"Can you feel it?" He looked so serious.
"I watch the news. Greedy CEOs, corrupt politicians, serial killers, terrorists, religious fanatics, take your pick."
Kal shook his head. "I’m talking about right here, right now."
Madison remembered the monster she’d shot only two nights ago. "Strange things are happening, for sure. But everyone has a different definition of evil."
"Sure." He gazed into her eyes, so close she wanted to touch him but didn’t dare.
To resist the temptation, she looked down to the canyon floor. The eaglets in their slow descent now reached the bottom of the mesa. The tribe danced in a circle around the birds while a few tribesmen collected them with great respect.
Madison glanced back at Kal. "The white man, as you say, considers some of your practices distasteful. Some would even say evil."
"But what about this white woman? What does she think?" He picked a new stem of sweet grass and chewed on it. His penetrating gaze never left her face.
Resisting the urge to stare him down, Madison looked away, across Dry Creek canyon. The young braves now hurried on an easier trail snaking down the mesa. The ceremony would soon be over.
Did Kal really care about her opinion? She glanced at him sideways. "I have no right to judge another culture."
"You have every right. It’s your world, too." Kal lay down, nonchalantly tucking his hands under his head, offering the full length of his body to her perusal.
She couldn’t help but stare. She found him intoxicating. This man looked as if he could keep the darkest secrets under a mask of charm and serenity. "How can you speak of evil with such calm?"
"Good, evil, it’s all part of life." Something in his green gaze made her want to cling to him like to a safety line. But he was totally wrong for her, from an incompatible background, and she was on duty.
She couldn’t believe she had messed up this assignment and been caught watching. The drums stopped beating and the melodious flute ceased.
"The ceremony is over." He smiled invitingly, patting the ground beside him.
Madison could afford to relax while waiting for her ride. A truck stationed on the rim would have been too conspicuous. She lay down beside Kaletaka and closed her eyes to the sun glaring directly overhead. The temperature had risen despite the altitude. She welcomed the first heat of the season. "It’s so peaceful up here, don’t you think?"
Something obscured the sun and Madison opened her eyes.
Sitting above her, his face bent toward her, Kal stared and smiled. His curtain of black hair shaded their faces from the sun. He lowered his full lips towards hers, slowly, giving her ample time to protest or refuse, or push him away.
But Madison couldn’t move, hypnotized by his raw animal charisma. Nothing could prevent them from coming together. He wanted her and she wanted him.
She couldn’t think of anything else as she watched his chiseled mouth come closer. Her lips parted slightly in anticipation. Her heartbeat mimicked the rhythm of the earlier drums. She felt his breath, sweet like the grass he’d been chewing.
She wanted to grab his shoulders, but it might break the spell. So, she let him kiss her, softly at first, in tentative touches. When his kiss grew insistent, Madison closed her eyes to give in to the powerful sensations pulsing through her whole body. He tasted heavenly sweet. God, she wanted this man.
Without warning, Kal leapt up, rising with unexpected speed, alert like an animal catching the scent of a hunter.
"What’s wrong?" Madison sat up. She felt rejected and hated the void he left in his wake.
Kal sniffed the air and frowned. "You have company." Without another word, he turned around and darted down a narrow path winding into the canyon.
"Wait!" Frustrated by his behavior, Madison couldn’t believe Kal’s reaction.
The faint sound of a vehicle coming up the high road behind her reminded Madison of his words. Company? Probably her ride. But how did Kal know? Had he left to avoid getting her in trouble?
Madison stood, straightened her hair and adjusted her cap. Retrieving her sunglasses from her belt, she slipped them on to meet the patrol car. The jeep stopped in the middle of the dirt road, and Jake, in an impeccably pressed tan uniform, stepped out of the vehicle.
"What happened to my ride?" She couldn’t believe Jake left the office.
"Reassigned elsewhere. I’m your ride. We are pulling out." He stared at Madison as if she’d done something wrong. "Anything to report?"
Why did he make her feel like a child caught stealing? She hoped she didn’t blush. "They took two eaglets, just as agreed."
