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you're great in bed."
"I am," he said without false modesty. "But," he added somberly, "you're a
virgin. First times are painful and embarrassing, nothing like the torrid scenes in
those romance novels you like to read."
She drew in a drowsy breath. "I figured that."
He had to get out of here. He was aroused already. It wouldn't take much to tempt
him, and she'd been through enough already. He tapped her on the tip of her nose.
"Sleep well."
"Micah, can I ask you something?" she murmured, blinking as she tried to stay
awake.
"Go ahead."
"What did my mother see that made her think she'd enticed you that night we had
the blowup?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked. "Because if you do, I'll show you."
Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded. She looked at him with
uninhibited curiosity and hunger. "I'm sure."
"Okay. Your choice." He unsnapped his pajama bottoms, and let them fall. "She saw
this," he said quietly.
Her eyes went to that part of him that the pajamas had hidden. She wasn't so
naive that she hadn't seen statues, and photographs in magazines, of naked men. But
he sure didn't look like any of the pictures. There were no white lines on him
anywhere. He was
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solid muscle, tanned and exquisitely male. Her eyes went helplessly to that part of
him that was most male, and she almost gasped. He was impressive, even to an
innocent.
"Do you understand what you're seeing, Callie?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," she managed in a husky whisper. "You're...you're aroused, aren't you?"
He nodded. "When I got away from you that Christmas night, I was like this, just
from being close to you," he explained quietly, his voice strained. "The slacks I
was wearing were tailored to fit properly, so it was noticeable. Your mother was
experienced, and when she saw it, she thought it was because of her. She was
wearing a strappy little silver dress, and she had an inflated view of her own
charms. I found her repulsive."
"I didn't know men looked like that." Her lips parted as she continued to stare
at him. "Are you...I mean, is that...normal?"
"I do occasionally inspire envy in other men," he murmured with a helpless
laugh. He pulled his pa-jama trousers back up and snapped them in place, almost
shivering with the hunger to throw himself down on top of her and ravish her. She
had no idea of the effect that wide-eyed curiosity had on him. "Now I'm getting out
of here before it gets any worse!" he said in a tight voice. "Good night."
She stretched, feeling oddly swollen and achy. She stretched, feeling unfamiliar
little waves of pleasure washing over her at the intimacy they'd just shared. She
noticed that his face went even tauter as he watched her stretch. It felt good. But
she was really sleepy and her eyelids felt heavy. Her eyes began to
close. "Gosh, I'm tired. I think I can sleep...now." Her voice trailed off as she
sighed heavily and her whole body relaxed in the first stages of sleep.
He looked at her with pure temptation. She'd been sedated, of course, or she'd
never have been so uninhibited with him. He knew that, but it didn't stop the
frustrated desire he felt from racking his powerful body.
"I'm so glad that one of us can sleep," he murmured with icy sarcasm, but she was
already asleep. He gave her one last, wistful stare, and went out of the room
quickly.
The next morning, Callie awoke after a long and relaxing sleep feeling refreshed.
Then she remembered what had happened in the middle of the night and she was
horrified.
She searched through the bag Micah's friend had packed for her, looking for
something concealing and unnoticeable, but there wasn't a change of clothing. She
only had the jeans and shirt she'd been wearing the day before. Grimacing, she put
them back on and ran a brush through her short dark hair. She didn't bother with
makeup at all.
When she went into the kitchen, expecting to find it empty, Micah was going over
several sheets of paper with a cup of black coffee in one big hand. He gave her a
quick glance and watched the blush cover her high cheekbones. His lean, handsome
face broke into a wicked grin.
"Good morning," he drawled. "All rested, are we? Ready for another round of show
and tell?"
She ground her teeth together and avoided looking directly at him as she poured
herself a cup of coffee
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from the coffeemaker on the counter and added creamer to it.
"I was drugged!" she said defensively, sitting down at the table. She couldn't make
herself look him in the eye. "Really?"
"You should know," she returned curtly. "You drugged me!"
"I gave you a mild sedative," he reminded her. He gave her a mischievous glance.
"But I'll be sure to remember the effects."
She cleared her throat and sipped her coffee. "Can you find me something to do
around here?" she asked. "I'm not used to sitting around doing nothing."
"I phoned Lisse about thirty minutes ago," he said. "She'll be over at ten to take
you shopping." "So soon?" she asked curiously. "You don't have a change of clothes,
do you?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No."
"Maddie travels light and expects everyone else to, as well," he explained.
"Especially in tight corners. I'll give you my credit card..."
"I have my own with my passport," she said at once, embarrassed. "Thanks, but I
pay my own way."
"So you said." He eyed her over his coffee cup. "I won't expect anything in
return," he added. "In case that thought crossed your mind."
"I know that. But I don't want to be obligated to you any more than I already
am."
"You sound like me, at your age," he mused. "I
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never liked to accept help, either. But we all come to it, Callie, sooner or
later."
She let out a slow breath and sipped more coffee.
"I couldn't repay you in a hundred years for what you did for me," she said
gently. "You risked your life to get me out of there."
"All in a day's work, honey," he said, and smiled. "Besides," he added, "I had a
score to settle with Lopez." His face hardened. "I've got an even bigger one to
settle, now. I have to put him out of action, before he organizes his men and goes
after Dad!"
DIANA PALMER
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Chapter Seven
Callie felt her heart go cold at the words. She'd been through so much herself that
she'd forgotten briefly that Jack Steele was in danger, too. Micah had said that
Pogo and Maddie would watch over him, but obviously he still had fears.
"You don't think he'll be safe with your people?" she asked worriedly.
"Not if Lopez gets his act together," he said coolly. "Which is why I've had
Bojo send him a message in the clear, rubbing it in that I took you away from him."
She felt uneasy. "Isn't that dangerous, with a man like Lopez?"
"Very," he agreed. "But if he's concentrating on me, he's less likely to expend
his energy on Dad. Right?"
"Right," she agreed. "What do you want me to
do?"
He lowered his eyes to his coffee cup and lifted it to his chiseled mouth. "You do
whatever you like. You're here as my guest."
She frowned. "I don't need a holiday, Micah." "You're getting one, regardless. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]