Chapter 43

Abigail convinced Rick that he couldn’t throw her into the ocean because she had her gun on her and it couldn’t get wet. But Rick had a better idea. Since his house was in a pretty isolated area and there was no one on the beach, he stripped her bare before throwing her in! Seconds later, he was joining her.

“That wasn’t very nice, Rick!” Abigail said, splashing water on his face.

“Who said I was nice?” he asked her feigning surprise.

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long kiss.

Rick pulled her up against him and lifted her so that she wrapped her legs around his waist. The water was calm so they didn’t have to worry about waves, which was good since they were too busy wrapped up in each other.

Abby ran her fingers down his neck and over the tribal tattoo, which ran down the center of his back.

“You drive me crazy, you know that?” he asked, running his lips down her cheek.

“Is that so?” she replied before nibbling on his earlobe.

Rick sucked in a breath and closed his eyes.

“You know you do.” He whispered as he looked into her eyes and brushed her wet hair from her face.

He lifted her gently as he slowly slid into her.

Abigail moaned as her eyes closed and she buried her face into his neck as they started rocking back and forth.

Don’t ever leave me, she thought as she felt him move within her. She didn’t think she could handle it if he did and she never found the strength to tell him that. Right now, she would just treasure every moment she had with him.

**

While Rick was in the shower, Abigail had gotten dressed and was downstairs, walking towards the kitchen to get something to eat when she noticed a manila envelope had been slipped under the door.

Her eyes narrowed as she bent to pick it up carefully. The envelope was addressed to Rick but she sensed that it wasn’t business related and opened it just as Rick walked in.

“OhmyGod!” Abigail muttered as she emptied the envelope and pictures fell out.

“What is it?” Rick asked, walking over to her. He saw the pictures and picked one up. It was of him and Abigail locked in a passionate embrace in the middle of the ocean. He picked up another one, which was of him holding Abigail on the balcony of his bedroom.

“Someone’s been spying on us.” He stated.

“I’d say they’ve been watching us.” Abigail corrected him, “And they want us to know that they’re watching us very closely.”

“Shit!”

“That was so careless of me to relax my guard like that!” Abigail stated angry with herself, “Anything could have happened to you out there Rick! My gun was right there on the sand for God’s sake!”

“Relax.” Rick said taking her by the shoulders, “Nothing happened.”

“I wasn’t even thinking straight.” She murmured to herself.

“Of course you weren’t.” Rick said, “But that wasn’t your fault. If anyone should be blaming himself, it should be me.”

“But it doesn’t make sense.” Abigail continued pushing away from him, “We were all alone. That person could have done anything they wanted to, but they didn’t. Why?”

Rick shook his head.

"When are your bodyguards coming?” Abigail asked him in her serious voice.

“In a few hours.”

“Good. I want someone walking around the compound checking things out. No one comes in or out without me knowing about it, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.” He said with a mock salute.

“Something doesn’t feel right.” Abigail said absently.

“What do you mean?” he watched her closely.

“Someone’s playing with us.” She said, “And I’m sorry to say Rick, but if this person really wanted you dead, you’d be dead by now. But you’re not. That sounds like a game to me.”

“Okay baby, you’re scaring me.” Rick said, taking a seat, “And they did try to kill me, that’s how you got shot.”

“I know. That’s what I can’t figure out.” Abigail stated, “I mean, seriously Rick, if someone could sneak into your hotel room and leave you threats, they could do the same thing and kill you!”

“Okay, okay. I get the picture!” he said shaking his head to clear the images.

“I’m just being realistic.”

“I know you are.”

“And this is still my case.”

“I know that too.” He replied.

“I’m going to be saying stuff you don’t want to hear.”

“I know! I know, damnit!” he got up and stalked towards the window.

“I’m sorry.” He said when she walked up to him and put her arms around his waist, “I know this is hard for you too.”

She nodded against his back and he continued.

“I just wish there was another way of figuring this out without getting you involved.”

“Too late.”

“I just don’t want to you to get hurt again.”

“I’ll try my best.”

He turned around and hugged her then.

“I know you will, detective.”