EJ a.s.sessed the situation quickly-Jennie didn't appear hurt or angry, just curious. And concerned. Like any friend would be.

"I think so. It's hard to tell under all this stress, but yeah, she's different."

Jennie smiled and put any worries he had about her possessiveness to rest. "I think you can tell more about a relationship when you are under stress than when you aren't. I'm glad for you, caro caro. But are you sure she's not involved? Do you buy her story about Lou? Do you trust her?"

"I do trust her, Jen. I know that's hard for you to understand, coming from the h.e.l.l you used to live in, but I believe her. She's completely a victim here."

"What have you told her about me? How did you explain how you happened to know me?"

"She guessed we had...something. In the past." He emphasized the phrase, and Jennie just smiled in response. "And I didn't tell her anything about you that would put you in danger-I wouldn't do that, not even with people I trust."

"Thank you. I hope you understand why I had to ask. I needed to know that you trusted her, and what you'd said." Jennie's smile became even warmer, her eyes dancing with amus.e.m.e.nt. "Oh, you have it bad, EJ, don't you?"

"I refuse to answer that on grounds that it might incriminate me. But yeah, I understand why you had to ask how much she knew. No hard feelings."

They heard Charlotte's footsteps outside in the hallway, and stopped talking for the moment. When she walked back into the office, EJ's heart sank, seeing how miserable she was. She wouldn't look at him.

"Charlotte, are you okay?"

She nodded. Clearly her nose was out of joint regarding Jennie, and the thought almost made him smile. How long had it been since a woman had felt that way about him? Even Millie had always been so comfortable with him, so sure of his affection, that she was never jealous. And his recent girlfriends, well, they knew the score; jealousy didn't figure in when you were just having fun.

He didn't want Charlotte feeling bad, but he had to admit, knowing she was jealous was kind of...nice. He crossed the office to take Jennie's hands in his, a purely platonic contact compared to the hug they'd shared earlier.

"Jen, thanks for all your help. I will definitely put a word in for you with Ian, so expect a phone call."

"I appreciate that, EJ." She leaned in, kissing him quickly, and he smiled when she winked. "Let me keep looking into this before you decide to approach the D.C. house-there could be another way."

"Thanks-I'll contact Ian and we'll stay in touch. Take care."

Jennie walked over to Charlotte, and this time, Charlotte got the hug-EJ smiled at her shocked expression over Jennie's shoulder.

"Be safe, Charlotte. You're in good hands."

Charlotte sputtered, caught between her bad mood and good manners, but manners won out as she offered Jennie a warm smile. "You, too, Jennie. We appreciate your help."

Leaving the office, they were silent as they walked back to the car. Once they were enveloped in the relative safety of the sedan, EJ turned to Charlotte, drew her into his arms, kissing her until neither one of them could breathe evenly. He smiled when Charlotte pulled back, and just said, "Wow."

"Yeah. I didn't want you having any doubts, Charlotte. Jennie is a friend and, who knows, she could end up as part of the unit someday, but for the record, I'm not looking at any other women." He smoothed his hand over her hair, pushing the unruly ma.s.s of curls back from her forehead as his gaze wandered tenderly over her face. "How could I? I am so blinded by you. You're the only woman I want to look at, to touch..."

Charlotte didn't say anything, but her emotions were in her eyes, and he had to exert mammoth control to stop from letting go of his own tenuous control right there on the street. He sank back into his seat, starting the car.

"We'd better get going. It's a long drive back."

"We're going back to Norfolk?"

"We need to talk to Ian and Sarah, and see what federal help we can get once we hear back from Jennie. This is big, and we're going to need some big help."

CHARLOTTE LAY in the tub, up to her chin in bubbles, and sighed in perfect contentment. She set her problems aside for the moment to enjoy a bath. They'd driven all the way back to Norfolk, and met in a room where several policemen had questioned her. EJ had left to speak with his partners and a bunch of scary-looking federal agents to come up with a plan, she imagined. in the tub, up to her chin in bubbles, and sighed in perfect contentment. She set her problems aside for the moment to enjoy a bath. They'd driven all the way back to Norfolk, and met in a room where several policemen had questioned her. EJ had left to speak with his partners and a bunch of scary-looking federal agents to come up with a plan, she imagined.

She couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd slept, and time seemed irrelevant in some way. Everything was topsy-turvy, changing from one moment to the next.

She was tired, scared and worried to death about Ronny-no one seemed to think they needed to rush in to save her brother, and tears stung behind her eyes as she realized why. They figured either he was dead, or he was just a criminal. Expendable.

