“Don’t make me wait. Please…”
She moaned as he rubbed the tip of his engorged cock against her wetness, back and forth until his only thought was to be inside her.
He leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed one of the condoms she’d psychically launched at him earlier, ripped the package open with his teeth and rolled it on himself with shaking hands.
“Carrie…” he said, stroking the hair off her face.
She looked up at him, her moist, swollen lips parted, her breath coming in shallow gasps. His control was already shaky, but the dark, raw look of desire in her eyes destroyed him. As slowly as he could manage, he pushed his hard length inside of her, inch by inch.
Carrie moaned as he filled her, and her hot, wet tongue traced the curve of his ear. “Patrick, please…don’t stop…”
His body began to move of its own accord and he pumped his hips against hers, each stroke becoming more fierce and insistent as control skittered out of his reach again. It was too much. Sensory overload. He pulled her against him so her breasts flattened against his chest and he crushed his mouth to hers, again tasting the ocean salt that hadn’t been washed away by the rain.
The pleasure he felt was beyond anything he’d experienced before. Was it because he had been without sex for so long? Or was it because he was with Carrie?
Both.
He leaned back after a moment, bracing himself on his forearms, and looked down to see where their bodies connected, where his length slid in and out of her soft wet flesh. Her hands gripped his ass and he felt her fingernails dig in so deeply it almost hurt.
“You feel so good,” he managed.
“Don’t sound so…surprised.” She inhaled sharply, then brought her hands over his shoulders to span his chest. She studied him intently before the slightest glimmer of a sexy smile played at her lips as he moved inside of her. “So was it worth it?”
“What?”
“I just don’t know what you’ve been waiting for.”
He tried to grin. He’d been waiting for her to come back into his life—he just hadn’t known it. “I guess I’ve been waiting for a rainy day.”
She started to laugh, but the sound was swept away by his groan of pleasure. “You feel so good. But—”
He stilled. “But what?”
She slid her fingers through his hair. “I want to be on top now.”
His smile returned. “Oh, really?”
“You’re—you’re not the boss of me.”
“Not at the moment.” He leaned over and swirled his tongue over the tight bead of her right nipple, pleased that the simple move made her gasp and arch her back.
“Will you be agency manager again in the future?”
Always with the questions. Even when there were much better things to focus on. “Maybe someday. I don’t know.”
What happened in the future didn’t concern him. Neither did anything that had happened in the past. All that mattered was what was happening right now. He wanted to freeze this moment in time so he’d never have to step out of it.
But he was certainly willing to accommodate her request. He shifted positions so he was on his back—it was very reminiscent of his dream. He half expected her to produce a blue silk scarf out of thin air.
“You’re beautiful, too,” she whispered into his ear.
His lips twitched. “Just what a guy wants to hear.”
His smile faltered when she straddled his body and gripped his cock. She hovered over the tip of his penis for a long and torturous moment before slowly lowering herself down on him, taking him inside of her in one smooth stroke. He swore darkly under his breath.
And he’d thought her telekinesis was the most dangerous thing about her. He’d had no idea of her true power over him.
She leaned over and brushed her lips against his ear, “Does that feel good?”
“I vote…yes. So good.”
“I didn’t realize this would be part of my agent training.”
He reached up to take her full breasts in his hands and squeezed them, rubbing his thumbs over her hard, sensitive nipples.
“You didn’t read your contract?” he teased, although it wasn’t easy to concentrate.
“Not the small print.” She gave him a shaky grin. “Although, your print isn’t all that small. Very impressive, actually.”
“Compliments will get you anywhere, Ms. Stanfield.” He sat up, keeping her astride him, and covered her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. One hand slid into her dark hair, the other held tight at the small of her back as their bodies slid together.
“Please don’t stop,” she moaned against his lips.
He truly wished he could grant that request, but he was so close now. His thrusts became faster, deeper, and she cried out his name, her body clenching his, as she orgasmed.
“Carrie—” He growled deep in his throat. He wanted to make this last, to feel her body shudder with pleasure again, but it was too late. He swore gutturally as his own climax thundered through him and he came hard inside of her, holding her tight against him.
He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think for at least a full minute afterward. Carrie didn’t make any move to pull away from him, wrapping her arms around him instead.
“It’s funny,” she said against the side of his face.
“What is?”
“When we’re together like this, it feels like—like I’m in control when I’m totally out of control. Being with you feels like riding the storm inside me instead of fighting against it. Maybe that’s what she meant.”
He moved a little so he could look into her eyes. He trailed his fingers down her flushed cheeks. “Who? Erzulie?”
“The one and only.”
He still couldn’t believe he could actually touch Carrie. He traced the edge of her face and jaw, then stroked his fingers over her beautiful lips. “My empathic ability’s completely gone at the moment, likely due to that ring on your finger. Which is fine by me. But I have no idea how you’re feeling right now.”
