Profiling Nathan: Romancing the Guardians, Book Five Read online

  Oh well, he’d deal with her anger tomorrow.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Talia woke to sunshine peeking through the blinds in Nate’s bedroom but alone in his bed. The enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee told her where he’d disappeared to. Smiling, she stretched, threw back the sheet and went to his closet in search of something to cover herself. A red kimono with green, gold and black dragons flying across the silk fabric instantly caught her eye.

  Surprised to find such a garment among Nate’s clothes – he was full of surprises – she slipped it on and cinched it in at her waist with the sash. The hem reached past her knees and she had to turn up the sleeves twice, but the silk felt soft and sensuous against her skin. Smiling at an image of Nate slowly removing it from her, she padded out to the living area.

  She found him slouched on the couch, drinking from a steaming mug and reading some sort of flyer. All he had on were the faded jeans he’d worn yesterday. His bare feet were propped on the coffee table. Pausing by the end of the couch where he sat, she raked back her tangled hair, wishing she’d taken time to dig out her brush and tame the wild mane.

  “Good morning,” she said, voice hoarse with sleep.

  Startled, he plopped his feet on the floor and sat up straight, sloshing a small amount of coffee onto his bare chest. Yelping, he hastily dabbed at the hot liquid with the flyer in his hand and set his mug on the coffee table. Then he rose and smiled ruefully. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were up. Good morning.”

  “I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t mean to make you scald yourself.”

  “No worries. It just stung for a second.” He brushed the damp spot on his skin then gestured at the kimono she wore. “That looks a heck of a lot better on you than on it did on me.”

  Talia glanced down at herself and ran a hand over her silk covered hip. “It’s beautiful. I hope you don’t mind me borrowing it.”

  “Naw. In fact, it’s yours if you want it.”

  She frowned. “That’s generous of you but are you sure?”

  “Very sure. I’ll never wear the thing. It’s way too girly for me.”

  “If you feel that way why did you ever buy it?”

  “I didn’t. I won it in a contest over at the resort.” He laughed. “I was too plastered to care what I won. I thought about giving it away more than once but something always told me not to. Guess maybe I was saving it for you.” Stepping close, he encircled her with his arms, bent and kissed her softly.

  “Good morning, baby,” he whispered into her open mouth. One hand caressed her bottom while the other slipped around to cup her breast. “Mmm, I like the feel of you in silk, but I’d like you out of it even more.”

  His words mirrored the sensual image she’d had moments before. Tempted to let him fulfill their mutual desire, she gasped when her stomach growled loudly. Mortified, she pulled away from Nate and hid her red face behind her hands.

  “I’m sorry. That wasn’t very romantic.”

  Chuckling, he caught her hands and gently lowered them. “Hey, I could use some food, too. Let’s dress and go have breakfast. Later, we can put this to good use, okay?” He trailed a finger over the kimono from her shoulder to her breast.

  “Okay,” she breathed as he circled her nipple. Only when he removed his arousing touch did she think to ask, “Can’t we eat here? It would be quicker.”

  He grinned at her obvious eagerness for later. “I wish we could but I’d need to go grocery shopping first. I get up here so seldom that I don’t keep any fresh food in the fridge or the pantry.”

  “I see. So, is there a restaurant on the property?”

  He nodded. “There’s the Key West Bar and Grill over at the resort near the pools. It’s sort of a tiki bar, only indoors.”

  She smiled. “That sounds like fun. I’ll go shower and dress.”

  “Yeah, fun,” Nate muttered, watching her walk into the bedroom and shut the door. Damn! He should prepare her, tell her what she was bound to see when they ventured out. But if he did, he was afraid she’d demand he take her back to Tampa immediately. Why the hell had he brought her here? She might be one hot mama in bed but that didn’t mean she’d like watching people walk around naked.

