by Molly Liholm
“No more ‘three kisses and we’ll be lovers’?” he asked.
“Nothing so silly,” she agreed, and he was dismayed. “Instead—” she held up a list “—I’ve been putting together a list of potential suspects. Don’t give me that negative look.”
“Sorry,” he said again, meaning it. “How have you chosen your perpetrators?”
“I went through the store’s computer records last night and pulled off the names of anyone who bought more than one computer book. Unfortunately, the list is fairly extensive.”
Adam took the list and read the names: Dana Andrews, naturally, Freddie, Michelle, Gloria, Ben Masters and a couple of other people in town he hadn’t yet met. “Thanks. This will give me a good place to start. I appreciate your efforts.” Meg had provided him with a good beginning. So why was he so disappointed about the three-kisses rule? “I don’t suppose the store computer system has access to Abby’s personal system?”
“No. Abby always said she wanted her personal computer to be completely separate so no one could hack in. She didn’t really care if some hacker plugged into The Gateway’s records, but she was determined to keep her personal records private. Which I understand now after what Abby uncovered, but it doesn’t make our life much easier.”
“Agreed. Too bad about the computers. I’ll check out everyone on the list.”
“Will you be out all day?”
“Probably.” Adam thought about asking her to join him but didn’t.
Meg looked at him with a curious expression on her face. “Good luck.”
Adam could have used a lot more than luck, he decided, when he came back to The Gateway later. His day had been fruitless. He’d contacted his office and asked one of the junior reporters to investigate the background of everyone on Meg’s list. He’d drunk too many cups of coffee with Ben and Nancy Masters and learned nothing new except that the pair could keep finishing each others thoughts forever—or at least what seemed like forever to him, trapped with the happy couple. Steve Gruber, the adventure writer, had been cordial to Adam but suspicious as to why he was asking so many questions. Adam arrived back at The Gateway just in time to catch Meg spraying a spritz of her rose perfume on her wrists.
“How do I look?”
“Delicious.” She wore a short brown suede skirt with a fringe along the hem and a bright yellow silk blouse tied around her bare midriff. “Won’t you be cold in that?”
“I have a jacket.” She grabbed a denim jacket and her purse. “I think I hear Reid out front.”
Adam looked out the front door and saw Reid pull up in his Jeep. “You’re still going out with him?”
“Of course. I said I was last night. Besides, I figure I’d better appease him a little about your foolish actions last evening. Plus, I like him.” She checked her lipstick in the hallway mirror; her lips were kissably perfect. She rifled through her purse, not looking at him. “You can always drive out to the ranch and keep the beautiful Gloria company. No need to wait up for me.”
Meg fluffed her hair one last time and then, continuing to ignore him, rushed out the front door of the store. “Oh, you’d better lock the door,” she shouted. “You never know what kind of ruthless criminals are lurking about.”
With that, Meg was gone, leaving Adam feeling distinctly peculiar.
8
“ADAM, THIS IS A very pleasant surprise.” Gloria glowed at him from the doorway of the Liberty L. She opened the door wider, motioning to him. “Please come in, although I must admit I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”
He stepped in, still wondering exactly what he was doing. “You must have thought me a very rude guest last night.”
Gloria pouted her bee-stung lips. “You and Meg did rush out of here. I gathered something had happened between you and my brother, but Reid wouldn’t tell me what I presumed it had something to do with Meg.”
“Yes, it was something like that,” Adam agreed, wishing he didn’t think he was making a fool of himself.
Gloria considered him for a moment and then smiled again. “Come along,” she offered, and preceded him along the hallway to the recreation room.
“You look lovely tonight,” he told her, and she did. Dressed in snug, faded jeans and a white shirt, her pink toenails tantalized as did her tousled hair. Her face was bare of makeup except for a touch of pink lipstick. She was the ideal combination of innocence and sexiness, and Adam appreciated every lovely line of her.
She took him to the TV room, where an episode of N.Y.P.D. Blue was playing on the set. A pile of magazines and a nail polish bottle lay on the small table next to the leather couch. “I’m glad you decided to visit me. Betty left this morning, and it can get pretty lonely out here.”
“I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcome.”
“After rejecting me so cavalierly last night, you should be wondering.” She glanced at him from under her lashes, then her lips broke into a broad smile. “I’m not very good at sulking, but why do I have the feeling that the real reason you’re here tonight is more because Meg is out on a date with Reid than because of any of my potent female charms? No, no need to answer me. I think we both know the answer. But I’m still glad you came. Perhaps a further acquaintance can help us appreciate each other more.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan.” Adam returned Gloria’s smile, appreciating her openness and wit. Gloria was a very beautiful woman who should be sending his blood pressure sky-high. Instead, nothing. If it was Meg in her short brown skirt with the enticing fringe standing in front of him, looking at him as if she wished he’d kiss her, he’d be doing a lot more than checking his pulse rate.
“Tell me more about your dude ranch,” Adam asked instead.
“Would you like a drink or coffee?”
“A drink would be better,” he said. Gloria pulled a bottle of Scotch from the drink cart and poured them each a drink. She moved to the couch and patted the cushion next to her. “Sit beside me. I promise not to jump you, and we can at least enjoy the feel of another person’s body heat next to us.”
