"A claymore." Robby slipped the halter off his shoulders. He'd dressed in a black T-shirt and black jeans, to be less noticeable teleporting in. He offered the scabbard to J.L. "Would ye like to see it?"
"Whoa! It's heavy." J.L. unsheathed the sword. "Sweet! This is massive!"
"Are ye all right?" Robby turned back to Olivia and touched her face. "I was worried about you."
"I'm fine. J.L. changed the lock." She motioned toward the front door. "I should be safe here now."
Robby shook his head. "There are ways to get past a locked door. Where are the apples?" He glanced about the room. The kitchen table was bare, and an empty pizza box lay open on the coffee table.
"We took the box to Forensics." Olivia winced when J.L. swiped the sword through the air. "Careful with that! You nearly slaughtered the ceiling fan."
"This is so awesome!" J.L. made a jab at an imaginary opponent. "I've got a Chinese sword and a samurai at home, but they're not nearly as big as this."
"Ye know how to fence?" Robby asked.
"Sure." J.L. ran a hand along the flat of the blade. "I took fencing in college, but there's not much demand for it at the Bureau."
Olivia snorted. "They have this bizarre notion that guns might be more effective."
J.L. rolled his eyes. "A sword like this is a piece of art." He sheathed the sword and lay the scabbard on the table.
"I'll be happy to spar with you sometime," Robby said. "I could loan you a claymore."
"You're on." J.L. motioned for Robby to join him at the table. "Dude, if you hurt Olivia, it'll be more than a sparring match."
She huffed. "I heard that. I don't need big male protectors who like to play Conan the Barbarian."
Robby smiled at her. "Even so, ye have two." He rested a hand on J.L.'s shoulder. "I appreciate everything ye're doing for Olivia. Ye're a loyal friend."
J.L. blushed. "Well, I meant what I said. You hurt her, and I'm coming after you."
She groaned. "I can take care of myself."
"I would never want to hurt her," Robby confessed quietly as he looked at her. "I love her."
She drew in a sharp breath and her eyes misted. "Oh, Robby," she whispered.
"Okay." J.L. grabbed his jacket off the kitchen chair. "I can tell when three's a crowd."
Olivia dashed over to hug him. "Thank you so much for everything. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"If you need me, call," he whispered. He glanced at Robby. "I wasn't going to leave her alone tonight."
"I'm staying," Robby announced. "But I need to leave shortly before dawn."
"You have to go back to New York?" Olivia asked.
He nodded. "They're expecting me." She would assume he was catching an early morning flight. He hated misleading her, but didn't think this was a good time to reveal his secret. She'd been through enough stress and turmoil today.
"Liv, I'll check on you tomorrow morning." J.L. fished his keys out of his jacket pocket as he headed for the door. "Good to meet you, Robby."
Olivia gave J.L. another hug before he left, then locked the door. She turned to face Robby. "Well?"
Alone at last. His fingers curled with a sudden desire to grab hold of her. Her gaze wandered over him, and he could hear her heart rate speeding up. The apartment seemed suddenly smaller and warmer, as if a hot, humid cloud of desire had descended on them. His own heart rate increased, even though he tried to stay calm. He didn't want his eyes to start glowing.
Think about something else, something not sexy. "I forgot how beautiful ye are." No, that didn't help.
She smiled. "I thought the same thing when I saw you in those wedding pictures." Her cheeks flushed. "You looked very handsome in your kilt."
She was taking on a pinkish tint, and he didn't think it was all due to her blush. He glanced down and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you tired from your flight? I can't believe you came all this way. It was so sweet." She rushed to the coffee table and folded the empty pizza box. "Sorry about the mess."
"'Tis all right."
She scurried into the kitchen with the box. "Can I get you something to eat or drink?"
"I'm fine. Thank you."
She came out of the kitchen with two glasses of ice water. "Pizza makes me so thirsty." She set the glasses on coasters on the coffee table. "Are you sure you're not hungry? I've got chips and ice cream and - "
"I'm fine. But if ye wish to eat, please go ahead."
"I'm full." She clutched her hands together. "I'm just...nervous. It's been so long since we were in the same room together."
"I shouldna have stayed away so long."
"It's all right." She perched on the green love seat. "I've really enjoyed our talks. I feel like I got to know you a lot better, and that's important. If we had met in person, we might not have...talked so much."
No, he would have been making love to her. "That is true."
Her cheeks bloomed a brighter pink. "I'd forgotten how strong the...chemistry is."
Chemistry? "Is that a nice word for wanting to throw you on a bed and rip yer clothes off?"
She drew in a sharp breath. "I suppose."
He sat beside her. "Do ye remember our last night together?"
"Yes!" She jumped to her feet and strode to the door to check the lock. "It was very sweet of you to come tonight."
"I dinna feel verra sweet when I heard yer message. Ye were so upset."
"The box was in my house. I felt violated. And the creep took a pair of my underwear for a souvenir. Can you believe it?"
Unfortunately, he could. He still had a pair of her underwear stashed under his pillow at Romatech. "The bastard," he muttered. "Would ye like me to speak to Otis for you? I could convince him to leave you alone."
"How?"
Vampire mind control. "I can be verra convincing." Though the mission would require a lot of planning, since he'd have to erase security tapes and the guards' memories.
"I appreciate that, but I have my own plan." She paced across the room. "I'm going to see him Monday."
Robby winced. "I'm no' sure that's a good idea. I investigated the man, and he's verra dangerous. I could take you away, if ye like, and hide you someplace he would never find you."
"I'm not running away. I did that before when my supervisor insisted on it, but it didn't work. And I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in hiding. I'm confronting him Monday. My mind's made up."
"And how are ye planning to make him stop harassing you?"
She explained her plan as she continued to pace. "Don't worry. J.L. is coming with me."
Robby frowned. "I'm glad ye have such a loyal friend, but it vexes me that he's here for you, and I'm no'."
"You're here now." She sat beside him once again. "And that means a lot to me." She touched his cheek.
He took her hand and kissed the pad of each finger. "Ye've changed me, Olivia. I've seen people the last few months, people who aided and abetted the man who tortured me. Before, I would have wanted to kill them."
"And now?"
He kissed the palm of her hand. "Now I realize they were victims, too. I want a second chance in my life, and I know 'tis wrong to deny others that same chance."
"What do you want your second life to be like?"
He smiled. "Ever the therapist. I want it to be full of joy and laughter." He smoothed a hand across her cheek. "I want it to be with you."
"Yes." She closed her eyes as he leaned closer. He pressed his mouth lightly against hers.
"Yes," she whispered again.
Her eyes popped open when he scooped her up and set her in his lap. He scooted to the center of the love seat.
"What are you - this can't be very comfortable for you." She squirmed in an attempt to get up, but he held tight as her wiggling rump incited a delicious agony in his groin.
He moaned.
"I knew it. I'm too heavy for - "
He cut her off with a kiss. Not a gentle peck this time, but a thorough, demanding kiss. For a second she stiffened, then she melted, becoming limp in his arms.
He invaded her mouth, exploring and tasting. His first taste of pizza. So much more spicy and flavorful than the steady blood diet he'd consumed since 1746.