Chapter 2
McGee made sure the young redhead was settled in his passenger seat, and then crossed to the driver's seat.
"I'm fine," she said, amused by his level of concern. It had been a long time since she had come face to face with an actual gentleman. Once he was settled, he put the car in gear and drove around the building, still not sure exactly how to get home. "I can't go to the hospital," she said nervously. "They might find me there."
"Umm… okay," Tim said.
"I'm staying at the Mandarin Oriental," she told him.
"I beg your pardon, but if they've tracked you this far and it isn't safe to go to the hospital, do you think it's safe to go back to your hotel room?" he asked.
"I never thought of that," she agreed. "That's probably why I seem to find trouble everywhere I go. I'm Julie Malloy," she said with a smile.
"Timothy McGee," he said, having a difficult time taking his eyes off her and putting them on the road.
"Where are we going?" she asked, looking around. "Oh, I know! You are making sure no one is following us," she beamed at him.
"Ummm… well, actually," he began, "I was lost when I found you, and I have no idea how to get back to familiar surroundings."
"Lucky for you, I have an impeccable sense of direction," Julie said with a smirk. "What's your address?" she asked.
"Huh?" he asked confused.
"You're taking me home with you, right?" she asked again, pulling him back on topic. Julie absently wondered how many dates her rescuer had been on. His gaze kept wandering to her lips, her breasts, her neck; he was having trouble staying focused. She was accustomed to men's admiring glances, but it was refreshing to be with someone who clearly didn't think he was God's gift to womankind.
"Uh, right," he answered. "I live in Silver City."
Julie looked around for a moment, and then her eyes lit with recognition. "Take a right at the end of this street," she said, and then paused while he caught up with her instructions. "Now left, and then…"
"Ah…" McGee interrupted. "I have my bearings now, thank you," he said politely. "So, if you don't mind my asking, who were those guys and why are they searching for you?
She gave a heavy sigh as she turned slightly in her seat to meet his gaze – his green eyes into hers of an even deeper green.
"I was on vacation in Rome," she began. "My friend, Sarah, and I were just hanging out and having a good time. Of course, we're used to men coming onto us, but we weren't there to hook up. I mean, not specifically," she added with a smirk. "Anyhow, we met this guy, Marco Belize. After a lot of trying, he eventually seduced my friend. Then she disappeared. Long story short," she paused with a grin, "I know, too late," she interrupted herself. "I have a tendency to ramble. But the short of it is that he was wanted by Interpol and the FBI and a bunch of other dudes. And somehow I got some information the FBI has been trying for months to get, and I'm trying to deliver it to them," she finally finished, as if reciting a nursery rhyme and the story she told was really no big deal.
"My God, that's incredible," Tim said seriously. "And you say you get into trouble like this all the time?" he asked.
She sighed. "Trouble just seems to find me, is all," she smiled. "But it's no big deal. The FBI found Sarah and she's fine."
Julie found herself relaxing in the car next to him like she hadn't since she got into this mess. She wasn't sure why, but in spite of his uncomfortable manner she felt really safe with him. She supposed that was why she had just opened up and told him the whole story. She hadn't even verified that he was actually a federal agent.
"So you came to DC just to bring the information to Fornell?" he asked, confused.
"I know I could have given it to a different agent, but I already know Agent Fornell and didn't know if I could trust anyone else," Julie explained.
McGee nodded in understanding. "How do you know Fornell?" he continued with his questions.
"He knew my dad somehow," she explained. "I don't know; I hardly knew my Dad. But I met Fornell when I was a child, and have seen him off and on throughout my lifetime. He's always been there for me if I've needed him – more than my own dad ever did," she continued bitterly.
"You said they took your cell phone?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered frustrated.
"Good," he said. "Now they can't use it to track you."
"Good point," she agreed.
He pulled the car into a parking space, gathered his things, and then went to assist Ms. Malloy.
"I'm fine, Tim," she insisted with a smile. He still came to her aid, putting his arm around her for support, as he led her to apartment number three.
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"This is it," he said as he opened the door and ushered her inside.
Julie took the obligatory walk around the main room of the apartment, looking into each of the spaces. It wasn't large, but it was clean. She liked that. She liked the look of the exposed brick. She took note of the dartboard. Tim McGee wasn't a very good shot – at least not with a dart.
"I only have one bedroom," McGee said apologetically, "but I'll sleep in the living room." Since he wasn't sure when he left how his date with Megan would turn out, he already knew the bedroom and bathroom were in proper order. "Just let me grab my first aid kit."
Julie smiled. He was incredibly sweet. And he had a very nice butt. She smirked. "You must have been a boy scout," she called out to him. "Always prepared," she lowered her voice as she saw he had reentered the room and was standing right next to her. She smiled at him. At 5'9 ½ ", she was only about 3 inches shorter than he was. He stood holding the first aid kit, his eyes locked on hers. She cleared her throat. "Tim, I appreciate your help, but I think I should probably clean up before we tend my wounds," she said logically.
"Of course," he said blushing. "Right this way." He led her to the bathroom, showed her where to find the necessary toiletries, and left her to shower.
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