And here she was, safely ensconced in a nice hotel room with EJ, safe for the night with an armed policeman, Officer Thomas, at the door. She wished she could think of something to do, some way to make them move faster, but she was exhausted and had to trust they knew what they were doing.

EJ knew what Ronny meant to her. He wouldn't let him die if he could help it.

As she let the hot water soothe her tense muscles, she was thankful for the fresh clothes Grace had lent her. But that thought made her think of the ruined evening dress. Her beautiful, ruined, shredded dress. It was the least of her problems, but it stood out in her mind as an emblem of everything that had gone wrong. Unrepairable. She'd make it up to Phoebe somehow, she swore to herself. Hopefully the clerk hadn't already lost her job.

As guilt and all the worry about her messed-up life and her brother started to swallow her again, she pushed it back, and made herself relax. For the moment, she was okay. She couldn't help Ronny if she was a mess, so she had to hold it together. She was going to rest, and think of a plan. She would get her life back together, and make it even better than before, for both of them.

EJ had become very noncommittal since they left the police station. Something was up, but she was reluctant to push. She didn't even know what to push for. She didn't know if they had a relationship, or what was between them except s.e.x and danger.

Too exhausted to think one more thought, Charlotte rested her head on the small pillow she'd made out of a folded towel, and scrunched down in the water, blanking her mind of everything except the private mantra she'd been given by a yogi she'd met a few years before.

The next thing she knew, she was dreaming of the softest, most tender kiss she could ever imagine, and smiled into it, resisting her dawning consciousness, wanting to stay wherever it was in her imagination that EJ was kissing her like that-but when she heard his voice, she knew it wasn't in her imagination that the kiss was happening.

"Charlotte, wake up, darlin'. The water's getting cold."

She opened her eyes slowly to see him crouching by the side of the tub, smiling at her. He was so handsome. So amazingly gorgeous inside and out. She had no idea what was in his head, or what exactly his feelings were, and she didn't want to ask for specifics. She just wanted to enjoy what she had with him right now, letting the future take care of itself.

"I fell asleep."

He laughed softly. "Yes, you did. But you're going to get cold soon. Dinner is waiting."

His eyes moved over her hungrily-most of the bubbles had faded, leaving her exposed to his gaze. She didn't mind, and even did a little, s.e.xy stretch for his enjoyment. And when she opened her eyes again and met his hot look, she knew how much he had enjoyed it.

"Let me help you out so you don't slip."

She smiled, letting him take her hand though she had been managing to get out of tubs alone just fine for years. As she rose from the water, she did feel a chill, goose b.u.mps traveling the course of her skin, and her nipples puckered-though that might not have been due to the chill.

"What did you get for dinner?" She tried to sound casual and light, though the way he was looking at her made her her feel like dinner. feel like dinner.

"Uh, just some cheeseburgers and fries, soda-I know you don't eat too much meat, but I thought we needed something with some substance to it. Protein."

"Burgers are fine. Thank you. I'm starving."

She lifted her leg to step over the edge of the tub, and he caught it, fitting his hand into the wet crook behind her knee and sliding it up to cup her bottom. She lowered her foot back to the porcelain, her cool skin burning where he touched.

"Why don't you join me for a quick, hot shower? I'm feeling a little chilled," she said.

He took his hands away from her long enough to quickly undress, grab a condom from the vanity case, and then stepped into the tub with her, sliding the plastic door shut.

"Can't have you getting cold," he teased.

"What about dinner?" she asked.

"I'll go back and get more, later."

As she turned the shower on full, steam filled the stall in seconds, and EJ's hands slid around her waist and planted themselves on the cheeks of her backside, kneading her while he stroked her tongue with his. He nudged the rock-hard evidence of his excitement against her belly, letting her know he was more than ready. Amazingly, so was she, but this all felt so good, she wanted to make it last. She wanted him at her mercy. Seducing him on the sofa had only been the start of the creative loving she hoped to explore with this man.

"Still cold?"

She loved how his voice changed when he was really turned on, how his accent thickened into a heavy drawl and his naturally smooth tone turned rough. "No, baby, I'm heating up quite nicely, thank you."

It was the first time she'd used that kind of endearment with a man, and it thrilled her to her toes. She slid her hands down and stroked him, rubbing her thumb over the slick head of his c.o.c.k and gloried in the shudder that racked him.

"Charlotte, I want your hands on me, your legs around me..."

He kissed his way down to her shoulder, then slid his hands forward, ma.s.saging her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as his tongue made a long, slow journey down her torso and nestled in between her legs. She used one hand to part herself for him, and another to steady herself as he plundered, bringing her to the edge too many times to count, but never letting her cross over the threshold. She was shaking when he stood, pressing up close and taking her mouth in a hot kiss all the hotter because of her taste on his lips.