Adam sat down, intrigued by her. Not only were the women of Sedona headstrong, but they were also painfully honest. “I’m surprised you’re not involved with anyone. A beautiful woman like you has to have had a lot of admirers.”
Gloria crinkled her pert nose. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you? I think that while I was in Europe I missed much of the mating ritual in Sedona. By the time I decided to make this my home, most of the kids I went to school with had coupled up and settled down.”
“But you must have some interesting clients.”
Gloria took a sip of her drink. “Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t like to mix business with pleasure. Plus, most of my clients are too old.” She put her drink down on the table and turned the full effect of her baby blue eyes on him. “So you can’t blame a girl for trying when a great looking, successful guy like you comes into town.”
“I hope Meg isn’t going to give me up so easily,” he said with a smile, enjoying his flirtation with Gloria but also realizing his words about Meg were true. He truly was a fool, he thought.
Gloria moved a smidgen closer to him. “But she is out with Reid tonight. Is she trying to make you jealous?”
“I think so.”
“You’re not sure?”
“No.” Adam met Gloria’s sympathetic gaze and for a second he felt a tingle and then...nothing.
Gloria blinked and looked away. “For a second there... It’s really too bad you’re not interested in me. We could be good together. Here.” She tossed him the remote control device. “Reid had a satellite dish installed so I’m sure there’s some kind of game on. I’m going to find some chips and other junk food.”
Adam decided he might as well follow her advice. Gloria really was everything he’d ever imagined he wanted in a woman: smart, sexy, calm, cool and collected. She’d never say anything like “three kisses and we’ll be lovers”; she’d never believe in love at first si
ght. He liked being with her, but all he could get excited about was imagining what Meg and Reid were doing on their date.
He pulled his mind back to Gloria. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a beautiful person?”
Gloria looked at him and smiled sadly. “All the time.”
A LITTLE AFTER ELEVEN Adam was in his car and headed back toward The Gateway, wondering what exactly he would find there and telling himself yet again that Meg’s relationship with Reid was none of his business.
To distract himself, he thought back to Gloria and remembered the photograph in her bedroom from last night. For a second he’d thought he’d recognized one of the faces, but then Gloria had taken the picture out of his hands and he’d moved on to more questions about Reid. Had he missed something?
Lost in his ponderings about the case, he let himself into the dark building. He went to his room, but one look at the lonely cot and he turned away. He wouldn’t be getting any sleep until he knew whether or not Meg was back from her date. Not until he knew whether or not she was alone.
He took off his shoes and crept up the stairs, once again thanking his marine surveillance training. He’d served only one term in the army, then refused a promotion in order to return home to look after his family. Usually he was grateful for his military experience; it gave him an edge on the other business writers. He’d never used it for dating surveillance before.
The door to Meg’s room was dosed. He stopped wondering at himself; checking on her was ridiculous, but he opened the door anyway. Her room was empty. Adam went back downstairs to wait.
He sat in the dark, until he heard a car pull up. Since he’d already gone this far, he couldn’t resist peering out through the window to see Meg and Reid stop by the door, talk for a minute, then Reid reach out a hand to cup her chin and hold her face up for his kiss.
Adam felt a peculiar clenching of his gut as he watched them kiss, and then turned away. He sat back down in a chair in the dark and heard Meg’s key in the door. She entered and flipped a light switch on.
“Oh,” she gasped, seeing him sitting in the chair. “I wasn’t expecting you to wait up,” she said coolly, her eyes belying her tone by shooting sparks at him.
Adam stretched his legs in front of him. “Just curious about how your date went.”
He could see Meg bristle. “That’s none of your business.”
“Maybe it is,” Adam said, standing up.
“You’ve made it perfectly clear you’re not interested. Luckily for me, Reid still is.” Meg brushed past him, but Adam grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.
At the touch of her skin, Adam felt all the emotions he’d been denying run through him. Three kisses... “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do feel something for you, and don’t like you kissing Reid Logan. What was that kiss—number two, three? Or are you lovers already?”
Meg stood very still, his hands holding her by the shoulders. “Reid and I aren’t lovers.” Her words come out softly. She shook her head, a strand of her hair falling over her eyes. “You’re confusing me.”
Adam laughed, anger, jealousy and confusion filling him. Meg looked at him with her big brown eyes filled with swirling emotions and he wanted to stop hurting her. But more than that, he wanted her. He didn’t think he’d be able to live for a second longer if he didn’t kiss her, didn’t touch her soft skin, didn’t smell the sweet scent of her, didn’t bury himself in her lovely, sexy body. “You′re confused,” he said with a half laugh, and lowered his lips to hers.
Adam kissed her softly and gently, as if she were a priceless treasure.
He took his time, touching and cherishing her lips. Meg was surprised. She’d been expecting the overwhelming feeling of passion she’d experienced before when he touched her, but instead it was sweet and glorious and magical. She never wanted this moment to stop. She didn’t care if he was jealous of Reid, if this is what it took for Adam to kiss her like he wanted to kiss her as if he liked her rather than merely lusted after her. To kiss her like he never wanted to stop.
