by Donna Raider
“I gave her good advice for her honeymoon.” Leah grinned knowingly.
“What did you tell her?” Mika raised a quizzical brow.
“I told her that it was her job to teach her lover what she liked and to be inventive—anything goes in the bedroom.”
The phone rang again. It was Amber. “That is wonderful.” Leah’s dark eyes danced as she listened to her daughter-in-law talk about their honeymoon. “Okay, bye,” she said hurriedly.
“What was that all about?” Mika controlled the grin that threatened to envelop her face.
“Ah, um, Amber just wanted to thank me for my advice.” Leah blushed slightly. “She didn’t talk long. Adam was in the shower.”
“I assume you gave her the same advice you gave Sara,” Mika said hesitantly.
“Not exactly.” Leah bowed her head.
Mika caught Leah’s chin with the tips of her fingers and pulled Leah’s eyes up to meet hers. “What did you tell Amber?”
“Just things,” she mumbled.
“Like…?” Mika questioned her.
“Like where to touch him and things to say that would drive him wild. I told her how Adam could use his wings like a soft cocoon, but she might have to encourage him. I told her they weren’t limited by the missionary position. I may have told her about the many things of which he is capable, but not aware.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” Mika exhaled sharply. “I told Adam the same thing.”
“What do you mean, the same thing?” A smile toyed with the corners of her gorgeous lips.
“Where to touch a woman.” Mika shrugged her naked shoulders. “Things to say and do that would make her ravish him. A few special things to do. He’s a smart young man. He will figure it all out for himself.”
“And what would you do to make me ravish you, Priest?” She growled playfully.
Mika approached Leah slowly then lowered herself to her knees. She pulled the tie that held Leah’s dressing gown closed and inhaled sharply at the sight of her wonderful body.
Mika gripped her legs behind each thigh and began kissing her way up them. Leah moaned uncontrollably when Mika reached the top of her thighs. Her breath was coming in short, breathless pants as she tangled her hands in Mika’s blonde curls and pulled Mika into her.
##
Hours later, Mika fell breathlessly beside Leah on the bed. “Help me,” she pleaded. Leah placed her lips on Mika’s and breathed air into her lungs. The taste of blood from Mika’s lower lip made Leah suck it into her mouth, marveling at the piquancy of it. Everything about Mika tasted marvelous.
Leah’s eyes narrowed as she surveyed Mika’s body. It was covered in bite marks where Leah had smothered her screams of pleasure. Mika’s neck had purple marks where she had sucked hard at it, trying to draw Mika into her as Mika had filled her with ecstasy. Mika lay still, barely breathing as Leah kissed each mark on her body and healed it.
“I love your body.” Leah breathed softly against Mika as her soft lips moved from place to place. “I must admit, you certainly do know what to do to make me ravish you.”
Mika smiled knowingly. “You know we have spent the entire day in bed.”
“Yes.” Leah sighed. “My only regret is that we now have to leave it. I could make love to you for the rest of the night.”
“I could let you,” Mika murmured against Leah’s lips. “I guess we have to shower, again, before meeting the children.”
“Absolutely.” Leah laughed. “I have you all over me. One scent of us and our children will definitely know what we have been doing all day.”
##
Jennifer Jordon slipped her arms around her wife and slowly pulled Sara against her. There were no words to describe how much she loved Sara Cross.
She was still in awe of the golden goddess that was her lover and her wife. Sara was as ardent in her lovemaking as she was in her research. She had left nothing to the imagination and explored all possibilities.
“I can’t believe you married me,” Jennifer said softly against her wife’s ear.
“Tell the truth, Dr. Jordon. You can’t believe the way I rock your world.” Sara giggled, snuggling into her wife’s arms.
“You most certainly do that.” Jennifer laughed. “I had no idea you would be so…”
“Aggressive,” Sara finished her sentence.
“Insatiable,” Jennifer finished her own sentence.
