Some things certainly didn’t wither over time and her center pulsed its appreciation. “Have you got a...”
He leaned toward his bedside cabinet and produced the wrapped piece of permission. Tossing the packet on the cabinet surface, Jay climbed onto the bed and slid close to her.
Cat ran her splayed hand over the broad expanse of his chest, up and over the smooth plane of his shoulder and down over a biceps wider than the span of her hand. She shifted and he fell back when her hand curled around his shaft. She moved up and down the length of him, her thumb circling and spreading the bead of moisture around its tip.
He muttered a curse and a wicked smile curved her lips as her body trembled with need and impatience. Impatience she’d curb until they were both ready, until she prepared him as he had her. She picked up the pace and relished his guttural moans, rode the satisfaction when he flung his arm above him to grip the iron headboard.
Faster and faster she rubbed him, bringing him closer to the brink and then releasing him to cup his tight balls in her hand. His hand dropped and he grappled for the condom. Releasing him, she took the packet from his hand and ripped it open, feeling the power of his gaze on her. She rolled the protection over him, taking her time, smoothing her hand over him again and again until he pushed her back against the bed.
He held her hands above her head and she surrendered. Their eyes locked as he kneed her legs open and moved between her thighs. His gaze burned into hers as he probed the tip of his erection against her, teasing, tempting, and then with a possessive thrust, he entered her.
Their gasps of relief punctured the air and his weight dropped onto her. He slid his hands down the sides of her body, from the curve of her breasts to her waist, until they slipped under her buttocks and hitched her closer.
Cat shuddered beneath him as they moved, harder and harder, then tantalizingly slow, then hard...
The waves built, lapping at the outskirts of her release. She reached for him and curled her fingers around the muscular strength of his shoulders, her nails digging into the hardened flesh. As he took her his eyes filled with longing, possession...and love.
Every withheld emotion, any hope she dared to think or believe, every desire she wanted and refused to act upon came to the surface. Her body became his, her heart tipped closer and then they were there. He tensed beneath her fingertips as her orgasm came closer. Cat couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. Her orgasm crashed through her and she cried out as her body convulsed and tightened around him.
“Jay.”
A groan ripped from him, turning into a yell, her name reverberating around the moonlit room making her feel like the most treasured woman in the world.
“This isn’t it, Cat. This isn’t the only time.” His weight dropped against her.
Cat held him as though the rest of her life depended on it even as whispered warnings crept into her mind. They had made love without her knowing for sure he was innocent. She’d made love to a man she wanted to trust and love with everything she had. She had made love, and she would not cry.
* * *
THE BRIGHT MIDMORNING sun filled Jay’s bedroom and Cat smiled. If she’d been shy about her creeping, almost-age-thirty weight gain before, she had no right to feel that way again. To say she was wanton and adventurous and downright insatiable was an understatement. Jay groaned beside her and her smile stretched.
Turning her head on the pillow, laughter bubbled in her throat and her heart swelled dangerously in her chest. Jay lay facedown in the feather pillow, one arm thrown across her torso, the other hanging limp over the edge of the bed. She shoved him.
“Are you breathing?”
Silence.
Another shove. “Hey, Casanova, can you hear me?”
He turned so one brown eye met hers. “I think I’ve had a heart attack.”
She grinned. “What’s the matter? Not enough stamina for a real woman after all the lightweights you’ve been sleeping with over the last seven years?”
“You’re not a woman.”
She laughed. “Excuse me?”
“Tossing a man of my size around the bed like he weighs next to nothing isn’t normal.”
She sat up and grabbed her pillow and swiftly brought it down on his head. “I did not toss you around the bed.”
He was up and had her pinned beneath him before she had time to lift the pillow a second time. His teeth came down on the curve of her neck and he savagely nibbled as her screams echoed around the room. Happiness tickled her insides as she pummeled at his back.
“Say you’ll stay here forever and I’ll let you go.”
Cat froze. No. Not yet. Her happiness dissolved. “Jay, let me up.”
He pulled back, concern creasing his handsome brow and clouding his eyes. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I have to say it. I want you to stay.”
His gaze wandered over her face and suddenly his super-king-size bed felt like a single divan. She wriggled to get out from underneath him, thankful when he rolled to the side releasing her.
“We can’t be together. I told you that last night. Nothing’s changed.”
“Why?”
