“I’ve already put you out enough. I’ll take care of it when I get home.” Slipping her heels on, she picked up her pantyhose as her gaze rose to meet his. “Is my car still at O’Malley’s?”
“Yes. But I’m not sure you should drive. Please. Stay. It really is no imposition. The only plan I had was going over to my folks’ later tonight.” Damn. He didn’t want her to leave. “Hey. Why don’t you join me? Well, unless you have something else planned.” After all it was Christmas Eve. “My parents have an open house each year that I’m expected to attend. People come and go at will. There’s lots of delicious food and plenty to drink.”
She cringed, pulling a face. “Your parents wouldn’t want me there. Besides I’ve had enough alcohol for the holidays.”
Damn. The woman was absolutely adorable.
“Check.” With a single finger, he made the symbol in the air. “No alcohol. But you’re wrong. My parents would love it if you attended.”
“Really?” She squirmed, tugging at her skirt.
“Of course, why wouldn’t they?”
Kayla cocked a brow.
Before she could come up with another excuse to shoot him down, he continued. “Say you’ll come. I hate to go to these things alone.” Although it wasn’t exactly true that he’d be attending alone, Stan had agreed to meet him there later in the evening but that hardly counted. “Besides you’d make my mother happy. Maybe then she’ll stop parading a slew of women before me as potential marriage candidates.” When Kayla still didn’t respond, he added, “You’d really be doing me a favor.” Barry could tell by the reluctance in her expression she was about to say no. “Call it returning a favor.”
“Oh. You’re smooth, Mr. Allred, real smooth. I believe that is called blackmail.”
“Barry.” He reminded her they were on a first-name basis. Besides, what he had planned was entrapment, not blackmail. Because if things went as he’d like, she would be locked in his arms tonight. “Those who make the laws know how to break the laws.” He chuckled and then grew serious. “Say you’ll come with me?”
She hesitated a moment longer. “Fine. I’ll go with you, but it doesn’t mean anything other than me repaying a debt.”
If she wanted to look at it in that light he didn’t care. Besides he had all day to chip away at the Ice Queen.
Barry started for the door. “Great. Shall we have some breakfast?” When he didn’t hear her footsteps behind him again, he turned back around.
With a smirk, she slid her gaze over him from head to toe and back again.
His cock answered with a rise.
“Maybe you should get dressed first.”
Well, shit. Nothing like showing his cards and desire in one fell swoop. If forgetting he had no clothes on was any indicator, she now knew he was beyond excited. He was elated.
“Either that or you can get undressed again, so I won’t feel so awkward.”
Shaking her head, she laughed. “Yeah. Like that’s going to happen. You had your chance, buddy. Um. Do you have a spare toothbrush?”
Was that a joke or had she meant it? Did he really have a chance with her?
He took a deep breath to calm himself. “Down the hall, the first door on the left is the bathroom. You’ll find what you need in the medicine cabinet. Wait.” He went to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt and sweats. “If you’d like to freshen up you could wear these until we can get you something more comfortable to wear.”
Accepting his offering, her eyes twinkled as her gaze skimmed his body once more, and then she walked past him out the door.
In seconds he was alone but kicking himself. Why hadn’t he thought of giving her a pair of boxers so he could feast on those beautiful long legs during breakfast?
Chapter Three
Kayla set the borrowed clothes on the commode. Either Barry knew nothing about the case between her and his father or the Allreds were a forgiving bunch. She quickly dismissed the first thought, because surely father and son spoke of business issues, especially one that would reduce their family profits. Maybe they were of the mind business was business, and personal issues were personal. How refreshing.
Opening the medicine cabinet, she found several toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and even a hairbrush and comb right where Barry said she’d find them. What she hadn’t expected when she glanced down was to discover Hector sitting on a soap pump by the sink, swinging his tiny legs.
