked like a beautiful English cottage with a white picket fence and gate threaded with bougainvillea vines wrapped in a charming and colorful elegance.

She stumbled halfway up the slate walk, but he already held her tightly, supporting her until she regained her feet. On the porch, he heard the jingle of keys, and she unlocked the door. They walked into the foyer, and she set her bag and the keys on a table in the hall.

She clasped the back of his head and pressed her mouth to his. Even as he responded, he knew it was wrong. And he didn’t give a flying fuck. He was finally getting a taste of Kai Talbot. Too bad it was like this.

As a man in tune with her, he understood the complexity of that one tiny breath caught in the back of her throat.

If this had been a planned date, not saturated with her desperation to escape the pain so clearly driving her, he would have crushed her mouth to his, overwhelmed them both right off, so neither would have a moment to think or react until it was too late, the deed finally done and out of the way, no longer taunting him with its promise. But his maturity and determination gave him the edge he needed…and that little hitch in her breath drew him back to that woman in the bar…weary, stressed, aching with a pain beyond imagination, her guard definitely down. What little cool she’d managed to collect had come from sheer willpower.

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