  A half hour later they were both showered, dressed and on their way. Following the winding path to the resort, Nate half expected to come across a resident out for a morning stroll in the buff, but they made it to the parking area outside the resort lobby and club complex without seeing anyone. However, as he was shutting down the car, a man stepped out of an SUV parked a short distance away on Tally’s side. He wore sandals and a towel draped around his neck, and nothing else.

  Tally glanced his way and blurted, “Good God! Nate, there’s a naked man over there.” Pointing to the guy, she twisted around in her seat, watching him walk toward the lobby entrance. “We need to call the police.”

  Nate sighed, expecting to face her outrage. “No we don’t. He’s not doing anything illegal. This is a clothing optional community.”

  “What!” She turned to stare at him, silver eyes huge with shock. “Y-you mean it’s a nudist colony?”

  He shrugged. “You can call it that although not everybody goes nude.”

  “But … why didn’t you tell me before we left your place? Better yet, before we left Tampa?” Frowning, she balled her fists in her lap as if ready to punch him.

  “Would you have agreed to come here?” He cocked an eyebrow.

  She stared at him a moment more then looked away. “I don’t know, but I don’t like surprises like this.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re right, I should have told you sooner.” He frowned. “Do you want to go back to the condo or to Tampa? If you’re willing, you should be safe staying at my place above the shop.”

  Eyeing him uncertainly, she chewed her bottom lip. Then she took a deep breath and shook her head. “No. Since we’re here, we might as well stay for a day or two. I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.” With that, she opened her door and stepped out.

  Frankly astonished by her response, he escorted her into the lobby where they were greeted by a smiling, fully clothed Hispanic young woman at the checkin desk. Nate introduced Tally, saying she was his guest. The clerk had her fill out a short form and welcomed her before waving them on to the Key West, situated out the back door and past a conversation pool. The man Tally had spotted on the parking lot was soaking in the pool along with another male guest.

  Nate exchanged waves and said good morning to the two men but didn’t stop to talk, figuring Tally was embarrassed enough. He ushered her into the bar and grill, glad to see most of the people in there were clothed, although one middle-aged couple wore skimpy bathing suits. The man’s hairy belly hung over his low-cut trunks and the woman’s suit had no top half, baring her sagging breasts. Tally glanced at the pair then quickly looked away, cheeks turning bright pink, Nate noticed.

  He spotted three women eating breakfast at a table near the bar, one of whom he recognized. Steering Tally over there, he grinned as the pretty, short-haired blonde woman looked up and smiled. She looked to be in her forties although he knew her to be older.

  “Hi, Patti. It’s been a while,” he said.

  “Yes, it has. I’m glad to see you, Nate. And your guest.” She smiled at Tally.

  He laid his hand on Tally’s back, feeling how tense she was. “Tally, this is Patti Buchanan. She and her husband own the resort. Patti, I’d like you to meet Tally Werner, a good friend of mine.”

  Patti gave him a knowing look, blue eyes twinkling, and extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Tally. I hope you enjoy your visit to Paradise Lakes.”

  “I-I’m sure I will,” Tally said, touching hands with her.

  “We stopped by to have breakfast. I see you’re having the Paradise breakfast sandwich. Think I’ll have one too. We’ll need a menu for Tally, though.”

  “Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” she protested. “I’ll have the same as you, Nate. That sandwich loo
ks good.”

  “Good choice,” Patti said. “It’s one of our must popular items. Go sit, you two. Our waiter will be right over to take your order.” She signaled the young man standing behind the bar.

  Nate thanked her and led Tally to a corner table, far enough away from other diners to give them some privacy. As promised, the waiter promptly took their order and brought them coffee while the food was being prepared. Watching Tally dart furtive glances around, he realized she was curious and, at the same time, afraid of what she might see. He tried to stifle a laugh behind his hand, but it slipped out.

  She scowled at him. “What’s so funny?”

  “Sorry.” He shook his head. “But you look like you’re expecting a horde of crazed nudists to pounce on us.”

  Her eyes shot silver sparks. “For all I know, they might.”

