Hidden Magic

by Daniels, Wynter

  She broke the kiss the threw back the covers, inviting him into her bed. He stripped down to his briefs then climbed in next to her. His masculine scent, the heat from his skin and his big, strong body conspired to engage all her senses.

  She splayed her fingers over the hard ridges of his chest and felt his breath catch. Her skin tingled with anticipation.

  Zander skimmed a knowing hand over her thigh, then pushed her nightgown up to her chin. He claimed her breast and strummed the needy point. Coherent thought slipped away on a breeze of desire.

  “You smell so good.” His breath gusted over her neck and the hard evidence of his arousal pressed against her leg. He trailed soft kisses down her torso, over her breasts and along her stomach to her navel.

  She shut her eyes and let the delicious sensations have their way with her. Zander licked the inside of one thigh, then the other. A whisper of awareness rolled over her skin. She lifted her hips to encourage him closer to her entrance.

  But he took his time, teasing and tempting her with that wickedly skillful tongue. “I love your taste.” He grazed a finger over her sex, maddeningly brief.

  A desperate whimper escaped her lips.

  “I want to hear that more. I’m going to make you come again and again, but I think I’ll tease you first. You’ll have to beg.”

  She bit at the corner of her lip, holding back a moan. Ripples of need vibrated through her.

  He kissed his way to the juncture of her legs and she arched toward him. “Not so fast, baby. We have all night.” He spread her intimate lips and blew on her exposed flesh. She shivered at the erotic sensation and grabbed fistfuls of the sheet.

  “Please, Zander.”

  “Please what? Tell me how much you want this.”

  “I do want it. I want you.” There. She’d said it. She’d worry about taking it back later. She threaded her fingers through his hair, tried to pull him toward her need.

  Finally, he licked her folds, tantalizing her with his tongue and teeth and lips. Goddess, it felt like heaven. Her legs stiffened and muscles inside her tightened to near the breaking point as she teetered on the brink of her orgasm.

  Tides of pleasure washed over her in a pulsing beat, consuming her in bliss. She writhed and moaned, came apart at the seams.

  Zander moved up to hold her in his arms until awareness slowly returned to her.

  She pulled the hem of her nightgown down so the garment covered her scar. Then she drew him to her for a kiss. When she rubbed her hand over the hard bulge in his briefs, he grabbed her wrist. “I’m not through with you yet.”

  “But you—”

  He stilled her with a kiss then took both her arms and pinned them over her head. “Don’t argue with me, woman.”

  Her first instinct was to fight him and pull away. She didn’t surrender control easily, not anymore. But he was different from Jamal, and from any other man she’d known. She relaxed, confident he’d release her with a word.

  He kissed a line from her hand past her elbow to her shoulder. Before she realized what he was doing, he lifted her nightgown off and tossed it away.

  She automatically twisted away to hide her scar, but then remembered the room was dark enough that he wouldn’t be able to see it well.

  As if reading her mind, Zander touched a finger to her lips. “You’re beautiful, every single inch of you. I want to make love to you with the lights on. Doesn’t have to be today, but when you trust me, you’ll let me see that scar.”

  She winced at the notion. But now wasn’t the time to dissuade him. He cupped her mound and all thoughts of her imperfect body vanished from her mind. There was nothing but the two of them and the wonderfully sinful things Zander was doing to her. He rubbed and stroked, pushed his fingers through the swollen lips of her sex.

  Desire rose in her, a sweet burning flood. She clutched at his shoulders, dug her fingernails into his skin. Deep spasms of pleasure overtook her. She had no idea her body was capable of such ecstasy over and over.

  She was vaguely aware of Zander getting out of bed then returning moments later. He lay across the bed and pulled her on top of him. Mating his fingers with hers, he shifted so she sat on his thighs.

  She rocked her hips, sliding back and forth along his erection and let her fingers explore his body, his sculpted chest and rippled stomach.

