Page 115 of Fatal Betrayal

"She's safe now," Cooper said. "That's what matters. Go. Be with your daughter. We'll talk to you tomorrow."

"I will." He paused. "Agent MacKenzie told me that you ran into some trouble, and by the looks of both of you and the smell of your clothes, I can imagine that it was bad. I brought you into this. I put your lives in danger."

"We're fine," Cooper said. "We feel better than we look."

"Well, thank you again."

As Neil went to join his family, they left the house. They'd just gotten into the car when a news van pulled up in front of the house.

"Looks like the story is out," Cooper said.

"A good story this time." She settled back in her seat, the adrenaline starting to drain from her body, leaving her feeling overwhelmingly tired.

"Where to?" Cooper asked. "Do you want to go back to your dad's house? Or we could go to a much nicer hotel if I can use my credit card now?"

"You can. The danger is over, and I don't want to go to a hotel or my dad's house. What about your place? Will you take me home, Cooper?"

He smiled back at her. "I can do that."

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

They arrivedat his condo about twenty minutes later. He'd bought the luxury two-bedroom home, which was located on the top floor of a three-story building overlooking the Pacific Ocean, three years earlier. Like Andi, he'd always wanted to live at the beach, and he'd finally gotten there. He parked in the garage, and they took the elevator up to his unit.

When he let Andi into his home, he felt like he could finally relax. It had only been a few days since he'd been home, but it felt like a lifetime had passed in between.

Andi wandered around, noting the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the bright, airy, beachy space with an approving gaze. "This is really nice, Cooper. Beautifully decorated, too. Did you do it yourself?"

"I had some help from a friend."

"Your friend did a great job. It's comfortable and inviting. I bet you have a great view."

"Phenomenal," he said. "Are you hungry? Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"No. I think I just want to go to bed."

He nodded. "You should sleep. You can have my bed. I'll stay in the guestroom."

She shook her head. "That's not going to work for me."

"Well, I'm not letting you sleep in the guestroom after everything you've been through tonight. You haven't said anything about your head, but since you were knocked out, I'm fairly sure you have a headache."

"It's gone down to a dull ache," she admitted. "But I don't want to sleep in the guestroom, either. I want to sleep with you, Cooper. I want to hold you, and I want you to hold me, and…" She gave a weary shrug. "That's really all I want."

"That's all I want, too." He took her hand and led her upstairs to his room.

"This is also amazing," she said, as her gaze swept the large room, which had incredible views in the daylight. She kicked off her shoes and sat down on the edge of the bed. "The mattress is so soft and comfortable."

"Stretch out. Make yourself comfortable."

"I'm dirty. I smell like a fire. I should take a shower, but I don't know if I have the energy."

They both smelled like smoke, and he'd sweated bullets when he'd dismantled the bomb, so a shower was a good idea. But he had a better one. "How about a soak in my jacuzzi tub?" he suggested. "Whirlpool jets, hot water, some nice smelling bath salts that my sister gave me for my birthday that I'll never use."

Andi smiled. "Monica gave you bath salts? Do you even take baths?"

"More since I got the big tub. You'll love it." He walked into the adjacent bathroom and turned on the water and the jets, then threw in the bath salts.

Andi came into the bathroom a moment later. "The bathroom is just as spectacular as everything else. I feel like I'm in a five-star hotel."

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