“Everything is in order?” Kane asked Nigel’s man, who didn’t flinch at Kane’s authoritative tone.
He calmly continued to examine their documents and when he leaned forward, Fallon saw the outline of a weapon holstered beneath his shoulder. Finally, he handed the documents back and placed the cashier’s check in his front pocket. “If you will please follow me, I’ll explain the procedures.”
They walked down a hallway lined with an exquisite Oriental runner. Oil paintings hung on the wall and a jade fountain gurgled, the scent of floating white blossoms adding a cloying scent to the air.
“Your check buys you an evening to try the technology and ensure that it works as promised. If you desire, paid companions have been arranged to join you.”
Kane slung an arm over her shoulder. “I have all the companionship I need with me.”
“That’s your prerogative, sir.” The guard stopped in front of a set of double doors. “I will remain here for your protection.”
More likely to prevent them from stealing the technology, Fallon thought as she strove to keep a bland expression on her face. With only the one entrance and exit, there would be no sneaking in or out. She would have to purchase the technology, again. And she was certain that Kane would not allow her to keep it. Although the waste of capital bothered her, she understood the stakes and accepted that she could well afford the loss.
But perhaps more importantly, she trusted Kane to do the right thing with her money. If he spent some of her wealth, it wasn’t out of greed but for a higher purpose—one she admired as much as she admired him.
She’d loved before. Never easily, but she’d loved. Yet, oddly, she’d never trusted a man with her wealth—until now. And the idea was freeing. He was a man worthy of her love and her trust. And somehow just knowing that made her realize she’d finally gotten all that she’d ever wanted—even if she only had him for a while.
Nigel’s man spoke carefully, as if he’d been required to memorize his message. “Further instructions are on the dining table. Please understand that once you exit the premises, you won’t be allowed to return.”
They strode inside and Fallon ignored the pleasant fragrance of flowers in vases and the spicy scent of cinnamon candles. She walked past a table covered with a delicate lace tablecloth and set with a tempting assortment of hors d’oeuvres and cheeses, a sterling ice bucket enticingly offering chilled Dom Perignon and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Instead, she let her gaze sweep around the room, noting the security cameras that seemed to cover every angle before making a beeline for the brochure on the dining room table.
She picked up the note and read aloud. “Welcome. Your check buys you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out the newest in pleasure technology. While the security is tight throughout the suite, the master bedroom and bath are private.” She glanced at Kane, her curiosity engaged. What kind of device was he selling this time that it required the assurance of privacy in the master bedroom? “Do you think that’s true?”
Kane shrugged and popped the cork on the champagne. “Does it really matter?”
“I don’t want to end up on the Internet,” she muttered, remembering her cover in case they were being audio-monitored. “Mother wouldn’t like it.” Then she went back to reading aloud. “After your opportunity to try my little invention, I’m certain you’ll wish to submit a sealed bid. The winner will be notified the day after tomorrow and will be expected to transfer the funds immediately. At that time, all four prototypes, the patent pending and full legal documentation will be legally transferred. You are welcome to stay the night. Enjoy, and good luck with the bidding.”
She frowned at the brochure and turned it over. The other side was blank.
“What’s wrong?” Kane asked, smoothly pouring two flutes of champagne without wasting a drop.
“I still don’t know why you dragged me here.”
“Patience.” He handed her a flute and leaned forward.
To the cameras, he’d appear to be nuzzling her ear, but he whispered. “Walk around the room.”
She sipped her champagne, then ambled to the windows where she had a view of the Las Vegas strip. The numerous bright lights lit up the street like the sun and thousands of residents, tourists and convention-goers hurried down the huge sidewalks, seemingly eager to spend their money gambling.
“The view is lovely.”
She glanced to Kane and noted that while he appeared to be watching her, his gaze slid past her right shoulder. “I’m a lucky man.”
The surveillance equipment would simply show Kane complimenting her. Stalling to give Kane time to check the security, she played along. “If you play your cards right, you might get even luckier.”
“Unless you’re talking about strip poker, playing with cards isn’t what I had in mind.”
Although his banter was strictly for any listening devices, she couldn’t help but heat up at his tone. He might have been working but the intensity behind his words was very real and pleasure shimmied through her. Being with Kane excited her on several levels. Their work was important and the fact that he’d shared information more than he should have with her meant that he trusted her. Also, she liked combining business and pleasure. And last but just as important, she liked the way he always tried to protect her, making her feel valuable and cherished.
Remembering his instructions to walk around, she strolled by the windows, detoured into the kitchen and opened and closed the fridge, then returned to the dining table and surveyed her choices. The decision between the chocolate-dipped strawberries and apricots was a tough one, but the strawberry called to her taste buds. Perhaps it was her nerves, perhaps because Kane was watching, but the fruity chocolate went down sweet and smooth.
She held up another strawberry. “Want to try one?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Finally Kane seemed satisfied enough with his security preparation to join her. He dipped his head and she thought he meant to take the strawberry into his mouth or whisper into her ear, but he planted his lips on hers. “Mmm.”
