Page 32 of The Flame of Carson
“Yeah, it does.”Gage nodded.“Ethan will probably want me to keep some distance and I will if that’s what he orders.”
It was Stacey’s turn to pull back, “You mean he’d keep you off this?”
“No, well not completely I think, but I wouldn’t be right in the thick of it either.When Krista was in trouble, Ethan was smack in the middle, and I know he believes because of that he missed Ingram.”
“That’s bullshit.None of you suspected him.”
“True and we have all told him that, but Ethan shouldered that blame and after that, he told all of us that if any of us get put in that position he’d want us to be at a distance.”
Stacey frowned, “But what about Lance and Alora?Wasn’t he in the middle of it?”
Gage chuckled thinking about Alora’s case.“No, not until the very end.Lance was very much on the peripheral.Even when the Malconi’s shot up his house, Lance remained in the background of the case.Even though it didn’t seem that way to an outsider.Ethan and Krista, however, were different and Ethan was in the forefront almost immediately because of his past with her.But even if I’m ordered to back off a little on the Blackout side, personally I will be right there by your side.If I have to excuse myself from your case with Blackout, I will but, I won’t go anywhere.I’ll be tattooed to your sexy ass until this is over.I promise.”
Stacey beamed at him.She reached up and cupped his cheek before leaning in and kissing him.God, she loved this man.“I can think of no one else I’d rather have at my side than you.”
Gage leaned in and kissed her sweetly.He sighed as her arms slid around his neck and she shifted herself on his lap so that she now straddled him.Keeping the kiss light, Gage slid his own hands down her arms, over her rib cage and stopping to rest at her hips.He groaned as Stacey’s hips began to gyrate slowly and sensually.Pressing herself against him.
“Stacey...”
“I want you, Gage.Now.Take me upstairs.”
––––––––
––––––––
Across town, in a seedymotel room, the man smiled in the dark.Yes, it had been risky going to Gage Carson’s house but oh, the understanding he saw in the bastard’s eyes more than made up for the risk.He had been quite surprised the Marine had not engaged the high-tech security system he saw or had even bothered to lock the front door.“Soon, soon Stacey you will know pain.You will know fear.Then, and only then will I get my desire.”
Sitting in one of the chairs by the window, he pulled out his gun and in the moonlight that filtered in through the window, he started the task of cleaning it.As he cleaned, he started plotting his next move.He knew after tonight’s ordeal that Blackout would now be firmly involved and that posed quite a challenge for him, but one he gleefully was looking forward to.
Chapter 8
––––––––
Stacey checked herselfin the full-length mirror in her bedroom and grinned.It was Halloween weekend, and she was looking forward to it as it gave her the chance to put the events of the last week behind her.The holiday fell on a Saturday this year, which worked out perfectly for her.Tonight, Krista and Ethan were hosting a costume party at Blackout for the teams and their families.Well, the adults anyway.When Krista had told her about it when she got into town, Stacey had brought it up to Gage.Gage told her he kind of had to be there, but if she was on his arm, he could deal with it.Her doorbell interrupted her musings.Turning from the mirror, she left the bedroom and headed downstairs just as the doorbell rang.Gage was here.
“Hey...wow.”Gage stated when she opened the door letting him inside.“You look amazing.”
