This chapter includes Prompt 5 - Temptation that can't be resisted

They couldn't find a place to eat, and the by the time they felt they needed to stop to keep on time with their plan, they only motel was a popular hot pillow joint. Paula blushed furiously as a couple of residents gave her some cat calls on her way to the room.

"That was humiliating." She said, closing the blinds tight, and sitting on the spongy mattress.

"What do you care, you don't know them and they don't know you." Chase checked the bathroom and the rear window that looked out onto a gravel lot.

"It's what they think."

He looked at her and grinned. "And what are they thinking?"

She blushed again and gave him an angry look. "It isn't funny."

"No, but you are." He slipped off his jacket and hung it over the back of the only chair. "You want the bed or the rug?"

She looked at the worn, stained carpeting and pulled a face. "That's disgusting."

"Okay, bed it is." He pulled back the thin spread, pleased at least to see the sheets were clean, and grabbed a pillow.

"What are you doing?" She stood up while he removed the spread off the bed.

"Getting ready to sleep."

"Not on that, surely!"

"You wanted the bed." His look was placid as he watched the options playing out in her expression.

"I guess we both could manage to be comfortable for a few hours on that." Her eyes fell to the bed, and she chewed slightly on her upper lip. The kiss had been one thing, but in bed - together!

Chase tossed the pillow back and floated the thin bedspread back over the sheets, then kicked off his shoes and started stripping off his shirt. Paula watched, blushing brighter as the pants dropped and he pulled back the sheet and climbed under.

"We only have a few hours remember."

She cleared her throat and went into the tiny bathroom, removing her shirt, shoes, and the jogger pants she'd purchased at the mall. She looked in the mirror, wincing at the brevity of her bra and panties, and quickly put her shirt back on, tugging it down.

The light was on his side of the bed and she scampered around, dropping her pants on the nighttable and sliding under the sheet, clinging tightly to the edge of the mattress. The light went out without any word spoken and Paula stared at the filtered glow through the blinds.

******

"Hello, Ian, this is Exeter 1, we traced them to a diner on the route you suggested. Man and a woman matching the photos we have."

"Good work. Carry on to Whitthall's, I'll update the rest of the team."

"How do you want it handled, we'll be there before the others?"

"Wait for them, unless they make a move to leave. I have to check with Reagan about how we handle Whitthall's disposition when this goes down. I'll get right back to you."

******

Chase woke and lay very still. Paula was spooned against his back, a bare arm looped over his hip. He didn't like it. It was way outside his comfort zone. The woman had accidentally slipped through a door in his psyche carelessly left ajar. He had given in to some weak moments already, and chastised himself for that. His life had no room for deep feelings about anything let alone a relationship. Her warm breath drifted against his shoulder and he closed his eyes again for a moment.

Looking at his watch, he saw it was quarter to eight, and they would only need about three hours to reach Sanford's. If he could get out of bed, she could get at least another hour's rest. He lifted her arm and began a slow roll away, like some Hollywood comedy film, freezing when her sleepy voice asked what time it was.

Slowly, realization slithered into her wakening mind and her eyes flew open as she sat back quickly against the headboard. The bed sheets had slid down while her shirt had bunched up, and they both stared at the edge of her red panties. Chase grunted, as he finished his slapstick roll out of the bed, and peered over the edge at Paula hauling up all the bedding over her body.

"I tried not to wake you."

"Why? What were you going to do?" Her voice sounded taut.

"Let you sleep." He stood up and her eyes grew wide then darted away, as he began slipping on his pants. "You still have about an hour if you want to try going back to sleep."

"I think not." Indignation and embarrassment seeping in. She turned back and watched him sit on the bed to pull on his socks and shoes. A thin white scar curved around his left shoulder blade and she traced it with her eyes, wondering about its story.

He stood again and pulled on his shirt. "If you aren't going to sleep, you better get up so we can find someplace to eat before Sanford's."

"You seem to think about food a lot." She said, climbing out of the bed, dragging all the bedding with her.

"Only as fuel. It's needed for what I do - that and other things . . ." he said, watching her all the way to the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower." She made it sound like their situation required purification.

"Don't be long."

She closed the door, huffing with annoyance. "Don't be long. He acts like he owns me."

Muttering away, she peeled off her underwear and stepping to the tub, turned on the shower. Freezing rusty water hit her like an electric shock and she screamed aloud. Chase was there in an instant, gun out.

"Ooops!"

Paula screamed again, covering herself as the cold rusty water continued to pummel her skin. Chase reached in and twisted off the tap then stepped back looking for a towel. He found two in the dresser across from the bed and hurried back, holding them out at arm's length.

"Don't look!" She shouted, grabbing the towels and wrapping them around her.