He might be on a mission, but he hadn’t forgotten how to kiss—even with fake buck teeth. She never knew exactly what to expect from Kane. Sometimes he was exceptionally tender and gentle. Other times he was demanding. This time he kissed her as if he’d been craving her and his heat stoked her kindling embers until she forgot the cameras and who might be watching. His lips on hers became her sole focus. That and the fact that she wanted more.
And when his arms came around her, gathering her close, she couldn’t think of one place she’d rather be. Compared to kissing Kane, the technology in the next room would seem dull.
The champagne on his lips intoxicated her and she wished that all their clothes and his padding weren’t between them. But if his mouth was the only part of his body she could touch, she would take what he gave her. When they broke apart, her pulse had escalated and she had to breath in deeply for air.
And when he took her hand, she was ready to discover whatever was waiting for her in the master bedroom. If security cameras were watching them, they had to go and inspect the technology, even try it out or their actions would be highly suspicious.
While Kane surveyed the master bedroom with sharp eyes, she looked around. The suite appeared normal—high, sweeping ceilings and lots of marble, gilt and glass that one would expect in a penthouse suite. An exceptionally large bed dominated the room. Custom-made, the bed had to be almost double king-size and round. The rich emerald coverlet matched the drapes and dozens of pillows in assorted shapes and hues of green and gold drew her eye to a tiny scarlet velvet box that perched in their midst.
She was about to approach and examine the scarlet box when Kane tugged her back into his arms. Lifting her head, she hoped for another stunning kiss. But his fingers unfastened her blouse with an expertise that told her he was in a hurry and his knowing smile warned her that he knew exactly what was in the box.
She glanced at the ceiling. �
��What about cameras?”
“There aren’t any in here.”
He sounded so certain, but he wasn’t a man to take another’s word, especially one who worked for Nigel. She leaned forward, catching his fingers, and lowered her voice. “How do you know there aren’t any hidden cameras or microphones?”
He waved a brochure that he must have picked up while she’d been taking in the ramifications of that awesome bed. “Because the device Nigel stole has built in privacy dampeners. You needn’t worry about anyone hearing what you say or looking at all your delicious skin except me, and me, and me.”
By now she knew Kane well enough to take his explanations on faith. Besides, he’d never jeopardize the mission by risking being caught,
She laughed at his odd turn of phrase. Most of the time they had no communication problems, either physical or verbal. He wasn’t a man to hide what he wanted from her or from himself.
At the moment he seemed more concerned with removing her blouse than playing with the new toy waiting for them on the bed. And while his eyes glinted lasciviously, his touch was careful and precise.
He didn’t tease her flesh as he parted the blouse and she shrugged it off. Yet, she’d learned that if she didn’t undress him, he’d soon have her naked. While that was fine by her, both of them naked would be better.
So she removed his shirt and the padding with the same swift efficiency he’d used. And she couldn’t help wondering if this was the last time they’d make love. He had a plan to catch Nigel and once he put it into effect, Kane would be out of her life—forever.
Knowing this could be goodbye made a lump well up in her throat. Kane had come to mean so much to her. No matter how lonely she became later, she would never regret this time with him. He’d taught her that she could be wanted for herself and for that, she would always hold a part of him tenderly in her heart.
She tossed the long strands of hair aside to reveal his true profile. She wanted to memorize the tiny crinkle lines by his eyes, the bold nose, the lips that so often twisted into an amused smile, lips that had kissed every part of her body and given her so much pleasure.
She didn’t have so much of a photograph of him but she took a mental snapshot. His broad chest and wide shoulders thrilled her as much as the demanding expression now on his face, and her heart hitched as she wondered what he had in mind. By the flaring of his nostrils and the glimmer of light in his eyes, she could tell he was up to something…something delightfully wicked.
“What are you smiling about?” He reached to unfasten her slacks.
“I’m finding that I do like your surprises but…”
“But?”
“You have that cat-that-ate-the-canary look.”
“Huh?”
Her wording might have confused him, but his hands never stopped removing her slacks. In no time she was standing there in an apricot lace bra and matching bikini panties.
“You look like you can barely wait to spring this next surprise on me.”
He grinned and kicked off his shoes. “You are so correct. Take off all my clothes, please.”
This was a switch. He got to be naked first. She didn’t hesitate, removing his slacks, bending to take off his socks, all the while wondering what he was up to. If she hadn’t been so on edge, she might have tried to tease him as she took off his clothing, but as he tensed in anticipation, she sensed he wanted to get past the removal of the clothing to the seduction.
Good.
For once their eagerness to make love seemed to be on the same wavelength. Kissing him had incited her hormones to riot. Undressing him had aroused her to a seven or eight on her readiness meter. Already, she wanted to ditch her bra and panties. In fact, when she straightened she expected him to do so in short order.
Naked and aroused, he gestured for her to join him by the bed. With a sparkle in his eyes, he picked up the scarlet box.
“What’s in there?” She expected a sex toy. Special oils. An aphrodisiac. Perhaps a different version of the buffs or chain that she’d worn before.
“We’re going to have fun and since Nigel would be suspicious if we didn’t spend the night, we might as well enjoy the technology.”
