She pulled her camisole up a few more inches, until it was bunched beneath her breasts. “I’m lucky I tied you up,” she teased. “I didn’t realize how dangerous you were.”
Liam chuckled softly, then brushed her hands away. “You like dangerous?” He took the soft cotton knit in his hands and slowly dragged it up and over her head. Then he tossed it aside.
This time when his hand touched her breast, the contact was electric, sending a shockwave through her body. “I do like dangerous,” Ellie murmured. “Very much.”
With a low growl, Liam reached down and grabbed her, pulling her up until she sat on the edge of the bathroom sink. He covered her mouth with a deep and shattering kiss and Ellie had no choice but to respond. He seemed to know exactly what she wanted. Every place he touched and kissed ached in the moments before his lips moved there.
She couldn’t deny that she wanted him, but it was a need that was irrational. With every other man, the weeks or even months that approached this moment had been measured carefully, as if following some prescribed schedule. But now she didn’t care. So what if she’d only known Liam for ten days? So what if he’d probably seduced a string of beautiful women? That didn’t matter.
For now all that mattered was that she wanted him. Ellie reached for the buttons on his shirt and fumbled with them until they were undone. Then she brushed aside the soft cotton and smoothed her hands over his chest, lost in the pure masculine beauty of his body.
His chest was broad and finely muscled, a thin line of hair leading from his collarbone to beneath the waistband of his jeans. She trailed her fingers along that line as if it were a map to the next spot in their seduction. When she reached for the button on his jeans, Liam pushed her hands aside.
He worked the zipper on her jeans until they loosened around her waist. Then, lifting her, he pulled them down her hips, skimming her panties along with them. As he set her back on the countertop Ellie didn’t care that she was completely naked and he was still fully dressed. Somehow it made the moment seem more wicked. But she really didn’t realize how wicked it was about to become.
She expected him to start on his own clothes next, but instead he slowly explored her body with his lips and his tongue. Perched on the edge of the sink, she felt as if she might slip off at any moment and tumble onto the floor. But his hands were on her body, strong and sure.
Liam trailed his tongue from her nipple to her belly and then paused, gently parting her legs. Ellie sucked in a sharp breath as his mouth found its next destination. The pleasure was so intense that if she moved, she was certain she’d dissolve into a puddle on the floor. Her limbs became weightless and she couldn’t keep a rational thought in her mind. All she could do was experience the pleasure he gave her.
Ellie ran her fingers through his hair, arching into him with every sensation. She wanted to hold back, afraid to allow such vulnerability in herself. But the ache inside begged to be relieved. Second by second, she came closer, his tongue testing her limits. And then, as if something inside her burst, Ellie cried out.
Spasms of ecstasy rocked her body and she clutched the edge of the sink, certain that if she fell, she’d tumble into oblivion, destroyed by such an incredible orgasm. But Liam brought her down slowly and gently, until she felt completely relaxed and sated.
“Feel better?” he murmured, pressing his mouth against the curve of her neck.
A shiver of desire raced through her. “I guess the book was right,” she murmured.
“Are you ready for your bath now? The tub is almost full.”
Ellie didn’t care about a bath. Right now, she wanted to drag Liam Quinn into her bedroom to continue what he’d started, making wild and crazy love for the rest of the afternoon. But she wasn’t sure how to ask for what she wanted and, in the end, simply nodded her head.
“A bath would be nice.”
CANDLELIGHT FLICKERED against the walls of Ellie’s bathroom and she sighed softly as she sank back into the steaming water, submerging to her chin. Liam watched from the doorway, a glass of wine in his hand.
She looked so beautiful, so relaxed, he was almost tempted to carry her from the tub to her bed and make love to her. But Liam had stopped just short of that for a reason. Though he’d wanted nothing more than to pleasure Ellie, he knew that if he lost himself in the same pleasures, he’d be taking a risk that might prove costly in the end.
Over and over again he’d had to remind himself that he was still working for Sean. He had a job to do, and no matter how intense his feelings ran for Ellie, there was a chance that she’d committed a crime.