"Wrap your legs around me, Charlotte."

She stopped cold. She was standing up-what was he asking?

"Huh?" Okay, not the s.e.xiest of replies, but she was truly confused.

"I want to lift you up and get inside you. I need you to wrap your legs around and hold on."

"EJ," she started sputtering, losing the mood. "I...I can't. I can't do that."

"Why not?"

She could feel the heat in her face that had nothing to do with the shower.

"I'm not exactly a waif, if you haven't noticed. You can't hold my weight for that long."

d.a.m.n him-here she was feeling as embarra.s.sed as she'd ever felt and he...laughed. She drew back in indignation, but he stepped forward with a gleam in his eye that told her he wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Charlotte, you are not heavy, you are perfect. Full and sensual and with curves that make men sweat just looking at you. Believe me, this won't be a problem."

"I don't think..."

"Yes, good, don't think."

The next thing she knew he had backed her against the shower wall, and it was a good thing, she thought, that it was a st.u.r.dy wall, because he'd slipped his hands down to her hips and lifted her in one, deft movement. Reflexively, she reached around and held on with arms and legs, feeling him fill her at the very same moment.

Oh, my G.o.d. She was having s.e.x, standing up, with a man holding her against a shower stall wall. She'd always been too afraid to fantasize about this particular position, thinking no guy would want to risk damaging his lumbar muscles, but now that she was doing it, and EJ seemed to be having no particular problems keeping her there, she relaxed.

"That's it, darlin', see how good this is?"

"Mmm-hmm."

She experimented, not holding on so much for dear life with her arms, but loosening them to touch him, and following his sensual guidance so that he could move as he needed to, entering her so deeply and touching every part of her so completely that she cried out in surprise as her body wrenched in pleasure, bucking against him as she came.

"Charlotte..."

EJ couldn't say more than her name as he gave in to his own explosion of pleasure, chanting her name, and sinking his fingers into her flesh as he pressed her into the wall, holding her up and pursuing his o.r.g.a.s.m with such power that it triggered another lingering one for her.

When they were done, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry, or just thank the heavens.

"EJ."

His face was buried in her neck, his chest heaving, and he didn't respond.

"Uh, EJ?"

"What, darlin'?"

"You can let me down now if you want. The water's getting cold again."

"So it is." He stepped back, holding her as she loosened her legs and tested if her knees still worked. Thinking of how amazing she felt, watching his powerful body flex and bend as he turned to shut off the water, how his lean form and sculpted muscles moved, she found herself becoming choked up.

"Charlotte?" EJ pulled the plastic door back, and reached for a towel, looking back at her. "What's wrong? Did something hurt? d.a.m.n, I'm sorry, I wanted that to be good for you...."

Then she laughed, because if he thought that wasn't good for her, he had to be unconscious.

"EJ, I'm fine. I'm better than fine. It's just that you...what we did...how we are...."

Oh, c.r.a.p, she thought. She was going to burst into tears. She'd heard of that happening sometimes when the s.e.x was powerful, but this didn't have to do with o.r.g.a.s.ms-it was completely emotional.

"What? Darlin', what?" He helped her out of the shower, wrapping a huge white towel around her, and drawing her into his arms.

"It's just that, I know this sounds stupid but-"

"Just say it, Charlotte. Nothing sounds stupid. You can tell me anything, okay?"

He tipped her head back and she felt calmed, looking so deeply into his concerned eyes.

"You make me feel so...good. You look at me and I feel like my insides turn to melted b.u.t.ter, and what you did just now, I...I've never felt like that. Never had anyone make me feel so desired. So pretty, and well," she laughed, hiccupping and making him smile though she felt silly saying it out loud, "so light."

He drew her into a tight hug, chuckling softly. "Charlotte, you are all that and more. I can't get enough of you."

"Me, either. Of you, I mean."

"Thank G.o.d, darlin', because come what may, I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon."

THEY ATE COLD CHEESEBURGERS and fries like it was the nectar of the G.o.ds, talked about nothing in particular, and then EJ faced the inevitable and filled her in on the plan. Charlotte snuggled up against him, wrapped in a sheet and nothing else, testing his concentration. and fries like it was the nectar of the G.o.ds, talked about nothing in particular, and then EJ faced the inevitable and filled her in on the plan. Charlotte snuggled up against him, wrapped in a sheet and nothing else, testing his concentration.

"Will you go with me? To this safe house?"