"All right. Get in." Jake’s proprietary smile made her want to slap him. But he was her boss.
Madison simply nodded and climbed into the Jeep. Why had Jake come all this way to supervise in person? Was he keeping tabs on her?
Chapter Five
Madison examined the fancy turquoise and silver invitation. The front displayed a photograph of Kal standing next to his striking metal sculpture of the Great Coyote. Apparently, the whole exhibit was about his art. She turned the card over. Printed, not signed. Disappointing, but still, he’d supplied her name for the prestigious guest list. The return address indicated the Bagatelle Fine Art Gallery in Scottsdale, very upscale.
Setting the invite next to her satin clutch on the floating shelf of her apartment’s small foyer, Madison preened in front of the full-length mirror. The flaring hem of the metallic blue cocktail dress flirted just above the knees, revealing bare tan legs and toned calves, enhanced by matching blue stilettos. The empire bodice pushed up her small breasts, creating cleavage, and the slim cut made her look taller. With blue shadow setting off her eyes, and pink gloss plumping her lips, Madison felt ready for battle. Kal had ignored her too long.
She winked at her reflection. "Kal, eat your heart out."
She may have looked ordinary in her navy sweats when he’d cooked her a fancy dinner, but tonight she would dazzle him.
She paused, staring at herself in the mirror. What if he had another date? She pushed away the thought. No matter. After two weeks of silence, Madison deserved an explanation. Why had he sought her out and kissed her if he didn’t intend to call? Was the invitation his way of asking for forgiveness? Did he only want her friendship, or something more?
Men could be so confusing. Although Kal was wrong for her, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. But she couldn’t let him play with her feelings. She would arrive fashionably late. And even if he courted her tonight, she would remain strong and wouldn’t give an inch. Let him drool.
Grabbing her evening clutch, barely large enough to fit the sidearm and the badge that never left her, Madison walked out. The setting sun lengthened the shadows of the tropical palms shading the elegant apartment complex. She descended the outdoor stairs and strode resolutely toward her red Miata convertible. Tonight, she would face Kal and get answers as to his feelings and intentions toward her.
As she stepped into the convertible, the small hairs at her nape prickled, as if someone watched her. Pretending to adjust the rear view mirror, she glanced into it but saw no one. Just silly anxiety. She turned the ignition and drove off, trying to shake the uneasy feeling.
*****
Craning his neck to see around the older woman in the pink Kentucky Derby hat, Kaletaka kept glancing toward the entrance of the Bagatelle Fine Art Gallery. The crowd in designer suits and mostly bare dresses revealing perfect silicone orbs obstructed his view. Waiters, in black and white tuxedos, carried silver trays of champagne glasses and finger food.
Darryl, wearing a raw silk Pierre Cardin suit that matched his sandy hair, smiled to the group of would be art connoisseurs. He caressed the head of Kaletaka’s bronze Mother Holding a Child. "The opening is an unprecedented triumph."
Kaletaka raised his glass to the guests circling the bronze for a better view, and they murmured approval.
Darryl winked at Kaletaka. "We already sold two sculp
tures."
"Good." Kaletaka leaned toward Darryl and whispered, "You know I can’t stand these formal shindigs."
"That’s the price of success, man." Darryl flashed a smile of encouragement.
"None of these people know art. To them, it’s an investment." Kaletaka forced a smile to an older woman in black sequins who stared at him from a distance. "I hate the pretentious conversations."
"But you are good at it. They love you, man." Darryl nodded to a man in his fifties walking by. "Just smile."
"Do you think she’ll come?" Kaletaka immediately regretted the question.
"Get it together, man." Darryl obviously thrived in such surroundings. "You got mad when I told you I’d already sent her invitation, and now you can’t wait to see her."
"The Great Coyote help me. Kissing her was a mistake." Kaletaka smiled inwardly. "A delicious mistake..."
"You want her?" Darryl’s blue eyes pierced him with intensity.
"Of course." Kaletaka yearned for her contact. But their proximity would endanger her life.