“There’s stuff I can’t talk about. Please accept that.” Cat scooted off the bed, taking the cover with her and wrapping it around her body. “I’m taking a shower. We’ve got work to do.”
He stared. “Will you just talk to me?”
Distress shivered through her dousing the passion of the night before like the coldest water being thrown over the most sensual and gloriously romantic fire. She tilted her chin against the pain.
“Look, it’s a new day. Sarah comes first, okay?”
“You don’t want to talk. I get it. But you may as well know right now that I don’t believe for one second that whatever it is making you tense up like a coiled spring is work related.”
Annoyance prickled at her nerve endings and she scowled. “Will you stop this? It’s not fair. We can’t make my being here about us. It’s about Sarah.”
The ringing of her cell phone sliced through the atmosphere. Cat marched across the room and snatched it from Jay’s bureau. “Cat Forrester.”
“Did you have sex with him? Was it good?”
Revulsion curled into a knot deep inside Cat’s stomach. She met Jay’s questioning gaze. “The caller,” she mouthed, tightening her grip on the phone. “Well, good morning to you, too.”
His low burst of laughter was muffled beneath whatever disguise he used to alter his voice. “Not much ruffles those fiery feathers of yours, does it, Sergeant?”
“Did you ring for a chitchat or is there something you want to tell me?” Come on, you son of a bitch. Give me what you’ve got.
Jay pushed off the bed and stood behind her. Unconcerned about his nakedness, he slid his arms firmly around her and Cat trembled. Whoever killed Sarah was watching them.
“What do you want? I haven’t got all day to stand around talking to some damn coward who likes to hide behind a telephone instead of facing me like a real man.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “If you’ve got something to say to me, just say it.”
Even muffled, the coldness of his laugh seeped down the line and into her blood.
“Oh, I’ve got plenty to say to you, Sergeant. Plenty. But first, I want to play with the Cat a bit longer, stroke her fur like your millionaire playboy just did.”
Her eyes snapped open as bile rose bitter in her throat. Jay’
s arms came tighter around her and she knew his face would be set in rage. She loved him for letting her do her job, for curbing his masculine instincts until she gave him the right and proper place to unleash them.
“Go to hell.”
Another low burst of laughter. “How was your visit to the forest yesterday? Swept the place clean, haven’t they? Nothing left of me for the poor sergeant who came all the way from Reading to find.”
Cat tightened her grip on the phone. “I’ll see you behind bars for this. I swear to God.”
Another laugh. “Will you? You are so far away from finding the killer, it’s a joke. You’re blind, Detective. Maybe even blind drunk like your lush of a mother. What do you think?”
Cat sucked in a breath.
“See you around, Sergeant.”
The line went dead. Cat’s hand shook as she quickly pressed the call list. Nothing. Unknown number. She dropped her head back against Jay’s chest.
“He’s watching us. He knows...” She swallowed the revelation. He knew about her mum.
Jay turned her in his arms and stared. “He knows what?”
“He knows what we’re doing and when we’re doing it.”
A muscle leaped in his jaw. “Ring Bennett. Ring Bennett now before I do something stupid.”
“I can do better than that.”
He frowned. “Like what?”
“Like see Bennett face-to-face. Chris scanned Sarah’s letter and emailed it to me. I checked while you were asleep and it’s on my BlackBerry.” She moved out of his embrace as her fear evolved into determined anger. “Whoever that was has just made the biggest mistake calling me again. He’s going to pay big time.”
“Send the letter to my email and I’ll print it off.”
She nodded. “Then I’ll take it to the station and speak to Bennett. Tell him about the letter and find out what the hell he’s doing about the bastard who’s daring to mess with me.”
He blew out a shaky breath. “Fine. But I’m not leaving your side, so we’re both going to see him.”
“But you can’t—”
“No arguments.” He walked toward his dresser.
She had to keep him away from the station. If Bennett found out Jay knew as much about the case as she did, he’d have her ass back on a train to Reading before she could spit out another word...and she wanted to question Bennett. Find out once and for all why Jay hadn’t been eliminated from the police’s suspect list. What did he know about Jay or his alibi that she didn’t?
“I want you to speak to Marian and George, remember? We can’t waste any time.”
“Already done. We’re meeting them at the bakery later.”
“What?”
“You’re not the only one who can creep around when someone’s asleep.” He winked as he pulled fresh underwear out of a drawer.
