The Touch

by Jaymie Holland

  When he finished the transaction, Wade turned to Chandra who still had her hands deep in her pockets, her lips slightly parted. With the images of the two of them barreling through her mind, she was still having difficulty breathing.

  She’d gone without sex so long because of the Touch. The thought of a night of passion with this man made her almost blind with desire.

  With another sensual smile, Wade said, “What do you say to lunch together as my way of apology?”

  Chandra swallowed, her heart taking a little skip. “Apologize for…?”

  “I know you wanted the painting.” He focused intently on her, and she was mesmerized by his eyes. “Lunch—on me.”

  She took a deep breath. Despite what she had just seen, despite the sense of shadows and danger, despite the fact she didn’t believe fate could be changed, she said, “It’s probably not a good idea for me to—for us to have lunch together.”

  He raised a brow, the corner of his mouth almost quirking into a smile. “And that’s because…?”

  Why isn’t it a good idea? her subconscious whispered. And she almost shouted out loud, “I’ll end up with you in my bed and I don’t even know who you are and I sense danger. What’s wrong with this picture?”

  ***

  Chapter 2

  Wade waited as Chandra tried to think of some reason not to go to lunch with him. “I—ah, I don’t even know you.”

  “You know my name, and the fact we have something in common. We both appreciate works of art.” His eyes never left hers and she wanted to melt all over again. “There’s no better way to get to know one another than over a good meal, Chandra.”

  The way he said her name, slow and sensually, about made her melt. He was close to her, so close she caught his spicy scent. The way he made her feel just by being near her was sending her senses into overdrive. Desire curled in her belly—testimony to the fact that she wanted him. Or at least her body did.

  And the vision…

  Fate is fate, she reminded herself. My visions always come true. There’s no changing the future.

  She was fated for at least one night of pleasure with this man.

  Chandra wasn’t so sure she minded this particular vision at all, except for the danger part nagging at the back of her mind. Yet, as she’d thought before, perhaps she was supposed to help him with something?

  She took a deep breath and forced the words out before she could change her mind. “Okay. Lunch.”

  #

  Wade smiled at the fact the beautiful woman had agreed to have lunch with him. The attraction he felt for her had been instantaneous, a wild rush. It was unlike anything he’d experienced before.

  Yet something tugged at his consciousness. Could she be another operative…for Psion? Had her interest in the painting been more than mere coincidence?

  Psion was a multi-million dollar semiconductor corporation that the PIA more than suspected was after the chip—the chip that would expose all known persons with paranormal abilities. With that kind of information, there was no telling what a mega-corporation could do.

  The PIA suspected more people and governments than Psion were interested in the chip. That kind of information could be sold for one hell of a lot of money.

  Keeping his hand on the small of her back, Wade guided Chandra through the throng of people at the festival. The transaction had gone smoothly enough. The woman had caused some concern. Thank God she wasn’t wealthy. At least she didn’t appear to be, or she’d have kept on bidding. She would never know that no matter what, she could never outbid him.

  Hair rose at the nape of Wade’s neck as they worked their way through the crowd. His gut instinct from years of covert operations and training kicked into gear, and his shadow Senses were on full alert.

  They were being watched.

  Or could the sensation be caused by the woman he was with?

  He swept his gaze over the crowd, his fingers barely on Chandra’s back, so that his hand was ready to reach for his weapon if he needed it. Taller than the average man, he could see over the heads of a good deal of the art festival’s patrons.

  Once they burst out of the festival’s crowd and onto a calmer street, it was easier for him to keep an eye on what or who may be following them. He wasn’t sure they were being followed, but he hoped the transaction he’d made had escaped notice.

  “The Arizona Sports Pub?” Wade asked as they walked along the street that had several eating establishments.

  “Sure.” She looked up at him, uncertainty still in her violet gaze. Violet eyes, a clear shade of amethyst, were not common and he found them entrancing. What other mysteries did this woman hold?

  He took her into the most relaxing pub in Tempe. It was a comfortable place to enjoy a decent meal, drink a good beer, watch the Diamondbacks, Suns, Cardinals, or Coyotes and enjoy the company of other sports nuts. It was larger, airier, more colorful and definitely cleaner than the average bar.

  The chatter in the pub was at a low hum. Smells of nachos, hamburgers, fries and beer hung heavy in the large room. Fans whirred overhead stirring Chandra’s hair about her shoulders and ruffling his own.

  Wade escorted her to a table in a corner which had a semi-circular padded bench designed to fit perfectly into that space. She eased onto the corner of the bench, and he moved fairly close to her. Not close enough to make her uncomfortable, but close enough that he could reach out to her if he wanted to. She gave him a wary look that told him she wanted him to keep his distance.

  Or could it be something else? His gut instincts and his shadow Senses were usually right on, but this woman was throwing him completely off balance. He couldn’t get a clear reading on her at all. Yet he wanted her with an intensity bordering on desperation, and he had to grit his teeth against the pressure in his snug jeans.

  Cheers rocked the pub and Wade glanced up at one of the flat screen monitors to see a replay of the Sun’s center shooting a three-pointer.

