"I saw some of the news footage of your visit today. Your father was fabulous. I felt better—safer—listening to him."

Blair smiled faintly. "Yes. He's really great. Sometimes I'm amazed that this man that the whole world considers one of the most powerful people on the planet is my father." She turned her head toward Diane and opened her eyes. "Sometimes I feel guilty wishing that he were just my father."

Diane slid closer and put her arm around Blair's shoulder. "I know. I don't blame you. Do you want to run away somewhere?"

"Can I take Cam?"

Diane smoothed her hand up and down Blair's arm. "Can I watch?"

"Watch what?" Cam asked as she walked in from the kitchen.

"Never mind," Blair replied.

Cam squatted down in front of Blair and put both hands on the outside of Blair's thighs, rubbing gently. "You doing okay, baby?"

Blair covered Cam's hands with hers. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."

"Do you still want to stay here tonight? I think we can cover that safely with the people Stark has."

"God, yes. I don't want to travel anymore. I just want to take a shower and curl up in bed and go to sleep."

"Honey," Diane said. "It's only eight o'clock."

"All right, then, I'll take a shower and curl up in bed with Cam and go to sleep a little bit later."

"Please don't put those pictures in my head," Diane said quickly. She brushed a kiss over Blair's cheek and rose. "Why don't you and Cam relax out here for a few minutes. I'm going to have some Thai delivered, and don't tell me you're not hungry because you will be when it gets here."

Cam took Diane's place on the sofa. "I'm hungry now."

"What about the spookies?"

"Hara has the night shift. I imagine she'd appreciate something to eat."

At that moment, Stark emerged from the kitchen, clipping her cell phone to her belt.

"How about you, Paula? Shall I put you down for some takeout?" Diane asked.

"Thanks, no. I'll be staying here tonight, but I need to go out for a couple of hours. I'll grab something while I'm gone."

Cam looked up, surprised. "Two on site overnight?"

"We're still at Priority One."

Stark spoke with quiet confidence, and Cam noticed. She settled back on the sofa and took Blair's hand in hers. "Your call, of course, Chief."

"Agents Krebs and Hara will be here for the evening," Stark said to Blair. "I'll be back before midnight. Please call me if you change your plans about staying in."

Blair shook her head wearily. "Believe me, Paula. I'm not moving from this apartment."

"Very good, then," Stark said. "Have a good evening."

"You too," Blair said. "Oh, and Paula?"

Stark turned. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Don't forget about the stick."

Stark grinned. "That's on my list, ma'am."

When Cam and Blair were alone, Cam said, "I spoke with Lucinda just now. She's working on a temporary apartment for you."

Blair raised an inquiring brow. "Lucinda is?"

"We need a safe house that's never been recorded by the Secret Service. Preferably one that no one knows about except the president, his security adviser, and Lucinda. We can't tell how far our internal security has been compromised."

"How long do you think it will be before I can move back home?"

"I don't know, baby." Cam cradled Blair's hand between both of hers. There was never going to be a good time for this. "It may never be secure enough for you to move back into the loft, Blair."

Blair jerked. "What? You mean I'm going to have to move?"

"Probably." Cam kissed Blair's palm. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Blair said dully. "God, I can't think about that right now." She closed her eyes. "I hate staying in safe houses. They feel so goddamned sterile."

"Just temporarily."

Blair stood abruptly, the frustration and fatigue finally winning. "How long is temporarily'? A few days? A few weeks? I can't paint with people in my back pocket all the time. I need to be alone. I need my own space to work."

Cam stood as well, but she did not touch Blair. "I know. I know what you need to work. I'll make it happen as fast as I can. I promise." She watched Blair stalk away, her arms wrapped around herself, and wanted to comfort her. She stayed where she was.

"Can I at least go by the apartment for an hour tomorrow? I need to get my canvases, Cam,"

"We can send someone for them."

Blair shook her head. "There are dozens, and it will be impossible for me to tell anyone else which ones I want. Besides, I need to look at them to decide." She whirled away, unwilling to allow Cam to see the tears that were as much impotent fury as sadness. "Send a goddamn armed guard with me. I don't care. I'm going to the loft in the morning. I'll pack up my work, and I'll go wherever you tell me to after that."