But was that really what he was afraid of? In his heart he knew she wasn’t capable of such deceit. But she was capable of something much more dangerous. She could steal his heart, make him fall head over heels in love with her. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.
Liam slowly walked to the tub and squatted beside it. “Here,” he murmured.
Ellie opened her eyes and turned to look at him. She smiled then took the glass from him. “I guess my tea got cold.”
Liam nodded. “The wine will relax you.”
“I don’t think I need to be any more relaxed,” she said. Ellie sat up, the water skimming off her breasts and leaving her skin slick and shiny. She set the glass on the tiled floor, then reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m fine,” she said.
“You’re sure?”
Ellie nodded. “It was just an…accident. Nothing more. He didn’t see me, I didn’t see him. It was stupid. I should have been paying more attention. And from now on, I will.”
“Good,” Liam said, leaning forward to drop a kiss on her damp lips. “I can’t come riding to your rescue all the time.”
But Liam knew that he wasn’t going to rest until he knew exactly who had been driving that car. The windows had been tinted, but he was pretty sure he’d gotten a decent shot of the license plate. If there was any connection between the driver and Ronald Pettibone, he’d find out-and he’d make Pettibone pay.
“Would you like me to wash your hair?” he asked.
Ellie nodded.
Liam levered to his feet, grabbed the mugful of tea and dumped it in the sink. When he returned to the tub, he reached down and scooped up some water, then carefully poured it over her head. Ellie handed him a bottle of shampoo and, after her hair was drenched, he squeezed a small bit into his hand and massaged it into her hair.
He’d never really indulged in such tasks with a woman. There was an undeniable intimacy found in waiting on her, in the simple act of helping her bathe. In a way, it all seemed more intimate than what they’d shared earlier. That had been about desire and need, but this was about comfort and affection.
The phone rang and Ellie opened her eyes. “Do you want me to get that?” Liam asked.
“No,” she said. “Let the machine pick it up.”
“All right,” Liam murmured. He moved his fingers down to her nape and gently scrubbed. After four rings the answering machine picked up and they listened as her outgoing message echoed through the empty apartment. Then the beep sounded and a male voice replaced hers.
“Hi, Eleanor. It’s Ronald. Listen, I was just calling to apologize about the other day. You just took me by surprise. I didn’t expect to feel…well, what I wanted to say was that I really need to see you again. Soon. We have to talk. I’ve got some contacts at a few banks here in town and…well, we’ll discuss that when we see each other. I’m at the Bostonian. Room 215. Call me.” The answering machine beeped again at the end of the message.
Liam’s fingers slowly dropped to her shoulders. Ronald Pettibone? Damn it, when had she seen Ronald Pettibone? He’d been with her almost constantly over the last ten days. And when he hadn’t been with her, either he or Sean had been watching her.
“I guess that wasn’t about a job,” Ellie said with a light laugh. “How embarrassing to have one man call me when I’m in the tub with another.”
For a while he’d alm
ost forgotten what had brought him and Ellie together in the first place. And now, sitting in her bathroom, her naked in the tub, he realized what a colossal mess he’d made of it all. Sean had warned him and he’d refused to listen, certain that he had everything under control. But he should have realized from the very moment he’d first seen Ellie that he was in trouble. If not then, their first kiss should have been a big clue. He should never have let it get this far.
He cleared his throat and hoped that his voice would sound indifferent. “Who is Ronald?” Liam already knew the answer to that question, but it was a logical one to ask considering the circumstances.
“You remember. I told you about him. He’s a co-worker from New York,” Ellie explained. “Well, more than a co-worker. Not anymore but-” She twisted around until she could look into his eyes. “We used to be…an item.”
“Is that another way of saying you used to be lovers?”
“Yes. But nobody knew. We kept it a secret. Ronald was afraid that everyone at the bank would find out and it would hurt our careers. Then he dumped me and I figured that he never really cared for me anyway.”
“And now he’s in town?”
