Feel the Heat (24 page)

At last he was suited up, and not a moment too soon. Taking one of the throw pillows on the couch, he slid it beneath her ass, lifting her up to him. Gripping his cock with the fingers of one hand, he nudged the head at her opening, letting her juices drench him. He moved slowly, pulling back a little, then edged forward, sliding incrementally into her welcoming flesh. It was nearly unendurable.

He was acutely aware of her beneath him and around him. Something between them had shifted into overdrive today, a blending of spirit as well as body. He wanted her, wanted all of her, wanted to drive her up with him to that wonderful peak. Again.

Then with one swift, hard push he drove into her, seating himself completely. Her legs came around him automatically, wrapping around his hips, her heels digging into the small of his back.

Troy closed his eyes and drew in a long breath, the muscles of her cunt gripping him like a tight, wet fist. Every time he entered her, it was like entering heaven. The sense of rightness, of belonging, surged through him along with a hunger for her that he didn’t think he’d ever be able to satisfy.

He moved slowly and rhythmically, rubbing her inner walls, one hand sliding between them to play with her sensitive clit. With a steady, measured pace, he drove her up again, feeling her body come to life once more as she responded to his movements. Those exciting little sounds of pleasure that he’d come to love burst from her mouth as she dug her heels into him with more force.

And that quickly, she was teetering on the edge with him, her body crying for release.

“Look at me,” he demanded, his voice harsh with lust. “I want you to look in my eyes when you come.”

She widened her gaze, her mouth slightly open and her small tongue peeping out. Her hands clutched his shoulders, nails digging into his skin.

“Now,” she begged. “Please, now.”

Troy hammered into her once, twice as her cunt spasmed around him. When her liquid flooded, he let himself go and came like a maniac. He was sure rockets had gone off in his head and his body would never recover from the intense force of the orgasm.

He lowered his head, waiting for his heart to stop racing and his lungs to take in air again. Lauren had loosened the grip of her legs around him and her body, only seconds before drawn as taut as a bowstring, was now softened and relaxed. The pulse still beat heavily at the hollow of her throat, and her skin shone with the fine glistening of perspiration.

“I think we have to be careful not to kill ourselves,” he grinned when he could speak again.

“I hope not.” She drew in a long breath, then let it out slowly. “I’m enjoying it too much.”

He dusted soft kisses across her face before pressing lightly against her mouth. “I love you, Lauren. Don’t ever doubt it.”

“I think you’ve convinced me.” She wound her arms around his neck. “But I have a feeling you’re going to have to carry me to bed.”

He laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

* * * * *

“Gayle?”

Gayle Hauser turned from the window where she was staring down at the parking lot. It still made her heart catch with happiness to see Clark sitting up in bed, most of the IVs and machinery gone and taking some nourishment by mouth.

“Yes, sweetheart? Do you need something?”

“Come back and sit by me,” he urged, pointing to the chair she’d been using.

She hurried over to the bed and took one of his hands in hers. “I can’t believe you’re actually getting well,” she told him, repeating it for possibly the one thousandth time.

“Me either. Although I don’t remember much that happened after the ambulance came and got me.”

“I’m not surprised.” She linked her fingers with his. “You were unconscious by the time they got you to the emergency room and didn’t wake up for days.”

“The doctor said it was a bad lung infection. They couldn’t seem to find the right medication for it.”

Gayle nodded, trying not to remember those days on end when she’d sat beside her husband’s unconscious body praying for help.

“That’s right. Dr. Robinson said once in a great while it happens, a new strain of bug that resists all the antibiotics and everything else they can throw at it.”

“So tell me again about this young woman who came here.” He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t remember you telling me who she is and how she came here to see me.”

Gayle smiled. She’d told him the story several times already, but the medications he was still receiving sometimes made his mind fuzzy.

“She’s a spiritual healer. I know, I know.” She shook her head when he frowned. “You don’t believe in things like that, and usually I don’t either. But Clark, I’ll believe anything after what she did.” She leaned over to brush a kiss on his cheek. “The doctors had just about given up on you when a man told me about her.”

