ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE

by Williams, Mary J.

  When Tilly met her gaze and smiled, Kai knew she’d made the right decision. He was the consummate lover. Thoughtful, skilled, with an unexpected playful side. He made her laugh at the most unexpected times.

  In the middle of sex was a prime example. Kai had always considered reaching an orgasm to be serious business. Tilly taught her a different way. With him, she had fun. In and out of bed.

  “Dinner at the main lodge.” Tilly placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Sure you wouldn’t rather stay in?”

  Kai understood Tilly’s reluctance. As their time together wound down, the hours slipping away, each second became more precious than the last. Day after tomorrow, he would leave for Nevada, and she had a job waiting for her in Australia. And then? Who could say when they would meet again.

  Tonight, Kai felt like going out. They were unconventional people. But for reasons she couldn’t name, she wanted a normal, run of the mill date. With Tilly.

  “Let someone else do the cooking,” she said, turning to slip her arms around his waist. “A bottle of ridiculously expensive wine. A little dancing. A little flirting.”

  “I like the dress,” Tilly said. He touched her bare leg as his fingers toyed with the knee-length hem. “Sexy yet reserved.”

  “You should see my underwear,” she whispered. “All sex.”

  Tilly groaned as she sat to slip on her shoes.

  “Lace? Satin? Silk?” he asked, squinting as though hoping if he narrowed his gaze, he might see through her dress.

  Rather than answer and give away the surprise, Kai merely shrugged. When Tilly groaned, she let out a low, husky laugh. More than any man she’d known, he made her feel wanted—like an irresistible sex goddess.

  “Not fair.” Tilly sighed. “Now I won’t be able to think about anything else. At least give me something to hold onto. Black? White?”

  “Wild Strawberry.”

  Tilly’s eyes grew wide, his mouth falling open.

  “Evil woman,” he said. “Pure evil.”

  “Come on. We don’t want to be late.”

  Kai left the bedroom ahead of Tilly with more of a sashay than a walk, already anticipating their return and the way he would undress her, kiss every inch of her body. Touch her as only he could.

  “Maybe we should stay in,” Kai said, her skin flushed.

  “Did all that teasing backfire?” Tilly asked with a wicked smile. He helped her into the SUV. “Good. We can both suffer.”

  “Or, we could stay in and not suffer.”

  “A little anticipation is good for the soul.” Tilly backed the SUV out of the garage. “Or, so I’ve heard.”

  “Evil,” Kai muttered. “You are an evil man.”

  “Makes us a good match,” Tilly said with a chuckle and a wink.

  A good match. Kai gazed out the window, not seeing the snow-covered trees. She’d always been a solitary creature, happy enough when other people were around, but content with her own company. She frowned. For the first time in her life, she felt a wave of sadness at the idea of saying goodbye. She would miss Tilly. Actively, physically, long for him.

  The knowledge, fresh and new, terrified the hell out of her.

  ♫~♫~♫

  THE MUSIC WAS low, subtle—the perfect accompaniment for a romantic evening. The candlelight made Kai’s earrings sparkle and her eyes glow. The wine, crisp and bright, lingered nicely on Tilly’s tongue. An admitted and proud food snob, he gave the chef full points on his salmon almandine and Kai’s spaghetti and meatballs.

  “Glad you came?” Kai asked as she used her fork to take a bite of his potatoes. “Yum. Almost as good as yours.”

  “Thank you.” Tilly nodded, smiling. “A night out was a good idea. Though I wondered if the suggestion meant you were tired of my company.”

  Kai blinked, surprise lighting her blue eyes. Shaking her head, she lay her hand over his.

  “Absolutely not.” She smiled. “Though I could ask the same of you. By nature, I’m not a restful person. In the womb, my mother claims I started kicking early and never stopped—even after I was born. Can’t say she’s wrong.”

  “I suppose eight days isn’t a big sample size.” Tilly rubbed his thumb over Kai’s wrist. He felt her pulse jump. “I can say you’ve been a perfect companion. Bossy, but—”

  “Excuse me?” Kai snorted. “You’re bossy. I’m mildly opinionated.”