  He closed his eyes and moaned. “I need to be inside you now, baby.”

  His words ramped up her need. She lifted onto her knees then lowered herself onto his shaft, inch by inch as he tightened his grasp on her waist.

  Their eyes met and held as he pushed inside her, guiding her movement. He pulled out slowly then thrust deeper. Her sex stretched to accommodate his thickness and length.

  He never released her stare as they found their rhythm, slow at first, building harder and faster. With one hand still on her waist, he moved the other between them and started rubbing her sex.

  She arched her back, churned her hips as another climax built. The sweet ache spread like wildfire until a deluge of delight overtook her. The waves of bliss kept coming and coming.

  Zander let out a deep growl that was becoming familiar as he pumped into her, then finally stilled, panting and sweaty.

  She rested against his chest, taking comfort in the steady thumps of his heart. He wrapped his arms around her, rubbed her back. How could she feel so much a part of a man she’d just met? Soon she’d have to put an end to this but for now she just wanted to enjoy it. She kissed his shoulder.

  Would he be upset if she brought up Hannah now? Waiting could cost the girl her life. She cleared her throat. “Um, Zander?”

  He groaned. “Why do I have a feeling that whatever you want to talk about is going to be a buzz-kill?”

  She grinned. “Maybe because you’re starting to tune in to the psychic part of your mind.”

  He held her against him. “I was afraid of that. What is it? Never mind, I think I know what’s on your mind. It’s my case, isn’t it?”

  She skimmed her fingers lightly over his nipple and felt him quiver. “I’m so close to a key piece of the puzzle. I can feel it.”

  He took her wrists and held them still. “I’ll make you a deal. You can use your tarot cards, your runes or tea leaves, whatever you want to tap in to your visions. But you’re not coming with me when I’m working the case.”

  She freed herself and sat up. “Fine. I can do plenty of investigating on my own.”

  Even in the dark she saw his eyes flash dangerously. “No you’re not. I’ll arrest you for interfering with a police investigation if you do. There’s always the possibility that whoever attacked you last night is the same person who’s responsible for Hannah Saxon’s disappearance.”

  The hazy afterglow of their lovemaking evaporated. “You wouldn’t do that to me.”

  “Try me.” He reached under one of the cushions and pulled out the knife she kept there. “You think this will protect you from him? Chances are better that he’ll get it away from you and use it against you.”

  How had he known the knife was there? She climbed off him and out of bed. Swiping her rumpled nightgown from the floor, she headed to the bathroom without replying.

  How dare he tell her what to do? Maybe he wasn’t all that different from Jamal after all. No, that wasn’t fair. But having a man issue an order over her made her want to scream.

  He had a point, though. She couldn’t be sure it had been Jamal who’d grabbed her and broken into the store. But if it was the man who’d taken Hannah, she’d make a perfect decoy to smoke him out.

  Zander would never go for it. But since she had a police guard who’d make sure she stayed safe, why couldn’t she try? She couldn’t live under Zander’s protection forever. She was already starting to enjoy having him around, way too much.

  After she washed up, she returned to the bedroom to find it empty. Shouldn’t bother her so much. She peeked into the living room and found him fully dressed on the sofa, feet hanging over one
arm. He turned onto his side facing away from her.

  A beam of light skittered across the window and she held her breath. She ducked behind the loveseat. “Zander,” she whispered.

  “It’s only the deputy assigned to patrol the camp.” The couch creaked under his weight as he rolled over again.

  She placed her hand over her heart. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for investigating crime but she had to help Hannah. “You can’t lock me out of this case.”

  He groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Go to sleep, woman.”

  She huffed. “Throw me a bone or something. This isn’t fair.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. “Here.”

  She took the glittering jewelry item from him, the necklace he’d let her hold the day he’d first come into Mind’s Eye.

  “You can hang onto that for now.” He shifted and pushed his hand into his other pocket. “This might have belonged to Ricardo. It was in his room but his father wasn’t sure if it was his.” He dropped one of those flattened pennies you get from machines at carnivals into her hand.