  “Honey, they’re just people like you and me. The only difference is they believe it’s natural to shed their clothes and live the way they were created.”

  “Do you hold the same belief? Is that why you bought a condo here?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see anything wrong with the lifestyle. And I bought the place because it’s only an hour away from my shop but a world away from the traffic and crowds in the city.”

  “I see.” After a pause, she asked, “So you go nude here?”

  “I do sometimes but I won’t while you’re here.” Crooking his lips, he changed the subject. “You know, you haven’t told me anything about yourself other than how you joined the FBI. I’m guessing you’re originally from New England. Right?”

  She appeared to relax slightly. “How could you tell?”

  “You have a little northeastern twang. I noticed it the first day you walked into my shop.” He winked. “Along with other fascinating things.”

  Dipping her head, she blushed lightly, making him grin. “I-I thought I’d completely lost my Vermont accent. Guess not.”

  “So, does your family still live up there?”

  “My older brother Dwayne does. Justin, my younger brother, lives in California with his wife and kids. Marilyn, his wife, is from San Diego and she wanted to be near her family.” Fingering a lock of hair that draped over her shoulder, she glanced up and smiled. “My parents moved to a retirement community south of Tampa a few years ago.”

  He cocked an eyebrow in surprise. “No kidding?”

  She nodded. “I actually used visiting them as an excuse to come down here. Before my boss ordered me to stay and help solve the murder cases, that is.”

  “Humph. That’s quite a coincidence.”

  “I know.” She nervously cleared her throat. “I don’t know if you believe in fate, but it’s almost as if we were meant to meet.”

  Saving him from having to answer, their food arrived, but he thought about her comment off and on while they ate. He’d never believed in anything but his own stubborn will to survive and use what talent he possessed to make a life for himself. Yet, the way Tally had come to be here did seem fated. If you believed in such things.

  Shaking off such mumbo-jumbo, he washed down the last bite of his sandwich with a swallow of coffee. By then Tally had eaten as much as she wanted and set the rest aside. Crossing his arms on the table, he leaned forward.

  “Hey, why don’t we go for a swim in the main pool?” he asked.

  “Oh, I don’t think so.” She squirmed in her chair.

  “Come on, babe, I could use some exercise. How ’bout you?”

  “I’d rather go back to your condo.”

  “You still scared of what you might see?”

  “I’m not scared,” she asserted with a toss of her head. “I … I’m just mortified.”

  He enfolded her hand in his. “I know and I’ll let you in on a little secret. The first day I was here, I felt just like you do now.”

  “You? I don’t believe it,” she scoffed.

  “Yes, me. I’m not quite as thick-skinned as you think, but my neighbor gave me some good advice. He said not to worry, after the first few minutes I’d stop caring what people wore or didn’t wear. And he was right.”

  Tally stared at their linked hands then looked up and smiled. “Alright, let’s go for a swim.”

  “That a girl!” Happy she’d decided to give it a try, Nate drove her back to the condo, where they changed into swimsuits. He kept one there all the time and she had worn hers under her clothes all the way from Egmont Key yesterday. Grabbing a couple beach towels, they headed to the pool.

  *

  Talia was glad to see only a few people in the pool, possibly because the morning was at least ten degrees cooler than the previous day. A quick glance around confirmed that some were nude while others wore just enough to cover strategic areas. She tried not to look at them as she and Nate jumped into the pleasantly warm water, but it was impossible to ignore them when they called out friendly greetings.

  Remembering Nate saying they were just people like her, she determined not to judge them. She replied with a smile and waved when he introduced her to each, and the strange thing was she discovered he was right; she soon stopped caring what they wore or didn’t wear. She swam laps with Nate then took a breather while he went on to complete a few more. Floating contentedly on her back or lounging by the pool’s edge, she talked and laughed with her neighbors, forgetting her earlier embarrassment.

  Nate joined her minutes later. Sluicing water off his face, he raked back dripping hair that looked black when wet. His chest expanded and retracted rapidly as he fought to catch his breath, drawing her admiring gaze. He winked and started to say something but stopped as a tall man with light gray hair and beard strode past.

