“She won’t,” Sam said. “That’s why I’m here.”
“I’ll be okay, Nick,” Abby said. “I think you’d better leave. It’s late.”
“All right, I’m going.” Nick gave Sam one last glare and then turned back to Abby. “But promise me you’ll call me if you need backup.”
“I will,” she said. “By the way, please use the stairs on your way out. I don’t want any of my neighbors to wake up and see you climbing past their balconies from this floor. I’ve got my reputation to consider.”
“Yeah, right.” Nick coughed. “I, uh, left some of my stuff out on the balcony.”
“Get it,” Sam said. “And then go.”
Nick pretended not to hear the order, but he went out onto the balcony and collected the rock-climbing equipment. When he came back inside, Sam followed him down the short hall and into the small foyer. Newton accompanied them.
Nick opened the door. The outer hall was empty. He gave Newton one last pat and then straightened to give Sam a hard, cold look. He lowered his voice.
“If anything happens to Abby, I’ll be holding you responsible,” he said.
“Understood,” Sam said. “Believe me, if I thought she would be safer far away from this situation, I would have arranged that. But running wouldn’t do her any good. Problems like this tend to follow a person. And even if you escape for a while, they’re lying in wait when you return.”
Nick thought about that for a few seconds. Then he nodded. “You’re right. Guess that makes you her bodyguard.”
“That’s pretty much what it comes down to,” Sam said.
“That gadget you used on me is sort of impressive. Can I assume that you’ve had some practical experience in the bodyguard business?”
“I’ve done some occasional consulting work for a private firm that gets most of its business from a government agency.”
Nick widened his eyes. “You’ve got experience as a consultant? Gosh, darn, that sure makes me feel a whole lot better. Which government agency are we talking about? The post office?”
“Close enough. Time to leave, Sawyer.”
Nick looked down at Newton. “At least you’ve got Newton to help you.”
“Right.”
Nick narrowed his eyes. “Don’t underestimate the dog. Or Abby.”
“I won’t.”
Nick went out into the elevator lobby and vanished into the emergency stairwell.
Sam closed the door, threw the dead bolt and looked down at Newton. “Just you and me, pal.”
Newton looked hopefully at the leash hanging on the coat tree.
“Forget it,” Sam said. “It’s two o’clock in the morning.”
He went back into the living room. Abby was in the process of closing the sliding glass door. The chilly breeze stirred the wild curls of her hair and caused the hem of her robe to flutter around her ankles. She had very nice ankles, Sam thought. Dainty, feminine, sexy.
Abby got the door locked and turned around to face him.
“So do you date a lot of cat burglars?” he asked, before he could stop himself.
Abby made a face. “That is not amusing. But just to be clear, Nick and I never dated.”
“Why not? Seems like you two have a lot in common, what with being in the same business and all.”
Why was he pushing her like this? he wondered. They had more important things to talk about, such as the lab book. But he knew the answer. He had been feeling increasingly territorial all afternoon and evening. Watching Sawyer come through the balcony door and then act as if he had every right to do so because of his personal relationship with Abby had triggered some very primal responses.
“Nick is a friend,” Abby said quietly. “He and Gwen and I go back a long way together. The three of us are like family. For the record, Nick is gay.”
“Huh.” Okay, now he felt like a certified ass. That’s what the old primal-response thing did to a man, he thought. It made him stupid.
Abby watched him with her mysterious eyes. Energy continued to swirl gently in the atmosphere around her. He realized that he was still running a little hot. An edgy hunger stirred things deep inside him.
“That gadget that you used to stun Nick,” she said after a while. “Is that your own invention?”
“Works on crystal energy. But it can only be triggered by psychic currents.”
“In other words, only someone with talent can use it?”
“Yes. I think of it as a bug zapper.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to suppress the restlessness. “This isn’t a good time to talk about technology. We both need sleep.”
Newton appeared from the hallway. He looked plaintively at Abby.
“He wants to go out,” Abby said.
“He went out earlier. I can’t believe you’re in the habit of taking him out at two in the morning every night.”
“Of course not,” Abby said. “But we don’t usually have so much excitement going on in the living room at this hour. Now he’s wide awake, and so am I. We could both use a stroll to work off some of the adrenaline. I’ll take him up to the garden.”
“In your nightgown and robe?” It dawned on Sam that he sounded like a scandalized husband.
Abby was amused. “Calm down. I’ll put on a coat and a pair of shoes. No one will know that I’m in my nightgown.”