“What man?” Confusion clouded his eyes. “Someone we know?”

“No, it wasn’t. Don’t you remember I told you about the phone call? There’s some very wealthy man who finds people in real need and helps them. He told me about her.”

“Mysterious man? Do we know his name?”

She shook her head. “No. He likes to remain anonymous. But he somehow heard about you, gave me this woman’s phone number, and she came and healed you. It’s a real miracle.”

He shifted in bed. “We’ll need another miracle to pay the bill at this hospital.”

“Oh but that’s the best part of it.” She brushed his hair back from his forehead. “Along with sending us this young woman, he gave us enough money to take care of everything.”

Clark was silent for a moment. She knew that once again he was processing the information.

“I can’t imagine a stranger just handing over that kind of money for no reason. There has to be a catch.”

“There’s just one. We can’t tell anyone about it. Not one person. Nothing about any of it.”

He gripped her hand. “Doesn’t that make you suspicious? It sounds like he has something to hide.”

“I’m just going to give thanks that he chose us and not worry about it. You’re getting well, and we’ll be out of debt. Let’s just look at it that way.”

Clark’s eyes fluttered closed, as if the conversation tired him. Gayle knew it was slow going, regaining his strength. She’d meant what she said about being thankful. Still, the image of that strange man almost threatening her if she told anyone about this wouldn’t leave her mind. And that little feeling of unease that plagued her since the beginning just wouldn’t go away.

* * * * *

“I hope you don’t mind,” Lauren said, “but I really need to spend a block of time on my computer today. I’ve barely been keeping up with things while all the madness was going on. Besides, that work helps me keep myself centered.”

Troy carried the rest of their breakfast plates to the counter so she could load them in the dishwasher.

“I wondered about that. Anything I can do to help?”

She grinned at him. “I don’t know. How are you at designing websites?”

“I’m much better at this.”

He cupped her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. Lauren wrapped her fingers around his wrists to hold him in place, drinking him in, wanting to prolong the kiss as much as possible. She was instantly drunk with the pleasure of him. This connection between them continued to grow and strengthen, so even his slightest touch awoke her physically and emotionally.

When he lifted his mouth from hers she leaned into his body, loving the hard wall of his chest and the taut, sculpted muscles.

“I could stay like this all day,” she said in a low voice. “Tell me I have to go to work.”

“You have to go to work,” he parroted.

Lauren laughed. “That didn’t sound very convincing.”

“How about this.” He put his mouth next to her ear, his warm breath fanning her flesh. “If you go to work like a good girl, when you finish I might take you upstairs and give you a reward.”

She pushed away, smiling up at him. “And that’s supposed to make me concentrate?”

“Maybe it will inspire you artistically. Are you doing any erotic websites?”

“I might have to after all this.” She wiped the sink with a sponge and dried her hands on a paper towel. “I need three solid uninterrupted hours. Can you find something to occupy yourself during that time or will you be bored out of your skull?”

“You need to get your work done. How about if I take a quick run to the grocery store? I checked out your supplies this morning, and you’re a little thin in a few places.”

“Like red meat?” she teased.

“Like almost everything. Don’t you ever cook for yourself?”

She shrugged. “What’s the point? I just dirty a lot of pans when all I have to do is nuke something in the microwave. Besides, the only thing I do really well is a salad or a baked potato. Cooking’s never been my strong suit.”

Troy tucked an errant strand of hair behind one ear. “I think we need to reorder our food priorities from now on. How about if we make a deal? When I’m home, I’ll do the cooking and you get mess duty.”

“Home.” Lauren looked up into his dark eyes. “I love the sound of that word, especially when you say it.”

“Me too.” His face sobered. “Just so you know, home can be wherever you want it. Here or Maryland. Or both.”

She wrinkled her forehead. “Both?”

“Uh huh. I know how much you love this house, so I’d never ask you to give it up. But sometimes I have to be on the East Coast, so it makes sense to keep my condo also.”