"So what’s the problem? If she comes, she is yours. It’s about time you got laid." Darryl winked with a devilish grin. "I’ll see to it."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." But what Darryl alluded to was out of the question. Evil could strike at any time, and any woman Kaletaka dated would be in great danger. He didn’t want Madison to be the first human casualty. He couldn’t bear to lose her.
Darryl slapped his shoulder. "Relax, man, you look apoplectic."
Barely able to breathe, Kaletaka loosened the collar of his turquoise suede shirt. "It’s hot in here." He pointed to his new snakeskin boots. "And these hurt my feet."
Darryl reached for a glass of champagne on a passing tray and offered it to him. "Here. This might help."
Kaletaka took the glass and drank it in one gulp. He barely felt the bubbles tickling his throat.
A whiff of gardenias after the rain made him spin toward the glass door just as Madison appeared at the entrance. His heart stumbled in his chest. What a vision, so elegant and feminine, in a seductive dress of fluid blue metal that complimented her eyes. She looked different, so soft, so approachable. And for once, she wasn’t wearing a gun.
"Is that her?" Darryl whistled softly then slapped his shoulder. "Lucky bastard. I’ll see you later."
How could Kaletaka possibly resist her? How could any man? Yet, he must. But his steps led him straight to her, and he couldn’t help the grin on his face. It felt so good to see her again, he couldn’t help the elation in his voice. "Look at you, so sexy tonight."
She blushed slightly, making his pulse race, but she kept her eyes on him. "Thank you."
When he dared press his hand against her slender waist, she flashed a guarded smile. Then he guided her further inside, through the crowd and around his sculptures, toward a couple of stools at the quiet end of the open bar set up for the event. The very contact of the small of her back through the flimsy material made him wish they were alone.
She straightened, away from his hand. Did she have second thoughts? He hoped not. Now that she had come, Kaletaka wouldn’t let her escape. He wanted to break down her barriers. Yet, he must keep his cool. This woman was off limits if he wanted her to live. But just for tonight, he wanted to keep her all to himself.
He watched Madison accept a chocolate covered strawberry from a passing waiter and set it on a napkin with dainty fingers. Hard to believe such fingers could hold a gun.
To erase the thought, Kaletaka lifted two glasses from a tray. "Dom Perignon?" he asked in his most charming tone. "Don’t tell me you are on duty."
She chuckled. "Not tonight. But I’m driving."
"Just a sip, to go with the strawberry." He handed her one glass.
When Madison reached for the glass, he brushed her fingers. She looked down at her hand then glanced up at him, arching one eyebrow.
Kaletaka raised his glass and watched her take a sip and lick a small drop with a flick of the tongue. It reminded him of their kiss, and his leather pants seemed to shrink. How he wished she could be his. Impossible. Yet he wasn’t ready to see her pay attention to any other man. Not tonight.
*****
As the party wore on and the crowd thinned, Madison felt more confused than ever. Kal never mentioned the kiss. Had she imagined it? No. The memory still tingled on her lips and stirred her very core.
Standing next to her by the sculpture of the Great Coyote, Kal laughed at a man’s joke then shook his hand in farewell. "See you on the green."
Madison moved aside to make room as more guests on their way out gathered around the statue.
"About this sculpture..." The tall blonde in a bronze silky gown slurred and smiled dreamily. "Looks Egyptian."
"Yes." Kal glanced at Madison with an apologetic smile. "Anubis very much resembles the Great Coyote of the Native American tribes, the jackal being the Egyptian equivalent of the coyote of Mesoamerica."
The group of guests milling around the metal statue nodded appreciatively and murmured understanding.
Madison smiled. "I made the same connection, the very first time I saw that sculpture."
"It’s striking." The blonde missed a step and almost spilled her glass.
"I agree." Madison couldn’t get enough of Kal’s proximity and didn’t want the evening to end. "It almost looks alive, doesn’t it?"
"That’s the effect I was going for." Kal took Madison’s hand and tucked it in the crook of his elbow. As the guests strode toward the door, he led her back toward the quiet end of the bar. "I hope you were not too bored."
