by Cathryn Fox
“Hand him the bag,” the knife-wielding man said, nudging his chin toward the guy closing in on her. “And no one gets hurt.”
Shoot, why in the hell hadn’t she stuck with those self-defense lessons? She really didn’t want some thugs from Ad-Tech running off with her delicates.
In a motion so fast it took the two masked men off guard, Laura mustered all her strength and jabbed her elbow into the creep’s stomach as he stepped into her personal space.
He let out a whoosh of air.
Jesus Christ! She immediately recognized that ungodly scent. Come to think of it, an open coffin might even smell better.
Distracted, the knife-wielding man turned his attention to Laura. A string of profanity spewed from his mouth. With his attention directed on her, Jay went for the guy’s blade. He kicked it out of his hand and with one powerful punch knocked the guy to the ground.
Impressive!
Before Jay had a chance to come to her rescue, Laura slammed her foot down on Max’s instep, lifted her arm to take a crack at his nose, and then finished him off with a pounding to the groin. Not that she’d ever wanted to go anywhere near Max’s groin.
Thank you, Gracie Hart!
Max cursed under his breath as he cupped his balls in agony. He staggered to his feet, grabbed her duffel bag, and disappeared into the darkness.
Damn, all that work and Crouton Boy made off with her delicates anyway. She shook her head. At least now she understood why Max had been so persistent, trying to charm his way into her apartment. He wasn’t after her, he was after her formula.
Laura turned her attention to Jay and watched him pull his cell phone out of his pocket as the masked man rolled out of his reach, stumbled to his feet, and ran in the same direction as Max.
Breathless, Jay met her gaze. His eyes were full of tender concern. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “You?”
“Yeah. Where the hell did you learn that?”
Laura drew in air and shook the sting from her hand. “Last weekend I had a date with Ben and Jerry and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous.”
He frowned in confusion. “Do you want to try that again? In English this time.”
“Ben and Jerry’s is a brand of ice cream and Miss Congeniality 2 is a movie with Sandra Bullock.” She mimicked her earlier actions. “I put Gracie Hart’s SING technique—solar plexus, instep, nose, and groin—to use.”
He shook his head in amazement. “I never knew you were a woman of so many talents. Remind me never to piss you off.”
Jay pulled a card out of his back pocket. “We need to call the detective.” He punched the number into his cell phone.
“Good, because I know who is responsible.”
Jay’s fingers stopped. “You do?”
“Yeah. Max.”
His head jerked back. His brow puckered. “Max? How do you know it was Max?”
“By his breath. I can identify him.”
He gave her a look that suggested she’d lost more than her delicates.
“I’m not crazy, Jay.”
“We didn’t see their faces, Laura. We can’t identify them.” He cocked a brow and grinned. “Unless, of course, they put him in a breath smelling lineup?”
“Good idea.” She waved her hands impatiently. “Give me the phone.”
Jay handed it to her.
It rang twice before she heard Detective Doyle’s booming voice on the other end.
Still trying to regulate her breathing, Laura quickly relayed the details to the detective.
Doyle got quiet for a moment. Laura assumed he had to swallow a bite of donut before he could speak. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. “I’ll pay him a visit, but I’ll need more proof than bad breath, Laura.”
Angered, she opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off.
“Don’t worry, all is not lost. We found a print at your apartment and they’re running it.”
They spoke for a few more minutes and then she handed the phone back to Jay. “He wants to talk to you.”
Jay exchanged a few words, assured the detective they were okay, and promised to come in first thing in the morning to fill out a report.
Jay slid the phone back into his pocket and glanced at her. “He told us to sit tight and stay inside. Tomorrow we’ll give a statement.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s go before they realize they made off with your clothes. Although something tells me they won’t be back.” He grinned. “Not after you going all Jackie Chan on them. That guy’s going to be nursing his balls for a while.”
Laura kicked off her shoes in Jay’s front foyer and perused her surroundings. His place wasn’t at all what she had expected. He might live a sexy playboy lifestyle, but his apartment looked nothing like a Don Juan bachelor pad. Of course, it didn’t really surprise her. Underneath that playboy façade existed a caring, nurturing man. Maybe even a nerdy scientist at heart.
His spacious front entrance opened into a very masculine, yet comfortable living area. Off that room, she spotted a bright yellow kitchen with a small dinette table tucked in the corner.
“I’ll take your things to the bedroom.”
The sound of his deep sleepy voice pulled at her. God, she couldn’t believe how much she wanted him. How much she wanted him to want her the same way.
She fell into step behind him and admired his broad, muscular back as she followed him down the hall. He pushed open the door and gestured for her to enter.
One bed, of gigantic proportions, filled the room. Her gaze darted to his headboard, searching for notches. She wondered how many women had writhed beneath Jay on that slate-blue duvet. She squeezed her lids tight, shutting out that unwelcome thought as her galloping heart took her on a turbulent emotional journey.
When she opened her eyes, realization hit full force. It occurred to her she hadn’t seen Jay with a woman in months. And come to think of it, the phone hadn’t been ringing off the hook at the lab. Was it because they’d been working so hard on the project, or was it because he’d lost his taste for carrot sticks?