“Is that a bad thing?” Sara asked innocently.
“No, it is a wonderful thing.” Jennifer smiled.
Sara softly trailed her fingers between Jennifer’s breasts. “You are so beautiful,” she said. “I can feel your heart beating faster.”
“I wonder why,” Jennifer said huskily as she closed the distance between their lips. She rolled Sara onto her back and rose above her. “I love you, my darling.”
##
Amber hung up her phone as her handsome husband closed the shower door and began to towel off.
She watched him as he entered their bedroom. His eyes locked with hers and a smile spread across his tanned face. All of him was tan. They had spent a lot of time making love on the deck of the boat.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his. Mesmerized by the look in his sky-blue eyes, she waited to be captured and taken by him.
##
Adam lay on his back. Amber was lying with her head resting on his chest. He stroked her smooth, silky back. He trembled as her touch reminded him of how much he loved the feel of her.
The first day on the boat, they had come together shyly. Both unable to believe that the feelings they had suppressed for so long were now allowed to surface. Both were virgins, exploring each other’s body hesitantly, as if it were some strange and wondrous universe.
She had cradled his head between her breasts as he listened to the gentle beating of her heart. He placed his lips on hers and began a gentle, innocent kiss. She had moved her soft, full lips against his, sending an uncontrollable surge of desire shooting throughout his body.
Tentatively, he began to caress her body, touching her lightly in the places suggested by Mika. She had reacted immediately. From that moment forward, their honeymoon had been a continuous series of fireworks and ecstasy.
Amber had unleashed over two thousand years of desire and passion on him. There had been times he’d felt like a drowning man, unable to breathe. They had filled their nights and days with each other. Their cries and pleadings made even sweeter by all the years they had spent falling in love.
“Want to shower with me?” She kissed his neck.
“I just took a shower.” He frowned.
“That was three hours ago,” she said, smiling, “and now you need another one.”
“Of course.” Adam grinned.
##
All three couples arrived in the lobby fifteen minutes late. All smiled knowingly as they walked to the restaurant.
Joe watched the couples as they seated themselves around the booth. They leaned into each other, touching, sharing secret smiles and stealing quick kisses. All three couples looked as if they were newlyweds.
Leah looked casually around the restaurant. Mika’s security detail was scattered around the establishment. Each man sat at a different table, ordering a drink or a meal. They seemed oblivious of the three couples who were obviously having a good time.
Mika and Leah had agreed not to tell the children about the threat on her life. They were happily enjoying each other, and their parents didn’t want to ruin their happiness.
“The children will be out of school the end of May.” Leah and the newlyweds discussed arrangements for their move to their new home. “We are planning on leaving June first.”
“That works for us.” Adam and Amber nodded.
“Us too.” Jennifer smiled. “I have taken a three-month leave of absence from the hospital so I can spend the summer with my wife and her family.”
“Queen Mommy.” Adam frowned slightly as he addressed his mother. “How man
y rooms does our new home have?”
“Don’t worry, dear.” His mother smiled knowingly. “Mika and I thought it would be best if each of you had your own home. On three thousand acres, there is ample room for all of us. I think you will like what we have arranged for you.”
Amber smiled. She had grown to love her mother-in-law years ago. The woman always seemed to know just what to do to make things the best they could be for everyone. She knew Leah well and she could sense the slight uneasiness behind her smile.
“I do have to go back to work tomorrow.” Jennifer wrinkled her nose. “I have a surgery scheduled in the morning, and patients to see the rest of the day.”
“I have an all-day meeting with the World Health people,” Sara added.
“We are going to put together our own team of archeologists.” Adam smiled, hugging Amber’s shoulders. “Amber is going to accompany me on digs. Using the Bible, she showed me a place where she believes we may find valuable information about Mary’s family.
“She truly is very amazing. She charts the Bible like others chart maps and the stars.”
