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Trust me, Kel the last thing I m feeling is deprived.
She was quiet a moment, and Mac tore his eyes off the other car long enough to glance at her. You
okay?
Me? she asked. Absolutely. Tonight was well, incredible.
If you re easily romanced by sex in a terrorist s bathroom in the company of his injured lizard, I d
have to agree.
She gave a laugh that seemed a little uneasy and looked out the window. I ve never been one for
romance. A quickie on the bathroom counter is much more my style.
Mac wasn t sure whether to feel proud or insulted, so he settled for squeezing her knee. Kelli
smiled and curled her bare feet beneath her on the seat, looking small and delicate and sweet again.
How the hell did she do that?
Tearing his eyes off her, Mac looked in the mirror again, dismayed to see the other car wasn t
passing. He dropped his speed, feeling edgy as they approached his house. Had someone followed
him here? It wasn t one of the Town Cars, so it couldn t be Hank keeping tabs on them.
The roads leading to his neighborhood were quiet, dotted with second homes and quiet residences
that didn t see much action at this hour. Who the hell was following them?
Mac?
He turned and saw a pair of tension creases between her brows.
Is something wrong? she asked.
Mac slid a hand to the gun holstered at his side. He was just a few hundred feet from the house
now. Should he continue past and see if the car followed, or risk leading someone straight to his
house?
The house is well guarded, he said, as much for his own sake as for Kelli s. Someone s on our
tail.
Oh. She glanced behind them, her worried expression deepening. We re being followed?
It looks that way. Duck down, Kel. Keep your head below the dash.
She obeyed, and Mac made the turn into his driveway. He hit a button on the dash that controlled
the intercom to the house. Guys, we have visitors, Mac said. Full alert.
He watched as the car turned into the driveway behind him. A dark sedan with tinted windows
masking the identity of the person inside. Mac swallowed hard and pulled the parking brake, his hand
steady as he reached for the pistol.
Don t move, he told Kelli. Not unless I come for you. Keep your head low.
Okay.
Her voice was high and soft, and Mac wished he could just stay here and pull her against his chest,
stroking her hair and assuring her everything would be fine.
But duty called.
Mac reached for the door handle as he drew his gun with the other, wishing he had the Kevlar vest
he kept stowed in the trunk. He stepped out just as the rear door of the sedan swung open and
someone stepped out.
Mac felt his blood go cold.
Dear God, no.
Chapter Nine
Kelli sucked in a terrified breath as Mac s words echoed in the night.
Dear God, no.
She kept her head down, just like he d told her, and her pulse thrummed so loudly in her ears that
she thought her brain might explode. She held her breath, waiting for the gunshots, waiting for the
thundering footsteps of Mac s bodyguards, waiting for
Is that seriously the way you re going to great your mother, MacArthur Patton?
Mother?
Kelli sat up, banging her head on the dash, as she peered through the window. Sure enough, there
was Stella Patton, looking exactly as she d looked since the first time Kelli had gone home with Sheri
in second grade and Stella had explained they could only have a plate of cookies and milk if they
performed thirty minutes of KP duty, followed by a military circuit workout.
Stella had led the workout.
Kelli looked at Mac. He couldn t have looked more dumbfounded if his mom had shown up naked
wearing a sombrero made of bacon.
Mother, Mac repeated, almost like he was willing himself to believe it. What are you doing
here?
That s precisely what I came to ask you, young man. Did you not think to tell me you d gotten
engaged?
I uh
Mrs. Patton, Kelli said, pushing open her car door and stepping onto the driveway to rescue her
fake groom. It s so lovely to see you again.
Kelli? Is that you, dear? Goodness, I haven t seen you for ages. How have you been, sweetheart?
Stella stepped forward and wrapped Kelli in a hug that smelled like gunpowder and Oil of Olay.
Kelli fell gratefully into it, catching sight of her dumbstruck groom over Stella s shoulder.
You re on hugging terms with my mother?
Of course we are, honey, Kelli replied. I ve been friends with your sister since second grade,
remember?
No I mean, I guess I didn t pay attention to my little sister s friends, but I didn t realize
Stella shook her head and regarded her eldest son with fond contempt. MacArthur, how can
someone with such a genius for covert operations and world affairs be so utterly oblivious about
human relationships?
Mac gritted his teeth, and Kelli almost felt sorry for him. If Sheri was right about her brother s
hang-ups with emotional entanglements hindering his need to protect people, having his mother here
had to be messing with his mind.
Good to see you, too, Mother.
Stella stepped back and straightened her blouse before turning to regard Mac with a stern look.
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