  “Hey there, Jerry,” Nate called, “what’s your hurry?”

  The big man stopped and turned. “Well, look who’s here,” he said in a deep voice. “When did you get here, Nate?” Grinning, he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts.

  “Last night, too late to do anything but hit the sack.”

  “How long you staying this time?”

  “I’m not sure.” Nate glanced at Talia. “It depends on circumstances beyond our control. Jerry, this Tally Werner.” To her he said, “Honey, this is Jerry Buchanan, whose better half you met earlier.”

  Buchanan chuckled at his comment. “Welcome to Paradise, Ms. Werner,” he said with a smile.

  “Thank you, Mr. Buchanan. Please call me Talia” She darted a glance at Nate. “I mean Tally, call me Tally.”

  “Tally it is. And just call me Jerry. We’re pretty informal here.”

  She nodded and listened as he and Nate talked about the latest improvements underway at the resort, a never-ending process from the sound of things. After a few minutes, Buchanan – Jerry, she corrected herself – excused himself and went about his business. A short time later, Talia climbed out of the pool with Nate’s assistance and they headed back to his condo.

  They’d barely walked in the door when her cell phone rang. Seeing the caller’s name, she instantly answered. “Hello, Detective Lovett.”

  “Hi. I thought you’d want to know we picked up Ortiz and two of his homeboys.”

  Talia felt a cautious surge of relief. “That’s good news.”

  “Yeah, well, they naturally deny breaking into your hotel room and they all claim to have alibis. Some of my men are checking them out as I speak.”

  “We will return right away. I want to sit in on the questioning.”

  “No!” Nate barked, standing nearby.

  She raised her hand for him to be quiet as she listened to Lovett tell her she didn’t need to return. He and his men were capable of interrogating the three punks.

  “I don’t doubt that, Detective, but I’m a profiler. It’s my job to get inside a suspect’s head and notice nuances that might prove guilt or innocence. I’m coming back. Please hold off any further questioning until I get there.” As she spoke she watched Nate glower at her, fists on his hips.

  Lovett gave up trying to dissuade her but
the moment she disconnected the call, Nate clutched her arms. “Are you crazy? It’s not safe for you in Tampa. You said yourself Ortiz and his pals might not be the ones who broke into your room. It might have been the murderer of those women. If it was, the threat he left you is real. Don’t you realize that?” He gave her a shake.

  Seeing the worry in his umber eyes, she laid her hands on his bare chest. “Yes, I do, but you need to realize I have a duty to perform. My boss ordered me to help solve those murders. I can’t do that hiding in Paradise with you, much as I might like to.” Rising on tiptoes, she kissed him tenderly.

  He returned her kiss for a moment. Then he set her back a step and continued to argue against her returning to Tampa, growing angry when she stood her ground. Finally, he told her to get ready and he’d drive her back.

  Talia was doing what she had to do, but Nate’s tense silence during the trip into the city hurt. He took her straight to the police station as she requested. She glanced at him, hoping he would drop his hard mask. When he refused to look at her, she opened her door but before she could get out, he caught her arm, making her turn to him in surprise.

  “Come here,” he said gruffly. Gathering her as close as he could with the center console in the way, he kissed her fiercely then nuzzled her ear. “Woman, you walked into my life barely a week ago,” he whispered, “but I care for you and I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Oh Nate, I care for you too, and you’re not going to lose me,” she said, voice trembling. “Stop worrying. I’ll be perfectly safe inside a police station.”

  He drew back, frowning. “There’s no way I can stop worrying about you.” He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Listen, I want you to call me when you’re ready to leave here. I’ll pick you up. Okay?”

  She smiled and nodded, eyes burning with unshed tears. “Okay. I’ll see you later.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek then quickly stepped out of the car before those tears of joy could escape. It wouldn’t do to be red-eyed from weeping when she faced Ortiz.