High Energy (35 page)

you feeling, baby?"

"A little sore, but otherwise okay." A small shudder coursed through her body

with the recent memories of LaLeche.

"Are you sure?" He massaged her back.

"Yes, really. It was horrible, but the horror is already receding thanks to your

fine treatment, Doc." She smiled against his skin.

Tyber let out a pent-up breath of relief. She was going to be okay. "He's been

arrested."

"Was it on the news?"

"No." He didn't elaborate and Zanita didn't ask. "Extortion. A couple of women

identified him by his picture. Said he seduced them under the name of Marvin

Broconol, took photos, then blackmailed them by threatening to show the pictures

to their wealthy husbands. Since one woman is divorced and the other is a widow,

they were both very eager to nail the s.o.b. Several others have come forward

with various complaints. All felonies. He'll be gone a long time, I imagine."

"The important thing is that his days of duping people in need are over. It's

such a pity, really. Healing practices can be so beneficial. All it takes is one

rotten apple—"

"In this case, the one rotten apple shouldn't spoil the bunch. I agree with you;

there are many decent, good people out there trying to effect a change for the

better with new methods. But keeping an open mind cuts both ways."

"Now that this is over, I guess…" Zanita hated to say this, but she didn't quite

know how Tyber felt about her moving in with him on a permanent basis. Now that

she had admitted her love to him, there was no more deceiving herself.

She knew exactly where she wanted to be. Forever.

But how would Tyber feel about it? Even though he had confessed his love to her,

he still was a very private person. He might prefer to maintain his privacy. She

twirled the hairs on his chest, gathering courage. "I'll be moving back to my

apartment."

"I don't think so." The Captain's tongue darted playfully in her ear. She

shivered in response.

"No?"

"No."

Was he sure? "But Tyber—"

"I have a new case for us to investigate." He didn't add that he had searched

high and low the past weeks for something, anything that would pique her

interest so she would stay with him.

Zanita smiled to herself. "Really? What is it?" She snuggled into his broad

chest.

"There's a man who lives right here in Massachusetts, on Martha's Vineyard, who

claims his tavern is haunted."

"So, he's a nutcake. So what?"

"So… several reputable sources agree with him."

"Hmm…"

"So… you can't possibly leave." He bent his head to honor the hollow above her

collarbone with very talented lips. Preoccupied, Zanita patted Tyber's head, her

mind already on the story. Or so it seemed.

"Tyber?" She asked absently.

"Mmm?" He buried his head in her neck, running his hot mouth creatively up the

side of her throat.

"Will you marry me?"

He paused for an instant, going stock still.

"Yes."

He resumed his meanderings about her neck. As if he hadn't just made a

momentous, turning point-in-his-life decision.

Zanita clutched a handful of his thick hair, pulling his head up. "How come you

answered so fast?"

Behind half-closed lids, those beautiful light-blue eyes twinkled, a spark of

exaltation mingled with rising passion. A lazy smile inched across his handsome

face, curving his cheek. His expression made her distinctly apprehensive.

Just before he lowered his head to hers, he replied in that uniquely roguish way

of his, "Did I ever explain to you about the speed of light? No? Well, baby, it

goes something like this—"

It was the quintessential Tyber answer. Zanita was to learn that night, and for

the rest of her adventurous life with Doc Evans, that everything is simply a

matter of perspective.

Except love.

Love, Tyber maintains, is positively absolute.

And he should know.

After all, the man is a genius.