Trove (The Katie Walsh Mysteries) (18 page)

“I think you may be on to something. I’ve noticed that before when I’ve worked with other short people. It’s an odd thing, but I’ve seen many instances when taller people, and pardon the pun, but they talk down as if you’re incapable of understanding adult conversation.”

Katie nodded, amazed that he’d even notice something like that. “I know it’s not deliberate. It just seems to happen. So I build up my armor and set the tone right at the start that I’m someone to be taken seriously.” She sighed. “And then people think I’m tough when…”

“When you really just want to be yourself, a warm, soft woman. I see it when you interact with Laura and Willie.”

“They don’t judge me. They accept the real me. I’m relaxed around them. I have no walls with them.”

“I know. And I can see they care deeply for you.” Alec reached over and grasped her hand in his. “Do you think you can drop the walls around me?”

She swallowed. “I-I don’t know.” She released her seat belt with her free hand and turned to face him. She wanted to drop her guard with him, but something was stopping her. “I can try. I want to, Alec. It’s just not that easy for me. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have a lot of close friends.” She looked away and continued, “But that’s okay because I know I can trust them with my life if I ever need to.”

Alec lifted her chin and turned her face back to his. He leaned over, his eyes sweeping down her face, stopping at her lips. She wet her lips. He dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her into his lap. His mouth lowered onto hers and closed over her lips, sealing them under his.

Katie didn’t resist. She couldn’t even if her brain told her to. Her body craved his touch, craved him. She wound her fingers into his hair, gently tugging the lush, almost black strands. She opened her mouth to invite, greet his tongue as he entered.

****

Alec swept his tongue over hers, exploring her, tasting her, remembering her. His hands moved upward from her waist until his palms rested against her ribs. He pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. His hands drifted up her chest, brushing the sides of her breasts. He felt a low moan rumble through her sweet mouth as her tongue… her tongue was responding to his but instead of fighting him, she was totally submitting to him, letting him take control.

Katie moaned when his hands teased her breasts. She nestled her chest against him. She draped her hands in the hollow behind each ear, gently massaging that sensuous spot with her thumbs. Her curls fell around them as she leaned tighter into him. Her breath was ragged, thready, as if she’d just run a few laps.
His tongue had taken over and she seemed as if she were relishing the control she’d given him. Katie flicked her tongue against the roof of his mouth, letting it slowly drift back and forth. He felt her body rise and fall with his breathing as she leaned into him.

Alec cupped the bottom of her breasts, letting their weight rest in his palms. They filled his hands with their natural shape. He stroked her nipples with his thumbs, feeling them stiffen under his touch. He lightly pinched them through the thin material of her T-shirt. She squirmed in his lap in response.

“Ahem, excuse me.”

Alec opened his eyes, locating the source of the voice. It was the flight attendant. He was standing behind Katie. Alec released her mouth. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away from him. She whimpered. Her breathing was noticeably uneven. Her eyes slowly opened, dazed and questioning.

“Yes, George?”

“I’ll be serving dinner now.”

****

Katie slid off Alec’s lap and stood looking at the floor. Her face was flushed and her lips teasingly full. He wanted to keep kissing them. Alec watched her as she crossed her arms, trying to shield herself from view. She wouldn’t lift her gaze to meet his.

She turned and raced to the sleeping quarters, shutting the door behind her. He followed. He wasn’t about to let her hide.

Alec knocked. “Katie? May I come in?” When she didn’t answer, he opened the door.

Katie looked so lost sitting on the edge of the bed with her head bent forward. Alec was surprised how quickly she responded to him, surrendered herself. He was a fool for letting it go too far. He put her reputation at risk, but he couldn’t stop
himself. For five years he’d thought of her, kicking himself for agreeing to her no-names rule. Five frigging years of missing her, her touch, her scent, and now he’d probably screwed it up big time. His plan was simple. Get the job and get the runes translated. Once he had them, he planned on leaving. Then he’d bring the murder out in the open. It should’ve worked. Yet since the moment he saw her at the conference, the plan had taken on a life of its own. He still needed the translation and he still needed to leave, but he didn’t want to now. She was back in his life, not exactly like he wanted, but she was here. Only now, he felt like he’d hung a flashing neon sign over her head. She didn’t deserve this, didn’t ask to be used the way he was manipulating her. Robert was right. She deserved to be told the truth, deserved to make the decision to help him, not be forced because he was her boss. Like it or not, the stakes had risen.

“We need to talk.”

She didn’t lift her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I got carried away. It won’t happen again.”

He stood in front of her and cupped her chin with his hand. He urged her head up until she looked at him. “There’s something I need to tell you, but not here. When we get to Willowton. And then…” He exhaled. “And then
you’re
going to make the decision as to what happens next.”

“I don’t understand.”

He bent down and grazed her still swollen lips with a fleeting kiss. “Not here.” He dropped his hand and grabbed hers, pulling her to her feet. He gently pushed her toward the door, lightly swatting her butt as she passed in front of him. “Come on. Let’s have some dinner.”

Katie picked at her food and finally, after an hour, offered the plate to George as he passed by for the umpteenth time. She looked exhausted. After yesterday’s fiasco, or was it the day before’s, and then her insomnia, he doubted if she’d barely slept
eight hours over the last several days. She rose and headed for the sleeping quarters.

“Everything okay?” Alec asked.

“Yeah, I’m just tired. If you don’t mind, I think I need to see if I can catch some sleep.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” he said as she stepped into the room. “Sweet dreams,” he called out as she shut the door.

****

Someone was pushing him, prodding him.
What the hell
, he thought as he came to, unaware he’d dozed off. “George? What’s the problem?” His stomach tightened as he registered the strained expression on George’s face.

“Dr. MacGowan, I think there’s a problem with Dr. Walsh.”