Sam thought about saying something along the lines of “It’s the principle of the thing” but decided that it would only make him look like a Neanderthal.
Abby went down the hall and opened a closet door. Newton trotted enthusiastically in her wake.
“Hang on,” Sam said, resigned. “You’re not going up there alone.”
They took the elevator to the rooftop terrace, went through a set of glass doors and out into the crisp summer night. Low-level lamps marked the winding path through the elaborately planted rooftop garden. Abby and Newton went ahead, to the gate of the section that had been set aside for dogs.
Sam pulled up the collar of his jacket. At least it wasn’t raining, he thought. Abby was bundled up in a long trench coat. She had on a pair of shoes that his sister, Emma, would have called slides, but they looked a lot like slippers to him.
He watched her stoop down to unclip Newton’s leash. As soon as he was free, Newton hurried through the gate and began to investigate a row of bushes, selecting just the right spot. Choices, choices, Sam thought. It seemed like there were always choices to be made in life. And once a man had made his decision, he was committed.
He moved to stand beside Abby, savoring her scent and her unique vibes. She did not try to put any distance between them.
“Sorry I zapped your friend tonight,” he said.
“Nick had it coming. He had no business sneaking into my home tonight to go through my mail. As long as there was no permanent harm done.”
“He’ll be fine. At least I think he will.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Relax. According to my design calculations, there won’t be any permanent damage.”
She looked up at him, her eyes pools of mystery in the darkness. “Have you ever used that gadget on anyone else?”
“No. Haven’t had the opportunity. But I’ve had some experience with a prototype.”
“Great. Wonderful. I’m so relieved to hear that.”
He exhaled slowly. “Nick asked me if I was qualified to act as a bodyguard.”
“You’re not my bodyguard,” she said quickly. “You’re my hired investigator.”
“Comes down to the same thing. And you have a right to know my qualifications.”
“As a bodyguard or as an investigator?”
“Both. I told Nick that I’ve done some consulting for a private contractor that does some work for a government agency.”
She smiled. “The post office?”
“You know, you and your friend have a warped sense of humor.”
“Nick already made that joke?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry. Cou
ldn’t resist. Go on.”
“I’m trying to explain that I do have some experience in this kind of work. Thought it would make you feel better.”
“You don’t need to tell me your credentials,” she said. “Although I admit I’m curious. But the bottom line is that I know you can handle my situation. I wouldn’t have let you spend the night under my roof if I thought otherwise.”
“What makes you so sure I’m qualified for the job?”
“My intuition, of course. Hey, I’m psychic, remember? You give off all the right vibes.”
He turned to face her. “What kind of vibes would those be?”
“I knew the moment I met you that you’re the kind of man who does what he says he’s going to do. No excuses. In some ways, you’re as hard as any of those rocks in your collection, but you can be counted on to complete the job or go down trying, and it would take a lot to bring you down. You’ve committed yourself to protecting me while we hunt for the blackmailer and the lab book. You would not have made that commitment unless you thought you could carry it out. I realize you have your own agenda, but that doesn’t mean you won’t honor your commitments.”
“You’ve known me for less than twenty-four hours. How can you be so damn sure of me?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Just something about your energy. But I’m not basing my conclusions entirely on my own intuition. Thaddeus Webber thinks you’re the right man for the job. But more to the point, Gwen and Newton approve of you. And Nick, for all his faults, is a pretty good judge of character, too. He has to be, because he deals with some very shady clients. He wouldn’t have left without a struggle tonight if he thought you couldn’t be trusted to do your job.”
“In other words, you trust me because your friends and your dog signed off on me.”
“They’re my family, Sam. I’ve got another, picture-perfect family, but it’s not the same thing. Gwen, Nick and Newton are my real family. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” He reached out and framed her face between his hands. “But there’s something you need to understand. The lab book is important, but you are my number-one priority in this thing. I give you my word on that.”
Her eyes burned with a little heat. “That’s good to know.”
“Is there any other man who might climb through your window tonight?” he asked. “Some other guy who might feel he has a claim on you?”
“No,” she said. She rose slowly on her toes, as if she was making her decision on the way up. The energy around her got a little hotter. “No one else. Not tonight. Anyone I should know about who might feel she has a claim on you?”
“No,” he said.
“That’s all right, then.”
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly, carefully, as if she was conducting a delicate experiment, the outcome of which was designed to satisfy her curiosity but not to oblige her to make a commitment.
Fire roared through him. He lifted his head.
“Don’t know about you,” he rasped, “but as far as I’m concerned, we are not running a field test or a lab experiment here.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll show you.”