“Shit!” The curse burst from her mouth as she stumbled backward, striking the door. “I’m hallucinating again.” Her pulse throbbed as she willed herself to pull it together.
Moving forward, she turned on the faucet and began to splash her face with cold water. Blinking, she looked back at the dispenser, but the little faery remained.
“Now as I see it, you can have a wonderful holiday season. Of course, that is if you don’t mess it up.” Hector jumped down from his perch to the sink, a burst of sparkles surrounding him. “You know that red dress you have in your closet with that racy lingerie? The clothing you bought on impulse, but have never worn? It would be perfect for tonight. I think the white fox stole would accent it perfectly and pearls—can’t forget the pearls.”
Kayla rubbed her eyes. “You’re not real.”
Dammit. Her head was starting to hurt as her stomach pitched, forcing her palms against the sink. She bent over, swallowing several gulps of air in an attempt to gather her control.
“Now you know that’s not true. I’m here, therefore I exist.”
“No. It’s the drugs. They’re still in my system. That’s it. It takes days, even months for some of them to work out of the bloodstream.”
“Kayla, you’re blabbering.”
Maybe if she ignored him he would go away. Grabbing a toothbrush out of the cabinet, she peeled the package off and hurried to unscrew the top of the toothpaste. As she squeezed the tube, he spoke again.
“Really? Do you think ignoring me will make me disappear?”
Kayla pushed so hard a stream of paste flew past her toothbrush and dropped with a splat in the sink.
She closed her eyes. “Go away.”
“But I’m here to help you.”
Turning a glare on the little man, she frowned. “Do you think making me second-guess my sanity is helping?” She slammed the cabinet shut, getting a glimpse of herself in the mirror. “Oh Lord.”
If she didn’t know better, she would swear she’d been struck hard with an ugly stick. The bun atop her head was skewed to the side, hair poking out all over. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she must have slept on a hand because the reddened print was still there.
“You’re not insane—just lonely.”
Kayla hated the sympathy in his voice. Tears bloomed in her eyes. Yes. She was lonely, but it was her own fault. Her abandonment issues made trusting people not one of her strong points, but getting things done was. She had earned the Ice Queen title.
“I’m here to assist you with your charming prosecutor.”
Kayla jerked her startled gaze to the faery. “You have to be kidding me.” Of all the asinine things she had ever heard. This imaginary pixie was playing matchmaker?
Hector leaped onto the soap pump again. “Nope. As I see it, you can make the most of this day and the night.” He wagged bushy brows.
Reaching out, she touched him. “You feel real.” That’s when Kayla remembered the humiliating moment Barry had told her nothing had happened between them. Like the expert with witnesses he was, he skillfully had her spilling her guts about her fantasies. She had always admired his tactics in court. Then she recalled the person responsible for this entire misunderstanding.
“You sonofabitch.” She balled her hands into fists. “I should squash you.”
Lickety-split, Hector streaked across the small room, nothing but a trail of dark-green dust in his wake. When he landed atop the shower door, he scowled down at her. “That was a payback for flicking me against the booth at the pub.”
“Payback?
” she screeched. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Knock. Knock.
“Everything okay in there?” Barry’s muffled voice seeped through the closed door.
“Fine. I’m fine.” But she wasn’t. Not if standing in a strange man’s bathroom arguing with a faery counted as rational. “I’ll be out in a bit.”
“You’re killing me, Kayla,” Hector groaned. “Work with me here.”
She began to pluck at her hairpins. “You don’t exist.” But even as she said those words, she knew there wasn’t any other explanation. Faeries did exist.
He smirked again. “Then what do you have to lose?”
“Nothing but my sanity.” The idea of things that go bump in the night being real was earth-shattering.
After taking care of her morning needs, she stepped barefoot from the bathroom, closing the door before Hector could squeeze through it. As she fastened the drawstring on the large sweats, his last words kept churning in her head.
“What do you have to lose believing in me?”
It was better than believing she was crazy. And what about Barry?