Alec sprang to his feet, towering over George. “Is she all right?” he asked as he glanced at the closed door.

George shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure but I think she may be having a nightmare. She’s been making these odd sounds.”

“Odd? Like what? Can you describe them?”

“Well, they’re like moans, pain filled—”

A long mournful sound came from the other room. The hair on the back of Alec’s neck rose. He headed for the door. His hand froze on the handle as he heard Katie’s muffled screams from the other side. “Nooo… someone… anyone, make it stop… make it stop.” Deep gasps, as if she couldn’t catch her breath, followed.

He bolted through the door and froze, his body stiff as he took in the sight of Katie curled up in a tight ball, but that wasn’t what immobilized him. It was her hands. Both of her hands were cupped tightly over her nose and mouth, sealing out the air. “What the hell… is she trying to suffocate herself?”

Her deep gasps continued, convincing him that she was on the verge of passing out. He straddled her, tried to pull her hands from her face. She was holding on with a vise-like grip. “Katie, KATIE, WAKE UP. WAKE UP NOW. YOU’RE HAVING A NIGHTMARE. IT’S NOT REAL. WAKE UP.” He yanked her hands back to let the air into her lungs. She inhaled deeply, sucking the oxygen in. His heart raced as he pushed her onto her back with her hands flat, one on each side of her head. “Katie, baby, wake up, please wake—”

Her eyes flew open, her pupils wide in terror. “Who… what,” she started, confused.

“Katie. It’s me. Alec.” She squirmed under him as she tried to pull her hands free. “Baby, I need you to focus. Look at me, Katie. Look. At. Me. Deep breaths, Katie, deep breaths.” He watched her face. She didn’t seem to recognize him. She twisted under him, trying to roll away from him. He tightened his knees and nudged her hips as he lowered his weight onto her thighs, hoping the pressure would quiet her.

“Breathe with me, Katie. Watch my chest.” He placed her hands on his chest and held tight. “Baby, look at my chest. Breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out. That’s good,” he said as she followed his lead.

Her breathing soon mimicked his. He felt her relax. Her hands stopped pulling against his. “You okay?” he asked, relieved when she nodded. He released her hands.

She started to sit up but stopped when she felt his weight pinning her down. “I’m okay. I need to sit up,” she said as she thrust against his knees.

“Oh… right,” he said as he lifted himself off and settled beside her as she sat up.

“Jesus, Katie, what the
hell
was that?”

She shrugged and sighed. “My nightmare.”

“
That
was more than a nightmare. I’d say it was more like a night terror.”

She leaned forward and rested her head in her hands. He laid his hand on her back and gently moved it in a circular motion. “Talk to me, Katie.”

She shook her head and replied hoarsely, “Can’t.” She hesitated then added, “Not yet.”

He pulled her onto his lap. She curled up against his chest and rested her head in the crook of his neck. She leaned her head up and whispered in his ear, “Thank you.”

He pulled her tighter and smoothed a hand over her hair. He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t do that to me again, KitKat.”

She smiled weakly. “I’ll try not to. I just keep telling myself that each time I have one of these… it’ll be the last. I’ve had this nightmare for ten years now.” She inhaled slowly. “Laura keeps telling me that unless I face this monster head-on, I’ll never be free.” She rubbed her temple. “I know from a logical standpoint she’s right, but I… I just don’t want to go there.”

They stayed wrapped together with him comforting her, stroking her hair, murmuring in her ear, until George informed them they needed to prepare for landing.

****

They were processed through Customs without incident and the jet was cleared for Willowton. An hour later they were being chauffeured up the long drive. Katie had spoken little more than a few dozen words and that was for the government official.

Alec whistled as he got his first glimpse of Lord Chester’s estate Willowton. “It’s magnificent,” he said as he took in the massive building, its many chimneys rising into the sky like sentinels. “There are even guard towers. How old is this place?”

“Umm, I’m not sure. Most of the structure dates from the 1500’s, but it may be older.”

“There must be at least forty rooms.”

“Closer to fifty, I think,” she answered, becoming more engaged.

He whistled again. “Hope I can get a tour, at least of the main section.”

She glanced over and smiled. “I think something can be arranged.”

The car rolled to a stop and the main door opened. A casually dressed man stepped out. He appeared to be in his late thirties, perhaps early forties, with an abundance of grey sprinkled through his brown hair.

“Is that Lord Chester?” Alec asked.

She shook her head. “No, that’s Thomas.” She pursed her lips. “I think his official title is ‘Internal Affairs Manager.’ He handles everything related to running the inside of the building. There’s another guy that handles everything outside, though I’ve never met him.”

“Hello Dr. Walsh, Dr. MacGowan. Welcome to Willowton.”

“Hi, Thomas.” Katie smiled. “Great to be back. You know how much I love it here.”

Thomas returned her smile. “Indeed I do and, as always, Lord Chester is happy to have you here.” He turned to Alec and extended his hand. “I’m Thomas. If you need anything during your stay, please let me know.”

Alec shook his hand. “Thanks. I’d like a tour, if that could be arranged.”

Katie laughed and shook her head. “Just like a kid in a candy store.”

Thomas grinned. “If you’ll follow me,” he said as he started back into the house.

Alec stopped abruptly as he stepped into the foyer. Katie smiled at him as she watched his gaze travel up the magnificent stone staircase that split into left and right sides about thirty steps
up. “Incredible,” he uttered. Thomas faced them. “Dr. Walsh, I’ve assigned you to the Yellow Room and, Dr. MacGowan, you’re directly across the hall in the Blue Room.”

Katie grinned. “Thanks. While the Blue Room is my favorite, I think the yellow would be a tad too feminine for Alec. I’m sure he’ll love the Blue Room once he gets a look at it.”