"Not at all." The warm contact of his strong fingers covering her hand sent tendrils of electricity through Madison’s arm, all the way to her spine. "I’m learning a lot about you."
"Such as?" His green eyes lit up as he pulled a stool for her.
"You have loyal friends. I like Darryl." Madison sat, glad to rest her feet from the stilettos.
"Should I be jealous?" The playful smile softened the intensity of his gaze.
"No, silly." Madison chuckled, flattered by his question. "I also noticed that you are very humble when you speak about your art. No pretense. I like that." She didn’t say, unlike Jake, who always had to set himself above everyone else.
"Thank you... I think." His brow furrowed as if he tried to read her mind. "What else could you possibly learn in one evening?"
"You make me feel like a queen, and you don’t have a roving gaze toward the ladies. Which is worth lots of points in my book." Jake would have flirted with all of them.
"How could I notice anyone else when I am with you?" He kissed her hand, sending shivers up her arm.
Her long repressed lust weakened her resolve. The forbidden fruit seemed more tantalizing as the night advanced, mainly after a few glasses of champagne. But she had no regrets and enjoyed every minute close to him.
As the last visitors left, the penguin staff gathered the empty glasses. Night had fallen outside. Almost closing time. Madison grew more nervous by the minute. What would they do next?
Finally, she worked up the courage to ask. "About that kiss the other day..."
Kal’s feral green eyes pierced her, and a rush of hot blood flushed Madison’s face. He seemed to glide closer to her, and she knew with certainty that he would kiss her again. Transfixed by the desire emanating from him, she froze, like prey in a light beam. Gone was his grin. He looked so serious, and as they faced each other, Madison realized that even if she wanted to, she couldn’t escape him. How had he managed to claim her so completely? Was he going to kiss her right here, in front of the staff?
Good thing she was sitting on a stool, because her legs might have turned to mush under her. He smelled like musk and desert plants. She could feel the heat emanating from his body. She laid her hands flat on his chest and leaned into him, closing her eyes in anticipation. Opening her lips slightly, she felt his sweet breath on her face...
Nothing happened. She opened her eyes. He was s
o close, staring at her lips, still as one of his sculptures. Madison waited.
But Kal suddenly turned away from her. Why? He reached behind the bar, came up with a champagne bottle dripping from an ice bucket, then quietly refilled their glasses without making eye contact, his face unreadable. He set the bottle on the counter. The moment had passed.
Was he too shy to kiss her in public? Had he waited for her to kiss him? Why didn’t she? Madison should be proud of herself for resisting him, but she only felt stupid. She’d never find another man who stirred her blood like Kal did, a man with such exquisite physical and human qualities. She wanted to trust him, but why hadn’t he called after their first kiss? Damn.
Paying them no heed, the staff gathered by the entrance.
Darryl, tall, thin, and elegant, emerged from a door at the back of the gallery a few feet away. He joined the couple and kissed Madison’s hand. "Good night."
Madison smiled. "I enjoyed meeting you."
"So did I." Darryl turned to Kal and winked. "Great night."
Kal squeezed Darryl’s shoulder. "Thanks for everything. I’ll call you."
On his way out, Darryl paused to speak to the guard at the door, then he left, along with the last of the staff.
The security guard locked the glass doors behind them, rolled down the well oiled chain-link curtain that barely made a sound, and turned off the bright lights. Only spotlights now illuminated the sculptures, giving them life in scary, contrasting shadows. Ignoring the couple at the bar, the guard sat at the reception desk, turned on the reading lamp, and opened a book.
"How do we get out?" Madison whispered, intrigued by the atmosphere of mystery.
Kal chuckled, grabbed the bottle of champagne and took her hand. "This way."
His strong, callused fingers made her feel safe. He led her to the door in the back from which Darryl had emerged minutes earlier. It opened onto a large office, with a comfortable leather sofa. Candles, on the coffee table and on shelves, gave the room an intimate glow. No exit door in sight.
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