He already knew about her deep, dark secrets. If he wanted to ruin her, he could do it with or without the truth. Surely someone saw them leaving the pub together. People would believe him before her.
So, what did she have to lose?
Nothing.
Barry had already shown himself to be pleasant company. It was Christmas Eve and she really didn’t want to spend the entire day watching television or going to the movies alone. Tonight she would join him at his parents’ house and afterward who knew what would happen.
As a woodsy scent rose from the t-shirt she wore, she smiled. Yes. A night with Barry Allred would be her Christmas present to herself.
As she wandered down the hall of the one-story house glancing at the frames on the wall, she realized they told a story. From a dark-haired boy fishing with his father to Halloween where a woman who Kayla guessed was his mother painted his face. The werewolf design was creative and amazing. Kayla continued to stroll down memory lane. There were a series of football and baseball pictures of a youthful, energetic and extremely handsome Barry. High school and college graduation photographs and a series of impressive awards were amongst snapshots of his parents and friends. There was even a picture of him with Colin Powell and a senator from California.
As she entered his living room, she paused to take in the sight. The biggest “real” Christmas tree she’d ever seen stood a few feet from a marble fireplace, its hearth flickering with orange and red flames. The scent of pine joined the warm, sensual aroma of cinnamon. In addition to the tree, holiday decorations draped the mantel. In fact, the entire room was dotted with festive colors. Kayla had never seen such extravagance, such an expression of holiday spirit, except for the outside decorations some people placed in their yards.
From out of nowhere, a knot formed in her throat. Aunt Milly hadn’t had a lot of money. Kayla’s childish requests for a tree or wreath had usually gone unanswered.
Instead of pondering the past, she moved onward to where the smell of rich coffee brewing teased her nose.
When Barry heard the padding of Kayla’s feet against the wood floor, he pivoted with a spatula in his hand. His breath caught. He had no idea her hair was so light or long. The golden masses tumbled over her shoulders, flowing down her back to almost stroke her ass.
There was a demure shyness to her smile as she stepped farther into the kitchen. Barefoot and dressed in his too loose clothing, this was another side of the woman that intrigued him. Of course her fantasies had revealed a lot about her. This hard-ass attorney needed a man to take control, to teach her how to let go and just feel. The thought sent blood rushing to his groin. Barry spun around, facing the stove to mask the instant hard-on that pushed against the zipper of his jeans. He flipped the egg cooking in the skillet.
“I didn’t know what you’d prefer. There’s toast, yogurt, granola, blueberries and strawberries, eggs, orange juice, milk and some easy-on-the-stomach soda. I thought the smell of greasy bacon or sausage might not agree with you this morning.”
“That was nice of you.”
Barry glanced over his shoulder to find her staring hard at him. “Oh no. I’ve seen that eagle-eyed glare in court. You’re looking for ulterior motives.” He scooped the egg up and placed it on a plate before he handed it to her. “Just for today, could you lower your guard? Take what I offer at face value? I just want to spend some time with you.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“No apology needed. Sit. Eat.” Cracking an egg against the pan, he released it into the skillet before reaching for another. He heard a chair scrape across the floor. “Nice job in court yesterday.”
“Thank you.”
The hesitancy in her voice told him she wasn’t sure whether his compliment was genuine or sarcastic, since she’d kicked his ass in the process of winning. Truth was he didn’t have the strong, airtight case he’d needed. Not only had he known his proof was based on circumstantial evidence—Kayla had too.
Setting his plate of eggs and a pot of coffee upon the table, he took a seat across from her. She raised those crystal-blue eyes to meet his.
Kayla took a sip of her soda. “From the pictures, it appears you are an only child.”
“Yep. I’m a mommy’s boy.”
Her soft laughter struck a chord inside him. He saw beyond the baggy t-shirt she wore to the lacy bra he had discovered when he had undressed her for bed. What he’d found beneath that tailored suit had heated his blood. Her curves, dips and mounds had been even sexier than what he had expected. Kayla’s body was made for a man’s touch.