Mika smiled slightly at Amber. They both knew that she had lived many of the historical events for which Adam was searching. Mika wondered how long it would take Amber to share her knowledge with Adam.
##
Mika lay flat on her back, enjoying the feel of Leah’s hands on her. They always made love in the early morning while mortals slept, but Leah had kept her in bed until after noon every day this week.
“Leah,” she moaned deep in her throat. “I know what you are doing.”
“Making love to my wonderful wife.” She kissed behind Mika’s ear and trailed her fingers down Mika’s breast.
“You think keeping me with you will keep me safe.” Mika propped her head up on her elbow and looked at Leah. “As much as I appreciate and enjoy your ploy to keep me in your arms, you can’t go on like this.
“I know you aren’t sleeping. You look exhausted. You must take care of yourself too. Remember you are carrying our babies.”
Leah frantically clutched Mika to her. “Just another week and we will leave this wretched town,” Leah sobbed. “I just want to hold you for another week. If you are in my arms, I know you’re safe.”
“You have to finish your scenes for next fall. You promised Stiles,” Mika tried to reason with her. “I have to finish several things at the church. I have a meeting with Lawrence at three today. I must go. It will probably take several hours.”
“Darling, I lost you once,” Leah whispered, “I can’t go through that again. I’m going to put a protective shield around you. Promise me you will keep it there.”
“I promise.” Mika kissed her lightly. “But do you have any idea how difficult that is? No one can shake hands with me. No one can get within a foot of me.”
“They don’t need to be any closer than that, anyway.” Leah frowned. “Any closer than that is a serious invasion of one’s personal space.”
##
“Yes, I understand.” Latimore Cruzar frowned as he disconnected the call from Rome.
How can I kill Mika Cross? he thought. I can’t even find her.
After her children’s wedding, Cross had simply disappeared from the face of the Earth, along with her wife. Cruzar was certain she was still in New York, but he wasn’t certain where.
He called the Catholic church. “I’d like to make my confession,” Cruzar said into the phone. “I’d like to make it to Priest Mika Cross.”
“Just a moment, sir,” the voice on the other end of the phone replied. The rattling of computer keys informed Lat that the woman was checking Priest Cross’s schedule.
“I am sorry, sir,” she said hesitantly. “Priest Cross is on a leave of absence from the church right now.”
“When will she return?” Lat demanded.
“Looks like October,” the woman answered.
Lat disconnected the call. He was determined not to wait until October to kill the priest. He needed to get Cross out of the way now so he could devote his full attention to the death of the Pope.
Where the hell is Mika Cross?
##
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Honey, I am going to be late getting home tonight,” Dr. Jennifer Jordon left a message on her wife’s voicemail.
She picked up the chart on the woman she had performed surgery on that morning. The woman’s vitals were all low. Jennifer reviewed the chart to see if she could find the cause of the problem.
She picked up her phone and ordered an immediate CT scan. “I am pretty certain she is suffering a pulmonary embolism,” Jennifer said. “Speed is of the essence.”
Sara opened the door and stepped into the office as Jennifer was ending her call.
“I just received your message.” She smiled as she kissed her wife. “Sounds like you have an emergency.”
“I do, baby.” Jennifer grimaced. “I don’t know how long I will be. You should probably go on home. I will get there as soon as I can.”
“Can’t I just crash on your sofa?” Sara smiled. “We can grab a bite to eat when you’re through.”
“I would love that.” Jennifer kissed her beautiful blonde wife then rushed out the door.
Sara picked up Jennifer’s latest medical journal and curled up on her sofa to read the latest in the world of medicine.
##
Jennifer watched as her patient’s vital signs returned to normal. She was glad she had taken the time to go over her chart before leaving for the night.
“Your patient can thank you for her life.” Dr. Lindsey Rand smiled as she removed her scrubs. “If you hadn’t caught the deterioration in her condition, she would be dead by morning.”
“Nurse Webb called it to my attention when she checked her vitals.” Jennifer smiled wearily. “Thank God we have nurses who know when to call for help.