  “Seriously?” Tilly rolled his eyes. “No. Just no.”

  “Name one time I had to have my way.”

  “I can name ten without breaking a sweat. One.” Tilly held up a finger. “The way we made the bed. Two—”

  “I like to tuck the sheet in a certain way. Big deal,” Kai muttered. “You re-fluffed the pillow.”

  “No,” Tilly corrected. “I fluffed after you failed to do so.”

  “Wrong. I—”

  “Would you care for dessert?” the waiter asked, unaware of the nonsensical argument he’d interrupted. “We have a lemon baked Alaska and a special praline torte.”

  Tilly glanced at Kai, reading her mind.

  “One of each,” he told the waiter. “We’ll share.”

  “Guess we can agree on some things,” Kai said, smiling as she sipped her wine.

  “We agree on most things,” Tilly reminded her. “When pushed, we can argue about anything.”

  “Sometimes I like to push.”

  “Me, too.” Tilly chuckled. “Only sometimes.”

  “Dance with me?” Kai asked.

  “With pleasure.”

  The floor was small, intimate, forcing Tilly to hold Kai close as they swayed to the music. Neither of them complained.

  “The last time I danced in public, I was…” Kai paused. “Can’t remember. What does that say about me?”

  “You’re busy. Or, you don’t date men with my smooth moves.” Tilly executed a perfect turn.

  “Both,” Kai said. “And I don’t date. Not in the traditional sense.”

  “How do you date?” Tilly asked, unable to help himself.

  “Drinks, with a sex chaser.” Kai raised an eyebrow. “How about you?”

  Tilly considered her question then chose his words carefully.

  “Before I settled down, I took my comfort where I could.”

  “Let me decipher your code,” Kai said. “A lot of one-night stands?”

  “Sure. I guess.” Tilly rubbed the back of his neck, unsure why the subject made him uncomfortable. “Living in Eatonville is different. Women, rightly so, expect a man to take some time. Woo them.”

  “And?” Kai prompted. “Do you woo?”

  “Nothing hardcore,” Tilly said. “I like to keep things casual. Guess you could say I woo, but lightly.”

  “You’re a fascinating man, Jedediah Tillman.” Kai bit down on his earlobe. “Would you object if I call you Jed?”

  Needing to look her in the eyes, Tilly leaned away, keeping his arm around her waist.

  “Why would you want to?”

  “I don’t. Tilly suits you.” Kai’s laugh was low and intimate. “Just wondered if you’d let me.”

  “Probably,” Tilly admitted with a sigh. Where Kai was concerned, he was a pushover. “Do me a favor? Don’t push the point.”

  Kai touched his cheek, an expression on her face he didn’t recognize. Sad? Wistful? And what else?

  “Oh, Tilly. What am I going to do with you?”

  “Anything you like,” Tilly told her. His tone was light, but he was dead serious. “Any suggestions?”

  “I have a few. In fact, I—” Kai’s gaze sharpened on something over Tilly’s right shoulder. “What in the world is he doing here?”

  “Who?” Tilly would have turned, but Kai stopped him.

  “Don’t look,” she said. “There’s a man at the bar. He and I have a complicated history. Well, complicated for him. I sent him to prison. Guess he received early parole.”

  Casually, Tilly danced Kai
in a semi-circle until he could see the bar.

  “Which one?” he asked as he studied the four possibilities.

  “To your far right.” Kai watched Tilly’s face. “Gray hair. Gray suit. Gray shoes.”

  “If his name is gray, the guy needs help.”

  “Bad joke,” Kai said, laughing anyway. “His name is Gunter Litchfield. Has a nasty temper. Especially fond of beating women—his wife especially. For whatever reason, she wouldn’t press charges. We, me and the people I work with, sent him away for tax evasion. He really, really objected to paying the government. Earned him an eight-year sentence.”

  “Not long enough,” Tilly said.

  “No.” Kai sighed. “Much as I hate to see the evening end, we should go before he recognizes me.”

  Tilly knew when to ask questions and when to act. He pointed for Kai to leave through the side exit. She could wait near the front door, out of sight. Keeping his eye on Gunter Litchfield, he retrieved their coats and paid the dinner bill.