Suddenly overcome by exhaustion, Laura yawned and rolled one shoulder. She winced as her muscles strained. She must have pulled something when she took Max out.
Jay’s expression turned serious. Reaching out, he palmed her arm and began a slow massage. She started at his touch. His big warm hand swallowed up her entire shoulder. They were so strong and powerful, yet touched her with such tenderness.
As she looked into his gentle eyes, her mind raced. She thought about all the years they’d worked together and assignments they’d completed. She thought about all the ball games they’d played together, the bonding sessions they’d attended, and all the laughs they’d shared. She thought about their intimate night at her place and their afternoon in the director’s bathroom. She thought about meeting his family at the restaurant and pasta-making in the kitchen.
Her heart tightened in her chest. God, they were so good together.
She replayed the passionate kiss he’d given her only hours earlier. If the enhancer had still been ruling his body, surely his kiss wouldn’t have been so tender, so emotional.
She thought about the way Jay made her feel. He made her see herself as something other than a nerdy scientist. For the first time she believed her curvaceous body was beautiful, and that her intelligence was something to be proud of.
She paused to consider things.
Maybe now it was her turn to make Jay see himself as something other than a playboy. To show him he was nothing like the men in his family. Jay was gentle and caring and if there was one thing she knew for certain, he was capable of love.
Laura drew a fueling breath. Tonight, she was going to do something she’d never done before. She was going to step out of her comfort zone and take a big risk.
She was going to show Jay he wasn’t another “Cold-Hearted Cutler.” And most importantly, she was going to show him she was the right woman, dammit.
And
how was she going to do that? By seducing Jay’s body and his heart and finishing what they started. She was going to make sweet love to him all night long and reveal she was interested in playing for keeps. And during their lovemaking she planned on touching him on a deeper level, to show him he had the ability to feel emotions.
“You’re so stiff.”
Jay’s voice pulled her thoughts to the present.
He stepped closer, his warm masculine scent curling around her. Swallowing hard, she concentrated on the tiny points of pleasure as her senses exploded. She resisted the urge to glance downward, to see if he was stiff too.
She fought to find her voice. “Probably from when I slammed my elbow into Max.”
“You’ve really taken a beating today, haven’t you?”
“I’ve had better days,” she agreed. “At least you weren’t responsible for all of my injuries,” she teased.
He smiled. “How about a long soak in the tub? That should help ease the ache.”
Laura shivered as her mind conjured up other ways Jay could help ease her aches. Ways like he had earlier that afternoon.
He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Come on.” Capturing her hand in his, he led her across the hall. “I’ll run it for you.”
Heat and strength radiated from him and warmed her all over as he guided her to the bathroom. She sat on the edge of his gray porcelain tub and watched him adjust the water temperature. As her heart turned over in her chest, she wondered exactly when it was that she’d fallen in love with him.
“That should do it.” He tilted his head. “I’ll grab you one of my T-shirts to wear. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Her body tingled in anticipation as she counted the seconds.
Before he left her alone to bathe in private, he lit a candle and dimmed the lights. The perfect atmosphere for a seduction, she mused.
Minutes later she found herself stretched out in his bathtub. The candle flickering on the counter provided soft lighting while the warm, heated water soothed her tired, aching muscles. She washed her body, then dropped the scented bar of soap, letting it fall between her thighs.
A moment later a knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” she said, wondering why he was knocking. It wasn’t like he bothered knocking earlier today when he caught her in her underwear in the director’s bathroom.
“Are you decent?” he asked.
That depended on what he considered decent. Her thoughts certainly weren’t. “I’m naked.”
His chuckle reverberated through the door. “If I see anything I’ve never seen before, I’ll shoot it.”
Always the smart-ass. Before she had time to answer, the door inched open.
He pitched his voice low. “I just thought you’d like a cup of tea. I know how you like to have a cup before bed.”
“Oh yeah?” She raised a curious brow. “How do you know that?”
He shrugged. “You always have a cup at the lab when we work late.”
She gazed at his handsome face shimmering in the golden candlelight. “Thanks.” Her heart reached out to him.
“You’re welcome.” He held the cup out for her and perched on the side of the tub.
God, she couldn’t believe how jittery, how vulnerable she suddenly felt. Then again, it wasn’t every day she stepped out of her comfort level and offered herself completely to Jay, body and heart. And she was about to find out, once and for all, whether the enhancer had been ruling his actions or if he really had it bad for her.
She drew a fortifying breath, sat up, and exposed her soapy breasts as she accepted the hot tea. She took a small sip. “Mmmm. It’s good,” she whispered. Seemingly pleased, the corners of his mouth lifted in a half smile.
He dipped one hand in the water and ran his warm, wet fingers along the back of her neck. She loved how he touched her in such a familiar way. Her body shuddered at the onslaught of pleasure.
Working on her seduction skills, she leaned forward and blew into her mug. Long wisps of wet hair spilled forward and brushed across her nipples. The sensation hardened her pale buds.
She tilted her head back and watched Jay, gauging his reaction.