  “Why didn’t you give it to me before?”

  He shrugged. “I forgot I had it. It might not even be his.”

  She held both items to her solar plexus and shut her eyes. Nothing.

  Zander’s rhythmic breathing told her he was finally getting some much needed sleep. She didn’t want to disturb him so she returned to her room and lit a candle. Then she climbed onto the bed and stared at the flame as she brought herself into a meditative state.

  Rubbing the trinkets Zander had given her between her fingers, she shut her eyes. Then she lowered her consciousness into her meditative state.

  She was at an arcade.

  Hannah was laughing as she handed Ricardo a penny to put in the machine that would flatten it. While the machine cranked out the squashed coin, Ricardo retrieved something from the ground and gave it to Hannah.

  Her necklace. The clasp had broken. He tinkered with it, trying to repair it but he couldn’t. She shoved it into her pocket then took his hand.

  The image dissolved. Jilly opened her eyes and looked down at the necklace, which she hadn’t noticed had a broken clasp. She had to find out more. But nothing in the vision would help find Hannah or Ricardo.

  After trying to reconnect to the images, she came up empty. She rubbed her temple. Maybe she was too tired. She set the items on her night table then got under the covers. Despite the blanket, the bed was cold without Zander.

  She refused to get too used to his company. Before long he’d be gone. Zander was first and foremost a cop, she’d seen that in his reading the day she’d first met him. And she’d broken too many laws to get away from Jamal. Despite his apparent compassion for her situation, she’d never fit into his world. He lived with definite black and white, right and wrong and nothing in between.

  The man had a perfect family, the sort of family she’d always dreamed of being a part. Someone like her, with a shady pedigree and a closet full of skeletons would never fit into his world.

  But that didn’t change her duty to Hannah. In the morning she’d find a way to convince Zander to take her along. She could beg him, tell him she wouldn’t feel safe without him since she was nearly killed, appeal to his protective nature.

  If it was Jamal who’d attacked her, she’d have to run away again, as soon as Hannah was found. A twinge of guilt prickled her skin. It would be kinder to Zander if she left than to let him learn who she really was. He’d get over her and maybe someday, she’d get over him too.

  Chapter Six

  Zander rose before the sun. He hadn’t slept much on that lumpy sofa. But he’d had a much better reason for being awake a good portion of the night. He stepped quietly into Jilly’s room, stroked her hair and thought about waking her to make love again.

  He’d have to wait until this damn case was behind them. For now though, the clock was ticking. He had less than a day and a half to find Hannah and he refused to take any more of that time for himself.

  Even in the dim light spilling in from the living room, the bruises on her neck were visible. His gut clenched. He never should have let her out of his sight. He just hoped the sheriff would approve the expenditure of keeping an officer on her.

  After he washed up and finished dressing, he went to the front window and glimpsed the marked unit parked a few yards away. At least there was someone watching over her.

  When his phone buzzed, he checked the display and saw the sheriff’s name. He strode to the kitchen to answer and not wake Jilly. “Hey Van, what’s going on?”

  “I’m glad you’re up. A highway patrol unit just found Ricardo’s car.”

  Zander allowed himself a flicker of hope. “Where?”

  “About a hundred miles from here, up in Gadsden County.”

  “They find anything…or anyone inside?” He held his breath.

  “No bodies, no obvious blood, but it’s on the way to Tallahassee now. I called in another favor at the FDLE lab so we should have preliminary results soon.”

  “Thanks.” If the lab discovered anything important in the vehicle hopefully he could buy more time with his grandfather. “Would you text me the number for the trooper who found it?”

  “Soon as I hang up.”