"Blair," Cam said gently, "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that." With her back to the room, Blair stared out through the glass doors of the balcony into the gathering night. After a moment, in a quieter voice, she asked, "What if we went somewhere that no one knew about, not even Luce?"

"Have you got some place in mind?"

Blair swung back, around. "What about Whitley Point? It's isolated, we were safe there earlier this week, and we can bring the entire team and anything else you think we need. I'm sure that Tanner can find us a house to rent. It's off season, and there won't be very many people around." She took a few steps forward. "And I can work there, Cam. I can work and"—she drew a shaky breath—"maybe start to feel normal again."

Cam considered it. She'd have to bring her entire investigative team, or let Blair go alone. The second choice was not an option. Fortunately, thanks to Davis's computer skills, her investigation could be run from anywhere in the world. "Okay, go ahead and check with Tanner. If she can find us a place we can secure, I think Stark will agree that it's a reasonable solution. I'd be happy for you to be out of the public eye for a while."

"I'll call her right now." Blair took two steps toward the bedroom where she'd left her overnight bag and cell phone and then stopped, suddenly uncertain. "And you'll come with me, right?"

"Of course." Cam did go to her then and took her into her arms. Holding her close, she murmured, "We're together now. Remember?"

Silently, Blair nodded and pressed her face to Cam's neck breathing in her scent, centering herself in the feel of her body and the touch of her hands, beginning to allow herself to believe.

Chapter Thirteen

I 've been thinking about this all day," Blair said with a sigh as she slid naked into bed beside Cam just after eleven p.m. She turned on her side and drew her leg up over Cam's thighs, fitting herself into the curve of her lover's body as she rested her head on Cam's shoulder and her hand between Cam's breasts. She gave a small groan. "You feel so good."

Cam curved an arm around her and kissed her forehead. "So do you."

"I'm so tired."

"Me too."

Blair kissed Cam's throat, then her mouth. "I want to make love."

"Mmm."

"I think I'm too tired."

"Uh-huh." Cam covered Blair's hand and moved it to her breast. "Me too."

"I'll catch you in the morning," Blair said drowsily, her fingers playing over Cam's nipple.

"Deal," Cam muttered, already drifting into sleep.

Blair felt Cam's body relax and smiled to herself. As much as she loved to excite her, to share with her the passion she gave to no other, she reveled in the knowledge that here in her arms, Cam could relinquish the vigilance that occupied her every waking moment. Satisfied in a way she had never imagined, Blair surrendered to her own weariness and slept.

*

With trembling hands, Savard stroked Stark's face even as she shifted out from under her. "I'm sorry. I think I'm just too tired."

Heart pounding, her mind and body still absorbed with the urgent need to feel her lover's passion, Stark rolled away, panting. She captured Renee's hand as it stole between her thighs and drew it upward to her stomach, trapping it there. "No. I'm okay."

"Oh, sweetie, you're not. Let me touch you."

Stark shook her head, trying to gather the fragments of her reason. "No. Really." She pulled Renne into her arms and held her tightly. "I just missed you so much. I didn't mean to push."

"You weren't pushing, sweetie. I wanted you too." Savard's heart ached to hear the note of apology in her lover's voice. "God, it's just that 1 can't..." Feel anything. Only so cold inside, so numb, so disconnected from everything.

The awful void that had been flirting at the edges of her consciousness all week yawned before her, threatening to suck her into darkness, and a wave of dread rolled over her. She needed to feel something other than the horror, or she feared she would be lost. With a cry, Savard climbed on top of Stark and kissed her hard, thrusting her tongue deep inside her mouth. She dug her fingers into Stark's shoulders, desperate for connection, not even noticing when her lover flinched at the unexpected onslaught. Gasping, she drove her hips between Stark's legs. The pressure deep inside, born of panic rather than passion, was unbearable. Eyes closed, sweat beading her face, she forced herself upright on trembling arms and thrust wildly, but still her climax eluded her.

"Oh God, oh God," Savard moaned. "I can't, I can't."

"Renee," Stark soothed, cupping her face with both hands. "Baby. Honey. Easy, it's okay."

Mind and body screaming for release, Savard focused on Stark's voice and let the sound of love pull her back from the edge of that terrifying abyss. Her arms finally gave out and she collapsed into Stark's embrace. "Hold me, oh please, Paula, just hold me."