“I apologize for calling you in. I’m a heart surgeon,” Jennifer explained. “A blood clot in the lungs is a little out of my comfort zone.”
“I appreciate you staying to assist.” Dr. Rand smiled as she shook her dark hair free of the surgical cap. “Have you had dinner? I bet you haven’t left the hospital all day.”
“No, I haven’t.” Jennifer frowned. “But Sara is waiting for me in my office. Why don’t you join us for dinner?”
“Your new bride.” Lindsey nodded slowly. “Sure. I’d like to meet her.”
##
Sara looked up from the medical journal as the two doctors entered the office. “Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yes, thanks to Lindsey.” Jennifer nodded.
“Dr. Lindsey Rand, this is my wife, Dr. Sara Cross.” Jennifer smiled proudly as she introduced Sara as her wife for the first time.
Sara rose gracefully and extended her hand to Lindsey. “Dr. Rand, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Jennifer speaks highly of you often.”
“Dr. Sara Cross,” Lindsey said the name as if trying to connect it to some prior information. “Aren’t you the genetic genius, the eternal life scientist? The mother of immortality. I have followed your work closely. I must say, the photos of you do not do you justice.”
“Yes, I am,” Sara answered. “Only, I didn’t exactly accomplish what I intended.”
“But you must have done something right.” Lindsey smiled. “You are now the head of genetic research to curb population growth for the World Health Organization. You are very impressive.
“I know our research department was extremely upset when you turned down their offer. Dr. Tillman is still complaining about that.”
“I had to be somewhere that would let me have complete control of my research.” Sara smiled sweetly. “Some endowments come with strings attached. Underwriters frown when one trashes the research and refuses to explain why. I don’t ever want that to happen to me again.”
The doctors walked to the elevator. “Still, one does have to wonder why a world-renowned geneticist, who appears to be on the verge of discover
ing the key to immortality, suddenly destroys all her research.” Dr. Rand eyed Sara curiously.
“I failed.” Sara grimaced. “It’s that simple.”
“I think you succeeded.” Lindsey locked her gaze with Sara’s. “I think you succeeded, and it scared you to death.”
“If one could control immortality,” Sara answered sternly, “who would decide who gets the injection and who doesn’t?”
“I am right, aren’t I?” Lindsey whispered. “I completely understand why you destroyed your own research. In the wrong hands, that kind of power would be disastrous.”
“Jen tells me you are the top thoracic surgeon in the US.” Sara steered the conversation away from herself.
Lindsey smiled at Jennifer. “We have been fortunate to practice in the same hospital. We always request each other for backup. Dr. Jordon is the best in her field too. We work well together.”
Sara could tell by the long look Dr. Rand gave her wife that she was in love with Jennifer.
##
“Sara,” Joe greeted the three as they entered his restaurant. “It is good to see you. Are you joining your parents?”
Sara looked around the restaurant and didn’t see her parents. She raised her eyebrows questioningly at Joe.
“They’re dancing.” He smiled, nodding his head toward the dance floor.
“No.” Sara smiled. “We will have our own table. We all want a glass of Queen Mommy’s wine,” she added.
“Queen Mommy?” Lindsey cocked an eyebrow.
“That’s what Sara and her siblings call their mother,” Jennifer explained. “When you meet her, you will understand why.”
The three watched the dancing couple as the music ended. They kissed a little longer than they should have in public. As they walked toward their table, Mika bent down and whispered in her wife’s ear. Leah laughed—a golden, melodic sound that seemed to float on the air—and slapped her wife’s arm playfully. As they stepped from the dimly lit dance floor into the light of the restaurant, Dr. Lindsey Rand caught her breath. Like their daughter, they were almost too beautiful to behold.
“Sara, Jennifer.” Leah smiled brilliantly as she realized her daughter and daughter-in-law were in the restaurant. “What a wonderful surprise.”