  Zander took one last look at Jilly then headed out. He waved to the deputy outside her cottage on his way to his car. After he got on the road, he phoned the highway patrolman who’d discovered Ricardo’s abandoned car and learned the vehicle had been sitting only a few yards off the highway. The officer surmised it had been there at least a week, maybe more judging by the condition. It was concealed from view by thick foliage on the side of the road, the officer explained, which was why it hadn’t been spotted sooner.

  He drove on auto-pilot as he pondered why Ricardo’s car had ended up a hundred miles away. Although the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office had scoured the scene, according to the deputy, Zander wanted to check it out for himself, which meant spending precious time to get there.

  He called Jilly a few minutes after eight when he was almost at the scene.

  “Why didn’t you wake me before you left?” Her voice was hoarse with sleep and it made him want to rush back to her, crawl into bed beside her.

  Picturing her lovely body, nude under the sheets, his libido stirred to life. He cleared his throat. “You looked so peaceful. And I knew you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  When she didn’t say anything for a moment he wondered if she was still angry at him. “Are you there?”

  “Yeah. Any news about the road sign?”

  “Better.” He merged into the right lane. “I’m almost at the spot where Ricardo’s car was found.”

  She gasped. “And?”

  “No sign of Hannah or Ricardo. But this is the first solid lead in a long time.”

  “Really?” Her voice was flat and chillier than he’d heard before.

  Shit. He’d pissed her off again. “I mean…no, that wasn’t true. Without your help Ricardo Torres wouldn’t even be on our radar. You’ve been a huge help.”

  “I had a dream.”

  “About the case?” He tightened his grasp on the phone.

  “Yes. I saw that sign again, the curvy road sign. I attempted to look around, you know, for any landmarks or anything that would tell me where I was.”

  A mile marker and a cordoned off area on the side of the road alerted him he’d reached the spot where they’d found Ricardo’s car. He pulled off the road. “And?”

  “I saw two of those weird shaped smoke stacks, like they have at nuclear power plants. But we don’t have one of those around here, do we?”

  “Not in our county, but in the neighboring one. Actually, I passed through that area this morning. The Central Panhandle Power Plant. It’s pretty remote. And it happens to be between Freedom Bay and where Ricardo’s car was abandoned.”

  “So that might be important. It’s got to be, Zander.” The excitem
ent in her voice was contagious.

  His pulse raced. “Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.” He checked his watch. “Tell you what. Soon as I finish up here I’ll stop at the power plant, see if I can find the sign and we’ll go from there.”

  “I’ll meet you there. We can—”

  “No you won’t. You stay exactly where you are, under lock and key. I won’t take any more chances with your safety.”

  “But I have to see if I’m right. I might get more impressions there. This could be really important.”

  “Which is why I plan to call you when I find the sign.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  His temples started throbbing. “Whoever attacked you might still be watching you.”

  “But—”

  “I’m not asking. That’s an order.”

  “An order? Seriously?”

  “Seriously. You’re to stay put until you hear from me.”

  She didn’t say anything. He took his cell away from his ear and checked the display. Damn woman had hung up on him. He dialed her number but his call went straight to voicemail. “Listen, Jilly, I’m serious about this. Don’t you dare leave your house.” But he knew she’d do whatever the hell she wanted. He phoned his office and alerted dispatch to contact the marked unit charged with protecting Jilly. “Tell him she might try to sneak out. I want him to stop her.” He thought about the logistics of that. She wasn’t a suspect so the officer had no real authority to hold her. Unless… “If she refuses to comply I want him to arrest her for…obstruction. Got it?”

  “Yes sir,” the dispatcher said.

  He stepped out of the car to survey the scene. But after twenty minutes of scouring the clearing in the woods, he had to agree with the Gadsden officers that there was nothing noteworthy there. Truth was, his mind was on other things now—namely finding the sign Jilly had seen in her dream. And making sure she didn’t leave the protection of her guard.

  As he sped toward the power plant he prayed she would listen to reason and not try to get around the deputy assigned to protect her. Last thing he wanted was to have to resort to arresting her. She’d never forgive him. But he’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her.