"Here's a facecloth too, you'll probably want to wash in the sink." He grinned at her furiously red face and left, shutting the door.

A few moments later she came out, towels around her still, and shuffled over to where she had left her clothes. Chase had set them on the end of the bed, and when she picked up her shirt, the towel fell away and he was exposed to the bra that matched the panties glimpsed earlier.

He stooped down and picked up the towel, hefting in his hand as he faced her. Time seemed to freeze them both in the moment, and suddenly she was in his arms, struggling to keep her balance as they crashed down on the bed.

"We'll be late getting to Sanford's," she gasped.

"I'll just have to drive faster."

******

Chase made the familiar turn into the roadway leading up to Courtside manor, Sanford Whitthall's mansion, and stopped. A partial moon cast inky shadows from the tall oaks lining the road. He popped out the courtesy light bulb and quietly opened the door, stepping out and just stood still, listening.

The drive from the motel had been made in silence; each party working through the ramifications of their individual reasons and feelings. Paula felt empty. Her emotions had been drained between the willing surrender to the moment, and the nagging warning about whom and what Dane Chase was. She studied him in the shadows as he listened to the night.

"I think we're okay - so far," he said climbing back into the car and driving on.

"What were you doing?"

"Just checking. I'll stop again when we get closer to the house, just to be sure."

"What do you expect to hear?"

"It's what I don't hear."

"What?"

"Normal night sounds that are often silenced by abnormal disturbances. When it's too quiet it usually means something has changed." He pulled over again and got out for a minute.

"Are we safe?" She asked when got back in."

"I think so for now, but I expect your uncle's people have probably discovered our tracks. Doesn't mean they'll come here, but we can't dismiss it either."

He made a u-turn and pulled the car to a halt short of the front of the house.

"Okay, he's not going to be happy to see us, especially at this time of night, and he may balk - try to get help somehow. I don't want any interference if I have to . . . restrain him."

"You aren't going to hurt him." Paula whispered harshly as she got out of the car.

"I'll only do what's necessary, but I don't need a conscience shouting in my ear."

She followed him to the door thinking, the tender, careful man she knew in the motel had gone, and in his place was the cold-hearted killer again. She felt a sad, nervous lump form in her throat.

Chase didn't ring the bell, instead he expertly picked the lock and waved her quietly inside behind him. When the light came on, they both stopped in surprise, seeing Sanford in the hallway, with an ugly looking shotgun aimed directly at them.

"I see Doc anticipated correctly." Chase casually eased Paula away.

"He did, and now you can both just come in and sit down until his men arrive."

"That's a nasty looking nose bandage, doesn't go with the eye patch very well."

"Doesn't prevent me from seeing you well enough. Both of you, in here." He waved the barrel toward the study.

Chase led Paula to the chair he'd occupied when he was there last, and stood patiently nearby.

"Still have any of that Vodka you served last time?"

"This isn't a social occasion, Mr. Chase." Sanford sat in chair and levelled the gun at Chase.

"No, you're right. We're here on business. Miss Howard has a proposal for you."

Paula looked up sharply, then realized the plea would be better presented by her, considering she knew all the details.

"I do, Sanford, and I think if you listen with an open mind you'll see the benefits."

It took fifteen minutes to spell out the plan and the benefits to Sanford, but only if he agreed to make the representation to the FDA. She would be supportive of course, but getting the caution from the major investor, would go a lot farther than from what might be termed, a whistleblower.

The gun barrel had dipped to the floor during the talk and Sandford was leaning forward, his one eye glittering with the possibilities presented. Chase had slipped his gun from his waistband unnoticed , and stood ready to act if necessary.

"It will make me a pariah among the Rytex board - and the military."

"Without your backing, Sanford, the whole thing is a wash." Paula finally sat back and breathed slowly. "The military will survive, they'll just find another way, but Rytex would hurt - and badly. And don't forget, it's already a lot of your money that has made their research to date possible. The drug is good, Sanford. It can help a lot of people. It just needs more responsible testing for the safety of those we want to help."

"Do you have the studies?" He asked.

Chase stepped forward, hand up. "Do we have your word you'll co-operate?"

"How do I know I can trust you. You betrayed me once already."

"It's not me you are trusting, it's Miss Howard, and if she can't be trusted after what you and her uncle--"

"Uncle! Emile is your uncle!?" Sanford pushed the gun aside and stuck out his hand. "You have a deal, young lady!"

Chase's explanation of what happened was drowned out by the sound of the Courtside manor front door being smashed from its hinges.

A/N - I hope I met the requirements of the prompts in the twelve chapters, but I couldn't leave it there, so a thirteenth will be coming that ties up all the loose ends - I hope.

Thank you to all those who read, commented, and supported my story.