“I doubt that. I saw the sports pictures and the one where you’re with your father fishing.” She added a little fruit to her yogurt. “The picture with Colin Powell was especially impressive.”
“He’s a friend of the family.”
“Oh?”
“My father is ex-military.” Barry kept it simple, but in reality his dad had served beneath the four-star general.
“What does your mother do?”
“She keeps my dad from getting into trouble.” He took a bite of toast, chewed and swallowed.
Kayla chuckled again. “Sounds like you have a close-knit family.”
“I do. My parents are my biggest supporters. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them or them for me. What about you? Mother? Father? Siblings?”
Her features grew taut as her gaze dropped to her plate. Her lips pulled into a thin line and she remained silent. The tension in the room thickened, and then something crashed in the living room.
They both looked at each other before Barry rose, quickly making his way to the other room. Skidding on the polished floor, he barely missed the broken pieces of ornament lying at his feet.
As Kayla joined him, he held an outstretched hand to stop her. “You’re barefoot. I don’t want you to get cut.” A branch on the Christmas tree shook and another glass bulb fell to the floor, shattering. “What the hell? Probably a mouse.”
“More like a rat,” she growled. “I’ll look for the culprit while you go get a broom.”
Not gone long, he returned to hear Kayla say, “Go away. Now.” Her firm voice left no room for argument. If he’d been a mouse, he would have made hasty tracks in the other direction.
“Rodent?” he asked.
“No. I didn’t find a thing.”
It was a blatant lie, which surprised him. Maybe she was one of those animal activists. Either way, after she was gone he had full intentions of buying several mousetraps and setting them for their furry friend.
Kayla reached for the broom. “Here. I’ll clean it up.”
Their hands touched. Gazes met.
Electricity sparked between them. Her tongue crept out to moisten her lower lip, taunting him whether she realized it or not.
What got into him, he had no idea. All on its own accord, his fre
e hand rose and stroked her cheek before he cradled the silky skin in his palm. She didn’t pull back, so he leaned in.
Lips, soft and pliable, met his. Immediately he felt a fusion, a connection so profound there were no words to describe it. He wanted—no needed—to touch her, but he didn’t dare, not yet. He sure as hell could deepen the kiss, and he did. Angling his head, he went in for a more thorough caress.
Kayla moaned as he invaded her moist depths, tongue sliding over hers, searching and seeking to learn every secret hidden. When she responded in kind, he felt a rumble begin in his chest and rise up to a low moan. She tasted of strawberries, of toothpaste, and of something uniquely feminine. The combination was intoxicating. Barry couldn’t wait any longer to drag her into his arms.
When he stepped forward, they both must have released the broom, because it fell to the ground. The abrupt sound didn’t faze either of them. Their mouths remained locked together. He snaked his arms around her waist, clasping her tight against him. Then something changed. She went rigid, pulling back on a whisper.
“Barry?” Unease reflected in her eyes. “I don’t think this is wise. We’re colleagues—on opposite ends of the table. Ouch!”
Her sudden yelp surprised him. She jerked her hand up to the back of her head and gave it a rub. It hadn’t felt as if her hair was tangled around his fingers, but evidently he was wrong.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s— I mean, I’m fine.” Even as she said so, she reached up to feel the back of her head again, threading her fingers through her hair as if she were looking to dislodge something. When she lowered her arm, she placed it on his.
Damn. Barry prayed he didn’t mess this up. “I won’t lie, Kayla. I’m attracted to you. I have been since the first time I saw you walk into a courtroom.” He hurried to add, “I realize this thing between us is probably not smart, but I want this—I want you. Here. Now.”
Kayla met his hungry look squarely. “What goes on between us doesn’t go beyond these walls?”
Tingle All the Way Page 3