  He swung his gaze back to Chandra who was studying her menu. He already knew what he was going to order and watched her while he had the chance. Her hair flowed around her shoulders and a thin chunk of hair slipped over one eye as she looked down. Before he had the opportunity to brush it away, she reached up and tucked the strands behind her ear.

  She wore a penny charm at the end of a chain around her neck. On one side was a rose-gold leaf, nearly the same bright shiny color of her penny.

  Throughout lunch, Wade found his palms itching to touch Chandra. To run his fingers through her hair, to trace the curve of her jaw and her full lips.

  She kept her hands beneath the table, except when drinking her water or eating her bacon double-cheese hamburger. She had a good appetite, which was a sign she comfortable with him, at least to a certain extent.

  She was pretty. Not stunningly beautiful, and not too thin. She had a figure that pleased him, and those violet eyes held both innocence and knowing at the same time. Part of him remained wary as he analyzed her speech, her movements.

  During the meal they talked easily and he felt as though he had known her for who knew how long. He learned that she had a fair-sized family, all women. They were apparently very close and Chandra’s eyes brightened when she talked about them.

  He told her of his brother, sister, and his parents. He had a slew of aunts, uncles, and cousins, but they were scattered all over the U.S.

  After they talked about their families, she brought the straw of her ice-water to her lips and asked, “What do you do?” before taking a drink.

  Wade rested one arm on the back of the bench. “Law enforcement.”

  She nearly choked on the sip of water she had just taken and he took the opportunity to rub her back until she finished coughing. Did his being in law enforcement have anything to do with her sudden coughing fit?

  When she had composed her features, she looked directly at him. “I’m a publicity agent.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

  Cha
ndra shrugged. “A semiconductor company. Psion.”

  Wade went completely still. “Psion contracts with the government.”

  With a nod, she said, “Primarily.”

  She turned her attention to her plate as she played with one of her French fries. “What kind of law enforcement?”

  Was that an innocent question, or one she already knew the answer to? His Glock dug into his spine through his over-shirt and T-shirt as he shifted and eased back in the booth. He wondered just exactly what she carried in her backpack. “Does it matter?”

  A shadow crossed Chandra’s face. “Of course not,” she said in a nonchalant manner then bit into another French fry.

  Despite his feelings that she might be working for Psion, he wanted this woman. He had to stop thinking with his dick, but damn he wanted her.

  As they were finishing eating ice cream sundaes for dessert, he lightly stroked her bare skin from the sleeve of her T-shirt to her elbow. Beneath his fingers, goose bumps rose on her arm. Chandra’s gaze met his and her spoon clattered in her almost empty sundae glass.

  He leaned closer, so that their mouths were inches away. He waited for her to draw back, but her eyes darkened and there was no doubt about the desire in their depths.

  Just when he was going to bring his mouth to hers, Chandra reached up and kissed him.

  Mild shock coursed through Wade and bolted to his groin at her aggressiveness. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and gave a soft moan. He let her take control, following her lead and kept the kiss slow and sensuous.

  Chandra tasted like hot fudge, ice cream and pure, sweet woman. She surprised him again when her kiss turned hungry and intense. She placed her palms on his chest and clenched the material in her fists. He felt the heat of her touch right through his T-shirt to his skin.

  He brought his hands to hers and clasped them. Immediately she tore away from the kiss and slipped her hands from beneath his. She had a wild look to her eyes, her breathing was hard and deep, and he couldn’t tell if it was fear or desire he saw.

  Or something else.

  He rubbed his thumb along her arm and she shivered beneath his touch. “What’s wrong?”

  She clenched her hands in her lap and shook her head. He couldn’t tell if it was an answer to his question or from something deeper. “I’m okay. Please don’t touch my hands, all right?”

  What the hell? Wade drew back and narrowed his eyes. Was it possible she had the sixth sense? Why else would she act so skittish when he touched her hands? Why her entire body had trembled when he’d touched her? After being with the PIA for well over a decade he was more than familiar with the Touch, as he was aware of all known and catalogued paranormal abilities.

  Damn that would be dangerous in an operative for Psion. But wouldn’t she want to touch him, then?

  “Why not?” he finally asked.

  Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath and raised her chin. “Just don’t.”

  He studied her. “For now. Then you will tell me.”

  Chandra’s eyes flashed. “Kiss my ass.”

  With a grin, Wade said, “I’d love to.”

  ***

  Chapter 3

  After lunch, Chandra told Wade she had to leave to meet one of her cousins, which he figured was a lie. He made her nervous. He could tell by the way she bit her lower lip and avoided his direct gaze at times.

  “I’ll walk you to your car,” he said as they exited the pub into the sunshine-bright street.

  “Thanks, but no.” She slipped her hand out of her pocket to gesture in the general direction of Mill Street. “I need to stop by the bookstore before I leave, anyway.”

  He just studied her for a moment. “Dinner. Tomorrow. Here.”

  Chandra cocked her head. She studied him for a long moment before she said, “Okay. Seven.”

  He caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger and brushed his mouth over hers. “Seven it is,” he murmured.

  Chandra gave a sigh that sent warm breath over his mouth and he almost groaned at his need for her. When he drew away, her eyes were dark, but she said, “I’ve got to go. Thanks for lunch, Wade.”