Adam held her pressed tightly against his body, but his touch on her face was soft. His fingers skimmed down her cheeks, arousing and reassuring her at the same time. His lips followed the path his fingers had taken, and Meg felt hot and weak all over. She had never wanted a man to make love to her as much as she did Adam. She gloried in all the sensations coursing through her body.
Never in her life had she met a man who was so right for her. She brought her lips back to his and kissed him, trying to tell him everything she felt in her heart. Adam returned the embrace, crushing her against him, no longer gentle, more like a man who had lost control. Meg reveled in his possessiveness and met each of his demands with one of her own.
Adam finally broke their kiss, but continued to hold her. “Wow,” was all she could say.
“Damn, but you are a good kisser,” he said in a bemused voice, stroking her cheek once again. He studied her with eyes darkened by passion. “I want you,” he said, giving her the choice.
“Oh yes.” She stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face back down to hers, and smiled wickedly. “That was kiss number three.”
The next thing she knew she lost her balance as Adam scooped her up in his arms and headed up the stairs toward her bedroom. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and giggled.
Then, before she could make much sense of what was going on around her—Adam kept nuzzling her neck and all she felt was heat and need—he tumbled her onto her bed and then was on top of her. Burning flesh pressed against burning flesh. She smelled sweat, male flesh and Adam. Meg opened her eyes to find herself sprawled over Adam. Her legs were nestled between his, her torso lying across his chest. “Now let’s work on kisses four through a hundred,” Adam said in an amused tone.
She raised her gaze and met his clear eyes. She could feel his hard, wonderful body against her, and he was dearly enjoying having her spread all over him.
Adam laughed and Meg liked the sound of it. He rolled over, raising himself on his arms. “Kisses five, six and seven,” he said, his lips brushing against hers. He framed her face between his hands, then outlined her mouth with his tongue, and she tingled everywhere. He broke away, his fingers stroking along her cheeks and then teasingly kissed her again.
“More,” she gasped.
“The beautiful lady wants more?” This time he pressed his lips fully against hers, increasing the pressure slightly before retreating again.
Meg stared at him, still surprised by this playful side of him. Once Adam decided to make love to her, she’d rather expected him to throw her down on a bed and ravish her. Straightforward, practical lovemaking from a straightforward, practical hero. Slowly she smiled at him and stretched luxuriantly. With one finger she traced down the bridge of his nose to his lips. He brushed his mouth over her finger, then she pressed the same finger against her own lips, licking it. “Mmm,” she said, sighing. “But I would enjoy more kisses...everywhere.”
“Everywhere?” he asked, a sly grin crossing his face. “Never let it be said that us heroes didn’t satisfy our women.” Adam took possession of her mouth and then of her. He held her face again between his hands, angling her mouth just so, deepening their kiss.
Meg lost herself and gloried in it. Her head swam and rational thought fled. All she knew was that she was kissing Adam, touching Adam.
Adam broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “I got so carried away, I can’t believe we’re doing this now. You’re sure? I mean, to...you know.”
“Make love?” She waited for him to correct her and say it was just sex, but he didn’t.
“Yes.”
“Yes, definitely yes.” She unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and pressed her lips against his skin. He tasted solid and male. “Better than great.” She ran her tongue down his chest to the top of his jeans, and felt his body tense in anticipation. She raised her head and licked her lips.
“Meg, be careful, yo
u’re driving me wild.”
“Sounds good,” she murmured.
“I want to take it nice and slow.”
“Nice and slow? Promises, promises. But if you keep talking, how will we ever get to nice and slow?”
“Shut up.” Adam pulled her to him and kissed her hard until she couldn’t breathe and couldn’t think. When his lips finally left her mouth, she realized her blouse was off—when had he done that?—and he trailed his hot lips down her neck. All she could feel was fire; everywhere Adam touched her burned.
When he reached the lace of her bra, he scraped the edge with his teeth. Meg couldn’t help her gasp. “Pretty,” he said, his eyes burning as he looked at her. His fingers trailed over the top of her breasts and she felt them swell within the lace confines, her nipples hardening. She was dying for him to touch her.
“Adam, please.” Her voice was incredibly breathy.
“Yes.” He smiled, looking feral. “You have really pretty underwear. I like it. I like you.”
“I know all the best stores in New York, including this wonderful lingerie shop on Fifth.” Meg gasped as his knuckles brushed over her nipples. “You like me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad. I wasn’t sure.”
“I know. I haven’t exactly been forthright when it comes to telling you how I feel about you.”
Meg took a deep breath, hating to ruin the wonderful mood she was in—the tingling, couldn’t-wait-for-thenext-step mood—but she couldn’t stop the words, either. “I was afraid you only saw me as an obligation.”
Adam’s finger, which had been running along her cleavage, stopped. “I’m not exactly sure how I see you...except maybe naked.” He grinned wickedly and his fingers went to the front clasp of the bra, undoing it with one swift motion.
“Good move.” She smiled back, suddenly feeling more relaxed. “You must have had a lot of practice.”