  “I don’t think he saw me,” Kai said as they drove away from the lodge. She looked out the back window. “Probably wouldn’t follow us.”

  Checking the rearview mirror, Tilly was relieved to see they were the only vehicle on the road. However, he could tell Kai was worried.

  “Litchfield sounds like a shady character—at best.” Tilly glanced at Kai. “What would he do to you?”

  “No reason to worry,” Kai said.

  “But…?”

  “He threatened to kill me.” Kai rushed on before he could speak. “Litchfield said the same thing to his defense attorney. And the judge. And a reporter.”

  “Why is this asshole on the street?” Tilly demanded. “Unless he escaped.”

  “I’d know,” Kai told him. When he shot her a questioning look, she shrugged. “True, I wasn’t aware that Litchfield wasn’t in prison. But, if he escaped, word would get back to me.”

  Whether Kai’s friends were on the ball about keeping her informed was an argument for another day. Dangerous people were unpredictable, which meant they needed to hold a united front—just in case something happened. Now wasn’t the time to get at cross purposes over unimportant things.

  Tilly pulled into the garage and shut off the motor. Running the layout of the house through his head, he knew they were sitting ducks for an all-out attack. Something less apocalyptic, two, three, even four attackers, they could handle.

  “Should we leave?” Tilly asked as they entered the cabin. “Take the better safe than sorry approach?”

  “The main reason I didn’t want Litchfield to see me was, I thought he might cause a scene,” Kai said. “If he lost his temper, an innocent bystander could be hurt.”

  “As opposed to you, the guiltiest person in the world?”

  “Don’t be obtuse,” Kai chided. “You know what I meant.”

  Tilly sighed. Kai meant she was trained and prepared for men like Gunter Litchfield. She put herself in crosshairs on a regular basis. Though he understood, he didn’t have to like the consequences.

  “What’s the plan?”

  “Let me make a few phone calls,” Kai said. She nodded toward the bag in his hand. “Nice of the waiter to pack up our dessert. Make a pot of coffee. Please. I’ll be right back.”

  Tilly had to appreciate a woman who could think of her stomach in a potential crisis. When he was upset or on edge, his appetite disappeared into a vast nothingness.

  Plating the pastries, Tilly breathed in the scent of lemon and cream. His mouth watered. Maybe they didn’t have anything to worry about.

  Dressed in leggings and a loose, long-sleeved shirt, Kai walked into the kitchen. She wore socks on her feet instead of high heels.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “I changed out of the dress, not the underwear.”

  Tilly poured two cups of coffee and sent her a telling look.

  “I’ll keep that in mind—if we live through the night.”

  “Don’t be a drama queen,” Kai teased as she swiped some lemon cream with the tip of her finger. “Sweet and tart. Want a taste?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Tilly pulled Kai close for a long, intense kiss. She tasted like the dessert. And peppermint.

  “You took time to brush your teeth?” he asked with a frown. The taste of Kai always appealed to him. He wasn’t so sure about lemon and toothpaste.

  “Force of habit. When I’m on the phone with my boss, I multitask. Never know when he’ll send me off on a job at the last minute.”

  Kai lived in a different world, Tilly thought. Very different from his. Shaking off the thought, he handed her a cup of coffee.

  “What did you find out?”

  “Litchfield was released two months ago. According to the terms of his parole, he is not allowed to leave the state of Florida.”

  “And yet, here he is. In France.” Tilly shook his head. “Naughty boy.”

  “Could be business. Or pleasure. Either way, I suspect Litchfield planned to be in and out of France before anyone in the States knew he was gone.” Kai smiled over the rim of her cup. “Didn’t count on me.”

  “You contacted the authorities?” Tilly asked.

  Kai nodded.

  “My boss did. Normally, law enforcement would wait and pick Litchfield up in Miami when his plane landed. Since he’s armed and dangerous, the local police were handed the case.”

  “Armed and dangerous?” Tilly laughed. “How do you know?”

  “Not me,” Kai said coyly. “An anonymous source. If everything goes as planned, Litchfield will be in jail before sunrise.”