  Before he could say another word, she turned away and started down the sidewalk, back toward the festival. Her rounded bottom swayed as she walked and her brown hair gleamed with auburn highlights in the sunlight. She kept her hands tucked into her pants pockets, her backpack hitched over one shoulder and didn’t look back.

  Wade watched her for a moment before he glanced around to make sure no one was watching—and shadow shifted.

  One with the shadows, he made his way after Chandra. He was no longer form or flesh, but a moving shadow and could take a size and shape of his choosing as long as it was a shadow. He wasn’t invisible, no, he was a shadow shifter.

  The ironic thing was that he worked for the government intent on harnessing and using paranormal activity and beings with certain powers, yet they didn’t know he was a shadow shifter. If they knew—suffice it to say, he’d have to fight for his freedom. As it was he could protect others of his kind and help to take down those with paranormal powers who worked for Psion. If he wasn’t in shadow form he would have smiled. A few of his people had been discovered by the government that had found a way to control them. But Wade had made sure each of his people had escaped. As a shadow shifter he could do damn near anything.

  Unless the government discovered what he was and used the special chemical called Exposal to harness him. That same chemical could control him so that he could be used by the government.

  It was simple to follow Chandra through the crowd, easily sliding between people in the throng. His senses were high as he followed her light citrus scent.

  When she crossed the street toward the large chain bookstore, she didn’t enter it like she’d said she would. Instead she continued to walk down the sidewalk to the lower level of the parking garage beneath the store. He melded easily with the lower lighting of the garage as she strode up to a cherry red BMW convertible coupe. Well, well. If she owned that pricey vehicle, she wasn’t hurting for money, that was certain.

  A chirp, chirp sound came from the car after she dug her keys out of her backpack and pressed the remote. The garage smelled of oil and exhaust. When he slipped inside the BMW with Chandra, to rest on the floorboard of the backseats, those smells were replaced by a new-car scent. By the pristine condition and the scent, it was obvious the coupe was new.

  Did a publicity agent make that much?

  When she slammed the door she went very still. Slowly she turned her head just enough to look over her shoulder. Her gaze quickly raked the bench seat and the floorboards.

  She gave an audible sigh of relief before turning back to grip the steering wheel and saying, “Jeez, girl. What’s got you spooked?”

  She thrust her keyless remote into a slot and pressed a start button on the dashboard, and immediately rock music poured from the Surround Sound system. Interesting way to start a car, he thought. He drove a truck, used a key, and turned the ignition. Nice and simple.

  Her car purred as she drove it out of the garage and onto the back streets away from the arts festival.

  When they finally parked and she opened the car door, he slid out in shadow form. The car chirped again as she locked it. He shifted along the ground behind her until he came to the sidewalk in front of a modest taupe-colored townhouse with white trim. He wanted to know where she lived for insurance purposes, he told himself, in case she wasn’t just as a publicity agent with Psion. But he wouldn’t invade her space.

  After she jogged up the short flight of stairs, she tucked the key into the lock and let herself into the townhouse. She mumbled something under her breath he couldn’t quite make out. For a long time he watched her home, remaining in shadow form on the sidewalk. God the woman made him hot. He could almost feel his shadow form steaming from just the thought of taking her.

  But was she working for Psion in some other capacity? Or was she as inn
ocent as she seemed?

  He’d find out soon enough.

  #

  Chandra had wanted to stay with Wade so badly she could feel it on her tongue. But she hadn’t thought she could handle being in his intoxicating presence much longer. If she’d stayed, she’d likely end up going home with the man.

  And that’s a problem because…? her oversexed subconscious whispered as she unlocked the front door to her townhouse.

  “Just shut up,” she grumbled under her breath as she let herself in and shut the door behind her.

  For a moment she leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. She pictured his dark hair, dark eyes, and all those yummy muscles. It would feel so incredibly good to be in his strong embrace.

  The memory of the visions she’d had of the two of them exploded in her mind and her eyelids flew open. No, she couldn’t go there. Not now. But tomorrow…

  Still something nagged at her. She’d seen shifting shadows in her vision where there shouldn’t have been. A cloudless sunny sky, no buildings or anything else close enough to cast shadows.

  Then there was always that sense of danger that squeezed her heart. She shouldn’t even be thinking about going out with this man. But she was.

  There’s no changing fate.

  She was thankful her cousin, Valerie, hadn’t come home yet, because Chandra didn’t think she could come up with any coherent conversation. Valerie had borrowed Chandra’s Chevy truck, leaving Chandra with her beautiful BMW to drive. Not a hardship.

  When she made her way to her bedroom, she remembered the chip she’d stuck to the back of her pendant. Her cheeks heated at the thought of what she’d done. She’d stolen something.

  After she kicked off her sandals, she padded across the soft carpet to her bed and plopped on the end of it. She slipped the necklace over her head and held the penny in her palm so that the chip was right side up. It looked innocent enough, but as a publicity agent for a semiconductor company, she knew it could be anything but. What kind of information did it hold? It had to be something vital for her to have had a vision that she’d taken it.