They made love to each other like they were starving. They pulled off clothing, stripping each other naked in minutes. Their hands were everywhere, touching, caressing, squeezing. Their mouths elicited moans from each other. When Dante sank hard into her soft flesh, they both took up a fast rhythm, chasing each other into ecstasy. It was hurried and passionate, and it left them dazzled. When it was over, Dante rolled them both so he was on his back. He held her there as their breathing calmed and their heartbeats returned to normal.

As if waking from a dream, Dante realized what he had done. He had slept with a witness. He had hot, passionate sex with a witness. He would lose his job without question. There was no way to hide this with so many other men joining his team. Dante stared at the ceiling.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He gave her a little squeeze.

“I don’t appreciate being lied to, Dante. You became tense just now. I could feel it.”

He winced, looking away. Laurie turned his head toward her with gentle fingers.

“Dante, what’s wrong?” A pained expression crossed her face. “Do you regret that we—”

“No. I just started thinking about what would happen if my boss found out. That’s all. I’m just worried.”

Laurie propped herself up on her elbow. Her hair drifted off her shoulder toward the pillow in a yellow curtain. Her expression was stern.

“He doesn’t have to find out anything. I don’t want you to get in trouble for this Dante—to get in trouble for me.”

“There are going to be other men here, Laurie. It’s going to be hard to keep this a secret.”

She leaned in close to him, bringing her nose inches from his.

“Then we’ll just have to try really hard. I don’t want you to be punished for being with me. I don’t. So whatever you need me to do to protect you from that, then you just need to tell me.”

Dante stared at her for a moment. Then he cupped her serious expression in his hands and kissed her. He gathered her close, running his fingers through her hair.

“We’ll be fine. We’ll both be just fine.”

***

Dante was so relieved when they returned from grocery shopping he let out an audible sigh as they walked up to the front door of the house. Laurie chuckled at him.

“I hope this means you can relax a little.” She started putting away the food. “You were looking over your shoulder so much, I thought your head might start spinning.”

Dante grinned into the refrigerator, as he stacked two cartons of eggs on top of one another.

“I haven’t been able to relax since the moment I laid eyes on you. You’ve made my job nothing except difficult.”

“Me?” Laurie waved the lettuce at him. “I haven’t done anything.”

Dante snorted.

“Do you honestly expect anyone to believe that? You have trouble written all over you in capital letters.” He turned to her with a smirk.

Laurie closed the couple of steps between them with a slow stride. She got as close to Dante as possible without touching him. She turned her face up to him, and gave him a seductive half-smile. God, she knew how to make a man burn for her.

“Well, if you don’t like it, Mr. Stark, then why don’t you leave?”

“Can’t do that, ma’am. I have to protect you.” He placed his hands on either side of her waist.

“Hmmmm. Who’s supposed to protect me from you?” She locked her hands around his neck.

“I wish I knew.”

He brushed his lips against hers. Then he licked at her lower lip.

Now that his desire for Laurie had been unleashed, Dante knew he wouldn’t be able to contain it again. Even though he knew what he risked to have her, there was something about her that compelled him against reason. He simply lost all sense of direction when he looked at her. He bent his head and caressed her lips with his again, because it was the only thing he could think about. Laurie sighed and broke away from him with a smile of apology so they could finish putting everything away.

Laurie took Dante’s hand and led him into the bedroom. Laurie kissed him and they sat down on the rumpled blue bedspread, holding one another.

Just as he took hold of one plump breast, a car door slammed outside the house. He lifted Laurie in his arms, carrying her to the closet. He set her on her feet with rough, hurried hands.

“Stay here until I come and get you. Go in the safe room if I call out. Don’t move from this spot.”

Dante took out his gun and left her, fear twisting his heart. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he moved toward the front of the house. He could hear footsteps approaching. He checked out the living room window and saw two familiar faces.

Instead of relief, Dante felt disappointment. He had hoped for another hour or two alone with Laurie before his reinforcements showed up. That wasn’t going to happen. With resignation, he opened the front door.

“Dante,” greeted the tall, thin man on his right. The two men entered and shut the door. “Boss told us you needed some extra hands.”

“Dean, John.” Dante nodded to each in turn. “I think that’s a bit of an understatement.”

Dean, the shorter of the two men, sat down on the arm of the couch. He stretched his legs out in front of him as he balanced there. He was a bit stocky. He had a round, youthful face set with brilliant green eyes. Dante had last seen Dean with a military crew cut, but now he wore it a few inches longer, and gelled to a spiked point near his forehead. Dean leaned toward Dante, crossing his arms.

“David was killed last night? Is it true?” His usual lazy grin was gone, a look of grave concern in its place.

“Yes,” Dante winced.

“Jesus Christ. How many assailants?” John sat down next to Dean on the couch.

John was taller than Dean. In fact, he was Dean’s opposite in many ways. John was lanky, with dirty blonde hair and light blue eyes. When Dean would laugh, John would glare. When John wanted pizza, Dean wanted to order sandwiches. They couldn’t be more different from one another. Yet, right now, John wore the same concerned expression Dean wore.

“Four. All dead.” Dante crossed his arms, rocking back on his heels.

There was stunned silence, as both men shook their heads.

“Well, at least you got ’em. That part of the night went right.” Dean leaned back.

Dante cracked a wan smile, while John glowered at Dean. Then Dante heard a noise behind him, soft footsteps approaching from the hallway. He turned to see Laurie enter the room. He scowled at her.

“I told you not to move until I came and got you.” He turned to her, hands on his hips.

“I could hear you all talking. They’re obviously other Marshals.” Laurie gestured to the new arrivals.

“I told you not to move until I came and got you,” Dante repeated.

Laurie rolled her eyes, sighing.

“Dante, is this your wife or your witness?” John smirked at him.

“Yeah, man. Why weren’t we invited to the wedding? I thought we were friends.” Dean raised his eyebrows at him.

They were both grinning from ear to ear. Dante fought the smile and shot them what he hoped was a warning look.

Laurie laughed nervously.

“I’m Laurie.” She extended a hand to John.

“I’m John.” John shook her hand. He had an easy, broad grin as he looked Laurie over.

“Dean.” Dean grasped her hand after John.

“Now tell us honestly, do you need protection from Kaimi or from this one?” John gestured to Dante.

Laurie blushed, flicking her eyes at Dante in mild alarm.

Dante watched Dean appraise Laurie from head to toe while she looked at John. Perfect. Just perfect. The one thing these two could agree on had to be that Laurie was worth drooling over.

“All right, you two.” Dante fought the urge to drag Laurie back to her room and lock the door. “We had a rough night last night. Stop giving us a hard time.”

He caught Laurie by the elbow and led her to the couch.