“I’m feeling…” She brushed her mouth against his. “Like I’m glad there’s a whole basket of condoms at the ready.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Now that’s wishful thinking. Remember, I’m thirty-six, not sixteen. An old man needs his rest, you know.”
“I truly can’t believe your cock’s been out of commission for two years. Such a waste.”
“Carrie Stanfield,” he said with mock shock. “What a mouth you have.”
“The better to kiss you with.” And she did.
“I lied,” he said, rolling her over and pressing her into the mattress.
She frowned. “About what?”
“Looks like I don’t need as much rest as I thought I did.”
She glanced down at his cock, which was hardening as they spoke. “That’s what we call a gift with purchase.”
He grinned and kissed her. “Is that what it’s called?”
Her smile faltered and she groaned with pleasure as he slid his hard length inside of her again. This time he was able to go slower and watch her face as she came, her back arching off the bed.
He knew this wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t just a chance to find his release.
This was more. So much more.
It was Carrie’s name he cried out as he reached his climax this time. Her lips he kissed as if there was no one else in the world but the two of them.
The phone rang a moment later. They both looked over at it.
“Ignore it,” Patrick said. “Nobody’s supposed to be here. Who’d be calling?”
Unfortunately, it was difficult to ignore a phone that kept ringing.
Carrie slid her hands down his back. “It’s stopped raining.”
“It has?”
She nodded. “Looks like the storm’s over.”
It took another four rings before he reluctantly let go of her addictively warm body and swung his legs over the side of the bed, quickly grabbing the receiver.
/>
“Yeah?”
“Patrick? You are there!”
It was Will. Patrick frowned with confusion. “How did you know that?”
“A woman was in here a minute ago and she told me that’s where you were. That storm was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t know where the hell it came from. Are you all right?”
“We’re fine. Your boat sank, though.”
“Who cares about the boat as long as nobody’s hurt. What are the damn odds you’d be out in the middle of the ocean when there’s a freak storm? Thank God you made it to the island and took shelter.”
Patrick flicked a look at Carrie, now lying on her side on the bed, listening carefully to everything he said. “Who was the woman who told you that you could find us here?”
“No idea. Gorgeous, though. A local, I think, but I couldn’t completely place the accent.”
Patrick’s grip on the phone increased. Seemed as though Erzulie didn’t need her amulet in order to be summoned. She could simply summon herself.
“I’ll come get you myself,” Will said. “I’ll be there in an hour. Is that all right?”
He sounded apologetic, as if he were responsible for the storm that had put them in danger just before it put them in bed.
“An hour’s fine. Thanks.”
“See you then.”
Will hung up and Patrick placed the phone back in its cradle. “Did you get that?”
Carrie nodded. “He’ll be here in an hour.”
“Right.”
“An hour before we have to go back to reality. An hour here with just the two of us.”
A shiver of excitement went through him at the sexy tone of her voice. “A whole hour.”
“We better not waste any time,” she said. “Come here and make love to me again.”
He didn’t argue.
12
CARRIE KEPT THE GOLD ring firmly on her finger as they rode in the motorboat back to Will’s resort. It was one-thirty in the afternoon. So much had happened since they left the resort only four and a half hours ago. Her body ached and felt tender, but sex with Patrick had been everything she’d imagined. She could feel his hands on her still, even though he sat five feet away from her.
The man had an effect on her that made her shiver. She’d wanted him so badly. And now she still wanted him.
At the moment, it took all her strength not to crawl over to him and beg him to make love to her again.
He glanced up and met her gaze. She held it for a moment before turning to look in the direction the boat was moving as it cut through the crystal-blue water.
She wasn’t a crawling and begging kind of girl. Never had been and—despite the incredible sex she’d just had with Patrick—never would be.
Still, a part of her ached for his touch, and knew deep down it wasn’t only a physical need.
“So you found the amulet where I said it would be?” Will asked.
Patrick patted his pocket. “Got it right here.”
“So what’s the plan now?”
“I’m going to destroy it.”
Carrie watched Patrick. “You believe Erzulie’s responsible for the curse. Even after what she told me.”
He nodded. “Yes. We’ve already seen how powerful she is. I think we were just lucky to catch her on a good day.” Her cheeks warmed and not just from the sunshine peeking through the dissipating cloud cover. “She’s the real deal. Destroying the amulet that Will used to summon her in the first place will likely remove whatever curse she placed on the property—and anything else she may have done.”
Carrie understood what he meant. Destroying the amulet would also help undo whatever Erzulie had done to make Carrie summon the storm in the first place. It could have been a onetime manipulation of her telekinetic powers, but she’d rather not take that chance.
Will studied Patrick for a moment, his hand on the rudder of the boat as he guided the small vehicle into place at the dock. Then he nodded. “Please destroy it as soon as you can.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t recognize her earlier,” Patrick said.
“Who?”
“Erzulie. She was the one who told you that Carrie and I were stranded on your honeymoon island. No one else would have known.”
Will stared at him blankly for a moment. “You’re kidding.”
“Afraid not.”
