Inside Out

8

Rook Island, North Carolina

Sean left the bathroom feeling violated. She couldn't look the young deputy who had strip searched her in the eyes. She had persisted in trying to find out what the hell was going on-where Dylan was and why she was being held against her will. If she heard: Ma'am, your husband is fine. You'll be seeing him very soon. I wish I could tell you more. He will explain everything when you see him one more time, she'd lose her mind.

After Inspector Nations directed her to Dylan's room, she had to fight the urge to run weeping to him.

Now she was close to seeing Dylan, to understanding what this was all about. She paused at the door and took a deep breath to compose herself before she tapped at it.

Her heart leaped when she heard his voice call out, “If you ain't my young, brilliant, beautiful wife, don't you dare come through that door!”

Sean smiled and opened the door. Dylan was propped up against a stack of pillows on the bed, wearing a blue robe. She saw crutches leaning against the wall, bandages around his chest where the robe fell open. She rushed to his open arms and hugged him, careful not to hurt him by squeezing too hard.

Their kiss was wonderful; she drank in the scent of him, the familiar touch, which erased the memory of being humiliated by the search two minutes earlier. Dylan broke the kiss and held her face in his hands as he studied her, his million-dollar smile warming her heart.

He drew her in and kissed her again and now she felt the familiar hunger in his kiss. She knew where this was leading.

“Close the door,” he whispered urgently. “Lock it.”

“Dylan, first tell me what the hell is going on. I was grabbed at the airport and nobody will tell me anything. What in God's name has happened? What do they think you did? Why are we here?”

He held her close and kissed her gently. “It's very simple, kitten. We are together again. You go over there and throw that lock and come back here and I'm going to let you-”

“Tell me first.”

He kissed her cheeks, her nose, and gently nibbled her lips. “And come get into this bed and…”

God, after spending a day surrounded by grim-faced marshals, it was comforting being with him. “Please, Dylan.” Her pent-up fear and resolve to know what had happened was dissipating. “Dylan.” She felt herself sliding into a warm place as his familiar hands moved over her body. “You don't understand what I've been…”

He pressed a fingertip to her lips. “Please, Sean. Let's not spoil this with words.”

“But I…”

He put his lips to her ear and whispered, “Lock that door and come back here and I will tell you absolutely everything. Word of honor.. after we say hello.”