“That seems like a lot of money to spend. I‘d really be willing to relocate if you need to. I can work anywhere as long as I have an internet connection.”

“Money’s not a problem, sugar.” He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip. “In the next couple of days I need to show you how financially secure we are. And I’d never ask you to leave this house. Besides, I really like it. And both Dan and Mark keep homes here.”

She took a small step backward. “Troy, I don’t need your money. I want you to know that. I make a damn good living at what I do.”

“Whoa. Wait a minute. We’ll set things up however you’re comfortable with it. Your business needs to be separate for sure. But I’m not saying you
need
my money. I’m saying since we’re going to be married there’s no more you and me, there’s just us. Together.”

“Married.” She tried out the sound of it, then broke into a grin. “Married. Wow.”

“Not changing your mind, are you?”

“Not for a second. But I really
will
need your money if I don’t tend to my clients.”

“Okay. Give me a list of things you especially like, and I’ll fill in the rest. I can amuse myself for a couple of hours at the store.”

“A man who enjoys grocery shopping? I should lock you up in a glass case.”

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Before I go, I want to check with Andy again and see how things are going in Canada.”

“When you spoke to Dan last night, they were getting ready to leave from the airfield in Maryland, right?”

“Yes. Kat D’Antoni’s remote viewing skills have really helped them pinpoint the location. And nobody does stealth better than Phoenix. Andy called while you were showering to let me know they were almost at their destination. So far no snags.”

“Let me know, please?”

“You bet.” He patted her ass. “Now get busy, woman. Stop lazing around.”

Lauren knew Troy was putting on a good face for her, but worry for his partners and for the victim lurked darkly in his eyes. She knew from Faith’s stories that they’d never lost anyone on any mission, but there could always be a first time.

She had just pulled up her newest graphics program when he stuck his head back into the den. “Lauren?”

“Yes?”

He walked into the room and placed a small handgun on her desk. She stared at it, not touching it.

“It won’t bite,” he told her. “I promise. It’s not hard to use. No trigger to cock or slide to rack. Just point and shoot.”

“And who am I supposed to shoot with this?” Her eyes were still glued to the weapon. “I’ve never shot a gun before.”

Troy leaned against the desk and lifted one of her hands. Carefully he placed the gun in her palm and closed her fingers over it. “See how lightweight it is? It comes with a book called
Guns for Dummies
. Go ahead. Just feel its weight.”

Obediently she hefted it once, then placed it carefully back on the desk. “Okay. You’re leaving me a gun while you just go to the grocery store because?”

“Because my gut instinct keeps telling me something’s still wrong. Don’t open the door for anyone while I’m gone, but if someone somehow breaks in, shoot first and ask questions later.”

“All right. Just don’t be gone too long.”

“I’m resetting the security system on my way out,” he reminded her.

“Okay already. Just go and come back. I don’t like it when you’re not here.”

How easily she’d gotten used to him being around
.

As Troy headed for the garage, she settled herself at her desk and booted up her computer, telling herself he was just being over cautious. She looked at the little gun next to her as if it might explode, wondering what she’d do if she really had to use it.

Chapter Twelve

Reid McFadden was checking over the contents of his briefcase when his cell phone rang. He checked the screen.

Olberman.

“Yes sir?”

“How are things coming along on your end? Any activity around the Cahill woman’s house?”

“None,” Reid told him. “But we’re set up to do this thing today.”

“You followed my suggestions?”

Of course I did. Suggestions, hell. Order is more like it.

“Yes. Just as you said. We’re set to go today.”

“I trust you, Reid,” Olberman told him. “You’ve been with me a long time. But the in-depth report I got on this Phoenix Agency tells me these are no ordinary men. They were the best in their military units, and they have skills most men haven’t even thought of yet. I’m considering sending in a special team to help you with this.”

McFadden’s hand tightened on the phone. “If I thought we needed that, I’d definitely let you know. But really, boss, we’re good. We set the charge last night. Now we just have to pick the time to set it off.”