“I didn’t see her when I summoned her. I only heard her voice.” He blinked, “Now that you mention it, she sounded a lot like the woman that—well, shit. I have to say, the Caribbean goddess of love and sex is a stone-cold fox.”
Patrick climbed out of the boat and held a hand out to Carrie.
“Thanks.” She felt a shiver of pleasure as their skin touched and he helped her onto the dock. Will worked to secure it in place.
She looked up at the sky. Any signs of the storm were disappearing as rapidly as they’d appeared. Clouds parted to reveal the bright blue Caribbean sky once again.
Surprisingly, there didn’t seem to be any damage to the trees or beachfront here. Will had said that they’d had heavy rainfall, but nothing close to what she and Patrick had experienced out on the water and on the island.
It was a localized storm. Located right over Carrie and Patrick. And it had gone away the moment they’d consummated their passion for each other.
“So I guess you should destroy that amulet of hers,” she said. “Fix things here at the resort, and we’ll hop on the first flight back to Mystic Ridge.”
She felt his hand on the base of her spine and turned to look up at him.
“We can leave tomorrow,” he said, glancing at Will, who stood just out of earshot.
“But you retrieved the amulet. You’re going to destroy it. Why wait?”
He stared at her lips for a moment. “I think we should stick around a little longer before we head back, but that depends on how you answer my next question.”
“What question?”
“Will you have dinner with me tonight?”
“Dinner.”
“Yes, it’s the meal that comes after lunch.”
“I know what dinner is.” She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re sure you want to spend time with a storm-brewing psychic?”
“You make it sound so appealing. And I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure. So is that a yes?”
She looked at him. He seemed open and sincere, nothing hidden there. This wasn’t secretive Patrick, the man who drove her crazy with his guarded behavior. No, this was sexy, delicious Patrick, the man who made her want to forget everything and everyone and sail away to a deserted island so they could be together forever.
Don’t think like that, she told herself firmly. She didn’t want to set herself up for disappointment. Maybe this was just a fling. An amazing, wonderful fling. Once they got back to Mystic Ridge and she was assigned a new partner, maybe everything would change.
Her love life had only given her heartache in the past and left her unable to trust. Her boyfriend from seven years ago, the last man she could honestly say she’d been in love with, had loved alcohol much more than he did her.
But Patrick was different.
Being with Patrick, well…it felt like magic.
She wanted to believe in magic.
“It’s a yes,” she finally answered, and saw relief in his eyes.
“Good. Say, seven o’clock?”
“Sounds perfect.” She turned away, but he didn’t release her hand. She looked at him expectantly.
“I can’t seem to stop touching you,” he said, before reluctantly letting her go.
“I’m not complaining.” She grinned. “You have a lot of time to make up for.”
“I do.”
Maybe she could have kissed him goodbye, but she wanted to leave him wanting more.
SHE CALLED AMANDA FROM her hotel room.
“Have you discovered what Patrick’s hiding?” Amanda asked.
“Yes.” Carrie twisted the phone cord around
her index finger.
“And?”
Carrie hesitated. “I don’t want him to get into trouble.”
“I’m not asking on behalf of PARA. I’m asking as a friend. No matter what it is, you can trust me to keep it confidential. I’m just worried about him, is all.”
Carrie believed that Amanda was sincere. “It’s his empathic ability.”
“What about it?”
“He can’t use it anymore. If he touches somebody it hurts him really badly. Like information overload. I’m not completely clear on the details. But it’s the reason he doesn’t touch anyone.”
“Really?” Amanda sounded confused. “Patrick’s had his ability for ages. That doesn’t make sense.”
“Then I don’t know what else to tell you. That’s what’s going on with him.”
“It does explain why he doesn’t like to touch people anymore. Patrick took great pride in his ability. It helped him in countless cases and he used it to deal with dozens of agents. He was one of the best and now he can’t use it at all. Such a shame.”
“No argument there.”
“So did you find out why he was able to walk again so easily?”
“Didn’t he go to physiotherapy?”
“He did when he actually made it to the appointment,” Amanda said. “When he didn’t see the results he liked right away, he stopped going regularly. Maybe a few times a month, if that. I remember the day he found out he’d never be able to run marathons again—”
“What?”
“He’s a runner. He was almost in the Olympics fifteen years ago.”
That was something Carrie hadn’t known. “And the doctor told him he couldn’t do marathons anymore?”
“Yes. The physio was supposed to strengthen his muscles and eventually keep him out of the wheelchair, but it was likely he’d have to walk with a cane for the rest of his life. He took it hard. Really hard. And then only a couple weeks later, he was walking around like he’d never been injured.”
“Do you have any idea what happened?”
“Other than a miracle? No, I’m not sure what could have done this.” She paused. “Well, outside of a healing charm, of course.”
“A healing charm?”
“They exist. But most of them turn out to be cursed or enchanted artifacts. But Patrick would never take the easy way out. He wouldn’t play around with something that might hurt him. All true magic comes with a price.”