“Yeah. In fact, you saw him that day outside the coffee shop. He was talking to me when you came out, remember?”
Liam slowly let the breath seep from his lungs. God, how could he have been so stupid? Ellie hadn’t looked a thing like her picture, why had he expected Ronald Pettibone to resemble his photo? Maybe it was all part of the plan, Liam mused. A new life, a new look. But Ellie was living her life out in the open. She was looking for a new job and making new friends and in no way trying to hide her identity. Not the behavior of someone just one step in front of the law.
But could the same be said for Ronald Pettibone? Not for one instant did Liam believe his appearance in Boston was coincidental. He’d come to her for a reason and either it was the money they’d both stolen or it was Ellie herself. Whichever it turned out to be, Liam wasn’t going to be a happy man.
“Maybe you should call him back,” Liam suggested.
“Now?”
“Not this minute. But after you get out of the tub.”
Ellie slowly swirled her hand around in the water. “It’s all over between Ronald and me. I don’t want you to think that-”
“I don’t,” Liam interrupted, already learning to hate the guy’s name. Ronald. Ronald was the name of the weaselly kid who was the tattletale in grade school. Ronald was the name of the brainiac in high school who always got a better grade in English. And Ronald was the kind of guy you just wanted to punch in the nose.
Liam grabbed the mug and began to rinse the soap out of Ellie’s hair. For a long time they didn’t speak. He wasn’t sure what to say. Hell, he knew Ellie had a past with men, far fewer than the number of women he’d had in his life. But Ronald Pettibone wasn’t just any old boyfriend. If he and Ellie had pulled off a crime together, then they shared a connection a little deeper than just physical attraction.
He bit back a curse, stood and grabbed a towel from the stand next to the sink. “The water is getting cold,” he said.
Ellie stared at him for a long moment, as if she were trying to read his expression. Then she slowly stood, the water sluicing off her naked body. Liam quickly wrapped her in the towel, unwilling to tempt himself any further. He was this close to dragging her down to the bathroom floor to really make love to her.
“You’re not angry that he called, are you?”
“Why would you think that?” Liam asked, tucking the towel tight around her breasts.
“You just seemed a little…perturbed.”
It wouldn’t do to have Ellie suspicious, Liam mused. But he wasn’t about to deny his feelings. “Maybe I am, a little. But that shouldn’t stop you from seeing him. He said something about banks. Maybe he can help you find a new job.”
A slow smile curved Ellie’s lips. “I never thought about that. He said he had some contacts here in Boston. Maybe he can give me a few leads. In fact, that’s probably what he wants to talk to me about.”
“Why don’t you finish drying off and I’ll go get us some lunch?” Liam said. “I’ll pick up a couple of sandwiches and we’ll just relax.”
“The sun’s come out,” Ellie said. “Maybe we should go out to lunch and then go sight-seeing. I’m feeling much better now. And the fresh air and exercise will do me good.”
In truth, Liam was anxious to get out of the apartment so he could give Sean the news. Ronald Pettibone was in town and Liam knew exactly where to find him. If things went well, Liam would have answers to all his questions soon. And then he’d finally know exactly where he stood with Ellie Thorpe.
5
THE BAPTISM BRUNCH was already in full swing by the time Sean arrived. Liam watched him walk through the door of Conor and Olivia’s apartment. In truth, Liam hadn’t expected his brother to show up since Fiona was going to be in attendance. When he’d left their flat, Sean had been lying on the sofa, watching a basketball game.
The relationship between Liam’s long-lost mother and her son had grown more and more strained since she’d come back into their lives, and Sean avoided her presence whenever he could. Liam hadn’t minded that Sean might not show up. He had been hoping to get at least a little break from his brother’s constant concern about their case.
Liam glanced over at Ellie. She was standing near the baby-buggy-shaped cake, chatting with Brendan’s fiancée, Amy. He had wondered how Ellie would get along at a Quinn family gathering, considering that his family could be a bit overwhelming at times. And he almost hadn’t asked her to come. But then he’d decided it would be easier to keep an eye on her if he just kept her close.