He opened the box and she peered inside. Her eyes had trouble focusing. It looked like liquid diamonds all sparkling and mysterious. Was it something to drink?
Kane lifted the box over his head and turned it upside down. She thought the sparkles would drip over him, like thick honey. Instead, the substance unfurled like a ball of yarn, the sparkling thread winding over Kane’s face, his neck, his chest, his stomach. It wound over his sex and buttocks, his legs, almost like a heavenly measuring tape with a mind of its own.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
The tape shined and shimmied, filling in the gaps until not a sliver of his bronze flesh showed through the silvery diamond sparkles. Then the silver cracked and opened down the center and Kane stepped away. The material lacked his body to cling to but closed back on itself and nevertheless held his shape like a mold.
And then the silver threads vanished. Leaving behind an exact duplicate…of Kane.
“Oh, God.” She looked from the duplicate to Kane. “There’re two of you?”
Kane gestured to the silver thread that was busy duplicating him yet again.
“Actually, there’re three of me now. All ready to pleasure you.”
12
AFTER KANE had heard the setup, the luxury suites, the private showing, the funds required to check out the technology, he’d suspected that Nigel was going to sell the Hot Copier, nanotechnology that replicated “Hard Copies” of sexual partners. Fallon may have already seen too much of the future technology but Kane figured that one more item wouldn’t make too much difference in the grand scheme of time. Besides, Nigel would know if he didn’t activate the Hot Copier, and that would be suspicious.
Kane grinned at the fact that, though sometimes working as a time cop was a difficult job, right now he couldn’t have been more pleased. As he smiled, HC1 and HC2 smiled, too, replicating him down to his atomic base point.
Fallon gasped, her jaw dropping as her gaze flitted from HC1 to HC2 to Kane. “Are they real?”
“Sort of. Hard Copies have no past, no future. But when a Hard Copy touches you, you will feel him as you would me. Hard Copies can do everything I can do—my hands, my lips, my tongue.”
Her gaze dropped to his erection.
Kane chuckled. “That too.”
“This is…impossible.” She took a step toward HC1, her breasts deliciously quivering in the lacy bra.
“In your time, it isn’t possible,” he agreed, enjoying her curiosity as she strode around the Hard Copies, giving him an opportunity to admire her long legs, her rounded bottom and her trim waist. He loved keeping her naked. If he had his way he’d keep her nude all the time. But Nigel would have detected the technology. However, now that she was almost bare again, he smiled a grin of satisfaction.
“These guys are outrageous.”
“You like outrageous,” he reminded her, thoroughly enjoying himself and knowing it was simply a matter of time until she gave in and accepted what would please her.
“But I’m not into sexual toys.”
“Hard Copies aren’t mere mechanical toys.”
“Really?” She ran an experimental finger down HC1’s arm, then leaned in and sniffed. “He smells just like you.”
“He also thinks exactly as I direct him to.”
Her eyes widened and she took a step back. “These…”
“Hard Copies,” he supplied the word for her, and despite her shock the name made her lips quirk in amusement.
“These Hard Copies have a brain?”
“Enough to obey my commands.”
Her gaze darted to him. “You control them?”
“Yes.” He enjoyed watching her take in the concept, trying to think through the ramifications. Although he couldn’t answer more than
basic questions she might have about the technology, since he wasn’t a nanotechnologist, he could see what she knew already was stirring her excitement.
“How many of these Hard Copies can one…” With a frown, she gestured to the scarlet case where the liquid nanobots had returned by themselves.
“The device is called a Hot Copier.”
She laughed, her lips wide and full, and shook her head, spilling a lock of hair over one her eye. “So how many Hard Copies can a Hot Copier make?”
He folded his arms over his chest and directed HC1 and HC2 to do the same by shooting a thought command their way. “You don’t think three of us are enough to satisfy you?”
She didn’t hesitate, cocking one brazen hip in his direction. “You are enough all by yourself.”
“Ah, but think of three sets of hands on you simultaneously exploring. Three sets of lips tasting.”
“This is…insane.”
“You like insane.”
She ignored his comment as though disagreeing but her hardened nipples poking through her apricot bra told a different story. Oh, she was excited all right—perhaps a little reluctant to admit it, but he was now certain he could overcome any twenty-first century hesitation.
“So how do you tell them what to do?” she asked, her curiosity clearly intense.
“I think at them.”
“And they won’t do anything—”
“Nothing, unless I instruct them.”
She swallowed hard, her flat belly shimmying in a delightfully erotic movement and he saw that a spark of interest joined the curiosity in her expression. “So these Hard Copies are like a computer that you program by thought?”
“You can think of them that way.”
He stepped forward and tugged her into his arms, loving the softness of her skin, appreciating the way her tense muscles relaxed on contact with his, then trembled in eager anticipation. Oh, she was quite a woman, Fallon Hanover. Since his arrival, she’d absorbed one surprise after another, and now he would enjoy giving her more pleasure than she’d ever believed possible. It was the least he could do after disrupting her life, dragging her on a dangerous mission and then allowing them to grow close.
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