The cords on his throat worked as his gaze dropped from her mouth to her breasts. By small degrees she noted the change in his posture. He compressed his lips as he drove his fingers through his tousled hair.
Was that desire she spotted in his baby blues before he averted his gaze? A thrill rushed through her.
Instantaneously, her bliss disappeared when he leapt from the side of the tub. Conflicting emotions churned in his eyes. The change in his mood occurred so swiftly it caught her off guard.
“You should get some sleep. It’s late, and you’ve been through a lot tonight.” His voice sounded tight. “And we have a lot of work to do tomorrow.” He pulled his robe from the hook beside the vanity and draped it across the sink before he left. “I laid a T-shirt out for you on the bed.” The sound of the door clicking shut behind him left her chilled.
At that precise moment she knew it for certain; her worst fears were confirmed. Not only was Jay not interested in playing for keeps, he didn’t even have it bad for her.
The lingering effects of the enhancer had been ruling his actions.
Laura swallowed the lump clogging her throat. She was never going to walk out of this apartment with her heart intact.
Feeling very weary, she climbed from the tub, quickly towel-dried herself, and hurried back to his room. After slipping into one of his long T-shirts, she turned the light off, climbed into his bed, and drew the covers up to her neck.
Burying her face into the pillowcase, she inhaled. His masculine scent permeated the sheets.
Slivers of silvery light from the full moon high overhead drifted in through the parted curtains and bathed the bed in a warm sensual glow, setting the perfect mood for lovers. Lovers! Cripes, how could she have ever let herself believe they were lovers? That there was more between them? This was all just a goddamn experiment. Now she really wished she had stayed in those self-defense classes, so she could kick her own ass!
“How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”
His soft whisper startled her. Her gaze darted to the door. He stood there, leaning against the doorjamb, his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans, looking so damn handsome.
She worked to sound casual as her heart beat in a mad cadence. “No. I’m fine.”
“How about the bump on your head? Does it still hurt?”
She brushed her fingertips over the bump. “The swelling has gone down.” Swelling. Oh God, her mind conjured up the wicked ways Jay had taken down her swelling earlier that day.
Jay crossed the room. The mattress dipped as he sat on the edge of the bed. She propped her head on her palm, her hair falling across her face.
He reached out and tucked the wayward strands behind her ear. “I’m glad it wasn’t worse.”
A shiver tingled all the way to her toes. “I consider it a small price to pay for saving the files. I don’t want anyone perfecting the libido suppressant before us.”
His eyes opened wide and he threw his hands in the air. “Laura, in all the commotion I forgot to tell you. The suppressant worked on Clyde.”
She jolted upright. “You’re kidding.” When he shook his head, she rushed on. “That’s fantastic. Surely the board will approve our grant based on those results.”
He shrugged. “Not sure. The side effects may be different on humans. I think we should test it on ourselves once more just to be certain.”
She nibbled on her lower lip and dropped her head back onto his pillow. “I guess you’re right. We’ll want to have all bases covered and all questions answered before we present our findings.” She grew quiet, thoughtful for a moment. They hadn’t come this far for her to back down now. The success of the project was too important to too many people for her to let her emotions get in the way.
“I’ll inject you at the end of the day tomorrow.”
; He tucked the blankets around her, and dropped the sweetest, softest kiss on her forehead. A kiss filled with so much tenderness and emotion it amazed her. Whoa. What the hell was that? A man who wasn’t interested in playing for keeps didn’t kiss like that.
He slipped from the bed and in three long strides crossed the room. He turned back to face her. “There’s no need for you to go into the lab in the morning. We’re going to work from home tomorrow. I’m only going to go in long enough to get the suppressant, then I’ll come back and we’ll get started right away at testing the stability and the side effects.”
He stood in the doorway, his large body practically blocking all the light spilling in from the hall.
“Can you administer it to yourself?”
He shook his head. “Since Erin already knows what we’re up to, I’ll have her do it for me.”
Oh God, her heart stopped. She sucked in a quick breath, shocking it back to life. She’d better get hold of Erin before she did something stupid.
Like switch the vials.
Unable to get comfortable on the sofa, Jay fitfully tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning. The beautiful vision of Laura lying in his tub rushed through his mind like a hurricane. His cock stirred to life just thinking about it. And knowing she was only seconds from his touch continued to add fuel to the fire. He resisted the urge to reach into his boxers to take care of that huge problem.
By four-thirty he’d given up on trying to sleep. Tossing the thin sheet aside, he climbed from the sofa, stretched out his tired limbs, and walked quietly down the hall.
He peeked into his bedroom and watched Laura sleep. She looked so peaceful, angelic. Sometime throughout the night she’d kicked off her blankets. They lay in a rumpled pool at the foot of the bed. His long T-shirt tangled around her thighs while her silky legs stretched across the mattress. He walked over to the bed, grabbed the blankets, and covered her.
He noticed the bedside alarm was set for five. An hour before she normally woke up. Why would she do that? She had no reason to get up that early. They’d already agreed that they would work from home today. Bending down, he turned the alarm off, allowing her to rest as long as her exhausted mind and body needed to.