Bringing a date to a family function had caused more than a few raised eyebrows, but no one commented out loud. Liam’s sister, Keely, had come up first, introducing herself to Ellie, then motioning her husband, Rafe, over to join the conversation. It had been a year since their wedding and though Rafe and the Quinns had had issues in the past, everyone could see that he made Keely very happy. Along with Olivia, Meggie and Amy, Rafe had become part of the ever-expanding Quinn clan.
Olivia and Conor wandered among the guests, introducing their son, Conor smiling from ear to ear and Olivia looking more beautiful than ever. They came up to Amy and Ellie, and a moment later Ellie had the baby in her arms. Liam’s breath caught in his throat as he saw her smile sweetly at Riley, then kiss the soft dusting of hair on his head.
No matter how much time had passed, Liam was still amazed by the circumstances that had brought them together. Had he seen her sipping a drink at Quinn’s Pub or walking along any sidewalk in Boston, he probably wouldn’t have given Ellie a second look. But something had happened to him when she’d hit him over the head with that lamp, something that had jarred loose in his brain, and by the end of that night he’d become completely smitten.
“Will you look at this?” Brendan muttered, walking up behind Liam. “Sean decided to put in an appearance. Conor told me he wasn’t coming.”
Sean stopped short when Fiona approached, then deftly turned and headed toward the table. But he was halted again, this time by someone Sean hadn’t expected-Ellie Thorpe. Liam winced and knew that he was about to catch holy hell.
“Maybe you should introduce him to your new girlfriend,” Brendan suggested.
“She’s not my girlfriend. Besides-”
“What the hell is she doing here?” Sean murmured under his breath as he approached Liam.
Liam grabbed Brendan’s plate. “Looks like you could use a little more to eat, Bren,” he said. “I’ll just go get us a few of those sandwiches.” He headed for the tiny kitchen, but Sean just followed him, cornering Liam at the refrigerator.
“Answer my question,” Sean demanded.
Liam snatched up two sandwiches and shoved one at Sean. “Have something to eat and relax,” he muttered.
His brother tossed the sandwich back onto the plate.
�
��That’s really good chicken salad,” Liam said. “You should try it.”
“I told you to get close to her. But I didn’t mean this close.” He gave Liam a shrewd look. “Are you sleeping with her?”
“Not right now. I’m talking to you and thinking that I might just have a few of those shrimp over there. Con and Olivia really went all out here, didn’t they? This is quite a spread.”
“Do you think this is funny?”
“No,” Liam replied with a low chuckle. “But I didn’t have much choice in the matter. I think someone is trying to kill her.”
Sean gasped, then grabbed Liam’s arm and dragged him out to the small porch off the kitchen. The sky was gray and a light mist hung over the city. “What happened?” he asked.
“A lot of things,” Liam replied, glancing back over his shoulder to make sure no one could overhear. “And all of them pretty strange. First, there was the burglary. Then Ellie told me she nearly got hit on the head by a brick falling off her apartment roof. And then, yesterday, she almost got run down by a car just outside her apartment building. The burglary might have been random, but that car was aiming for her.”
“Did you get a plate on the car?”
“Yeah.” Liam reached into the pocket of his sports jacket and pulled out the two photos he’d developed that morning. “I enlarged these and you can see there’s a rental sticker on the back bumper. I went to the place, but they wouldn’t give me any information about who rented the car.”
“I’ll see what I can find. If they won’t tell me, maybe I can get Conor to give me some help.”
“Listen,” Liam said. “I don’t know who Ellie is or what she’s done, but I do know that if I don’t keep an eye on her, she might just end up dead. So don’t give me any grief, all right?”
“All right,” Sean said. “But from now on I’m keeping an eye on you while you keep an eye on her.”
“Here you are!” Liam and Sean turned to find Ellie in the doorway. The cool breeze ruffled her hair and, at that moment, Liam hadn’t seen anything quite as beautiful as Ellie in his whole life.
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