  In other words, Kai was the anonymous source. Perhaps Litchfield had a gun, perhaps not. Tilly knew from experience that things rarely went as planned. A glitch here, a snag there. Mostly minor and easily handled. However, on occasion, the minor became major as the shit hit the fan.

  “You won’t relax until we get word Litchfield is off the street,” Kai said.

  “Neither will you.” Tilly set the dessert on the table and held a chair for Kai. He sat next to her. “Wish I had my gun.”

  “I know.” Kai shrugged. “Think of it this way. We have the upper hand, not Litchfield.”

  Tilly nodded, but he was mollified—for now. Thinking about all the things they could use for weapons, he froze.

  “Did you hear something?” he asked.

  “Like somebody slipped on the snow and hit the ground?” Kai nodded. “What do you think? Three Stooges or Keystone Cops?”

  “Protection.” Tilly opened a drawer. “A boning knife is sharp, but the blade is too flexible.”

  Looking over his shoulder, Kai didn’t take time to assess the value of each blade. She grabbed a butcher knife.

  “You go right, and I’ll go left.” She kissed him. “For luck.”

  Turned out, Gunter Litchfield and his one associate were so drunk, when they slipped and fell trying to break in, they were down for the count.

  “Some criminal,” Tilly scoffed as he tied Litchfield’s hands behind his back. He winced. “Though his breath is lethal.”

  “Same with my guy. Police are on the way,” Kai said as she locked the men in the linen closet. “Much ado about nothing.”

  “We were prepared,” Tilly corrected her. “If Litchfield weren’t a lush, you might have been hurt.”

  “Me?” Kai scoffed. “What about you?”

  “Maybe.” Tilly shrugged one shoulder. “But doubtful.”

  “Because you’re a man?”

  “Sure,” Tilly said, knowing he was about to kick a hornet’s nest. “Why not?”

  “Jerk.” Kai chuckled. Apparently, she saw right through him. “If you want to pick a fight, be a little less obvious. Or, catch me when I’m not dead on my feet.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ♫~♫~♫

  THE POLICE ARRIVED and with little fuss and muss, took custody of Gunter Litchfield. Tilly and Kai explained what happened,
signed their statements, and that was that. End of story.

  Except Tilly knew before she said a word that Kai’s part wasn’t finished.

  “I need to accompany Litchfield back to Florida.”

  “Why?” Tilly asked. “You aren’t FBI. You’re a security expert. A private citizen.”

  When Kai didn’t answer, Tilly took her by the shoulders and willed her to look him in the eyes.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “All I can say is that I do some consulting for the government. Officially, I’m unofficial.” Kai shrugged. “Since the Litchfield incident became an international incident, my statement is requested.”

  Tilly didn’t need a code breaker to tell him requested meant, she had no choice.

  “When?”

  “Day after tomorrow,” Kai said.

  Tilly had hoped to ring in the New Year with Kai by his side. He’d hoped to discuss the future—their future over a few glasses of champagne. Instead, she would be in Florida doing secret government stuff. And he would be…?

  Heartbroken seemed a tad dramatic. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. Tilly sighed. Whatever his feelings, he understood the reality of the situation. Their vacation was over.

  “We have another day.” Kai wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled close. “If you could do anything with the next twenty-four hours, what would it be? Anything at all.”

  Tilly didn’t need to think twice.

  “Lock the door and spend every second with you.”

  “You read my mind,” Kai said with a deep, heartfelt sigh.

  In Tilly’s estimation, the next day was magic. Encased in a bubble where their shared past was a warm memory and the future didn’t exist, everything became important. Every touch, every kiss, every moment took on an added significance.

  They didn’t spend all their time in bed. They did have sex from one end of the cabin to the other. When they weren’t ripping each other’s clothes off, they laughed. A lot. And talked about everything. Everything except what would happen when they said goodbye.

  “Best waffle ever,” Kai said, taking a bite and moaning her approval.

  A drop of maple syrup fell from Kai’s mouth. Tilly graciously solved the problem, licking her chin. The kiss that followed wasn’t necessary, but it was amazing. Even better than the waffle, she admitted with a laugh.