He crushed her close and kissed her hard and deep, making it clear that he wasn’t running a test. This was the real deal, and he wanted to make sure she knew it.
She was clearly startled, and for a terrible moment he thought she would retreat. But she gave an urgent little gasp and tightened her arms around his neck. Her mouth softened invitingly under his.
Heat lightning snapped and flashed in the atmosphere. He was suddenly more aroused than he had ever been in his life. It was as if the energy of his aura was resonating with hers in a way that made every sensation more intense, more volatile, more vital.
He was trying to decide how to get her out of the coat and down onto one of the loungers when she planted both hands against his chest and pushed herself a little distance away. She was breathless.
“Newton,” she managed.
He looked down. Newton was sitting at their feet, his head tipped to one side with an expectant air. He had the leash between his teeth.
“Your dog has lousy timing,” Sam said. “But he’s got a point. It’s too cold out here for this kind of thing.”
Abby giggled. Her laughter sparkled in the night. Sam grabbed her hand and made for the glass doors. Newton, leash still in his teeth, dashed after them, excited and enthusiastic.
“He thinks we’re playing a game,” Abby said. She punched the elevator button.
The elevator door opened. Sam pulled her inside. Newton trotted in with them.
Sam hit the button for the tenth floor and pinned Abby to the wall.
“No games,” he vowed.
She struggled a bit. He held her still and kissed her fiercely.
When the elevator doors opened, he was forced to release her. She clamped a hand over her mouth and looked at him with laughter-filled eyes.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
In response, she pointed up at the ceiling of the elevator. He saw the security camera and realized why she had resisted a moment ago. He laughed and yanked her back into his arms, making sure that he was kissing her as the elevator doors closed, making sure that the last image recorded on the security camera was that of Abby in his arms.
Staking his claim.
13
SHE WAS HOT AND COLD AND SHIVERING SO HARD SHE COULD not even get the key into the lock. What was wrong with her? It was as if she was in the grip of a raging fever, but she did not feel ill. Just the opposite. She was wildly exhilarated. She was flying.
The key fell to the floor.
“This is embarrassing,” she said.
Sam scooped up the key, opened the door and propelled her inside. She was vaguely aware of Newton’s nails clicking on the floor behind them. He disappeared down the hall to the living room. Sam got the door closed, peeled off his leather jacket and immediately went to work unfastening Abby’s coat.
Part of her was shocked by the force of her response. It was as if the physical contact had awakened something deep inside her that had been dormant all these years, as if she had been waiting for this encounter.
Sam wrenched off her coat, hurled it in the general direction of the coatrack and closed his hands deliberately, powerfully, around her shoulders. Yet for all the strength that she sensed in him, both physical and paranormal, there was an exquisite tenderness in his touch that was incredibly seductive. As if he was handling fine, delicate crystal, she thought.
She slipped her hands up under his black T–shirt and flattened her palms on his chest. The feel of sleek, hard muscles beneath his warm skin excited her senses. She could see the heat in his eyes. He tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her throat. For the first time in her life, she understood what it meant to be thrilled.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she whispered.
He pulled back just long enough to tug off his T–shirt. With her fingertips, she traced the outline of an elegant bird with wings of fire that covered his left shoulder.
“It’s a phoenix, isn’t it?” she said.
“Yes.”
“You know, I would never have pegged you as the type to get a tattoo.”
“I was nineteen,” he said.
He cradled her jaw in one hand and used his thumb to tease open her mouth, tasting her, drawing her deeper into the embrace. The world spun around her. It took her a few heartbeats to realize that Sam had picked her up in his arms. He angled her carefully and carried her down the hall, through the dimly lit living room and into the darkened bedroom.
He tumbled her down onto the bed and sprawled heavily on top of her, anchoring her with his weight. His mouth moved over her as if he craved her.
She could feel the damp warmth gathering between her legs. He had done little more than kiss her, but her body was already preparing for him. The sheer urgency of her need should have made her hesita
te, pull back. And somewhere a faint alarm was sounding, warning her that what she was doing held all manner of unknown risks.
But she was in no mood to pay attention to the weak protests that emanated from the part of her mind that was still trying to think rationally.
Sam dragged his mouth across hers one last time and then wrenched himself free. He rolled off her and sat up on the edge of the bed.
“Give me a second here,” he said. His voice was low and husky, and his breathing was rough. He stripped off his pants and fumbled briefly in a pocket. “Damn. My hand is shaking so hard it will be a wonder if I can get this thing on.”