“Great.” Damn it. She continued toward the ensuite bathroom. “When we find out who did this...”
“I’ll make sure no one disturbs you when you’re in a police cell bashing his brains out.”
She widened her eyes in mock innocence. “I’d never do any such thing.”
Jay laughed and came forward to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Sure you wouldn’t. We’ll see Bennett and then when we’ve done as much as we can today, you and I will talk about how you’re going to get a transfer from Reading.”
Dread struck like a knife in her chest. “I told you. Work—”
He raised his hand. “I don’t believe you, but if you insist it’s work keeping you there, there’s no problem.”
She swallowed. “How do you figure that?”
He smiled. “Because after you solve this case for Bennett, he’ll offer you a job here, anyway.” He narrowed his eyes. “Unless, as I suspect, it’s not work stopping you from moving to the Cove in the first place.”
She gripped the duvet tighter at her breasts. “It’s work.”
“Fine. Then we’ll talk later.”
Her mouth opened but when no words came, so Cat shot him a glare, turned around and marched into the bathroom. She slammed the door and threw the lock into place.
With her heart racing and her hands trembling, she leaned against the door and cursed. She’d made a big slip. Jay would now pick at the tiny thread, pull and pull until the entire, disgusting truth of her home life came unraveled, leaving nothing behind but shame.
She didn’t want to regret last night...or this morning, but the fingers of doubt crept up her spine, threatening to make her turn away from him. He’d asked her to stay, said this wasn’t it for them—made love to her as though she was his world.
Tears fell onto her cheeks and Cat pushed away from the door. She started the shower. With each passing day, the memories of the Cove and the potential to make more, poured into her blood, filling her up as they had every summer she came there.
What if her feelings for Jay grew stronger every day it took to find Sarah’s killer? What if, when she had her killer behind bars, she couldn’t go home without irreparably breaking her heart...and Jay’s?
“Cat?” Jay’s knock at the door made her jump. “Can I come in?”
“I’m in the shower.” She quickly dropped the duvet she’d forgotten she still clutched like a child’s comfort blanket. “I can’t hear you.”
“Then how come you just answered me?”
She grimaced and stuck her head under the shower. Now she couldn’t hear a thing.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
HALF AN HOUR LATER, Jay poured a second cup of coffee and took it out onto the veranda. The sun’s rays burned warm on his bare skin. Having put the phone call from the sicko from hell on the back burner for now, he puffed out his chest in satisfaction. Despite having to face Bennett again shortly, the previous night lingered in his memory. The night ended in the perfect way, making love to the girl whose green eyes, dark red hair and perfectly toned and smooth-skinned body had haunted his dreams for seven long years.
Cat was as flawless now as then. Their night of lovemaking had left him exhausted and pleasantly aching, but the need to touch her again had woken him at first light. He willed his penis to grow up. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her away with this overpowering need to make up for lost time.
Taking a hefty mouthful of black coffee, the memory of the fear in her eyes when she looked at the wine bottles disintegrated his smile. His initial instinct was to attack, but her shock was so profound it had sucked all the temper from his gut and replaced it with an overwhelming sense of protection.
Her eyes had grown wide as her body trembled. Then she blinked and her cop training slammed into place like a closing door. Her discomfort about him drinking set off warning bells all around him. Passion and blatant, undisguised fury burned in her eyes. He was sure it was aimed entirely at him. She loved him. No one cared that much if they didn’t. Cat Forrester was the woman for him. Come hell or high water, he would have her.
Turning, he stared at the house. She was taking forever in the shower. He shouldn’t have pushed her about staying with him in the Cove, but what Cat failed to realize was that, try as she might to hide them, her feelings for him were clearly written in her eyes. She was scared. So was he. She didn’t want their friendship ruined. Neither did he. Most of all, Jay wanted peace in his life...and feared Cat was his only hope of ever achieving that seemingly impossible future.
He gazed out toward the sliver of ocean to the left of him, avoiding looking righ
t toward a daylight panoramic view of the forest. Sarah’s smiling face filled his mind’s eye. He was an addict. He would always be addict. Sarah’s cry for help toward both him and Cat meant she lived in some sort of self-inflicted hellhole, too. Only, by the time she’d called them, the ground was already receding from the edge of the abyss, sending Sarah hurtling to the bottom in the most violent way possible.
Jay clenched his jaw. Love would be the only thing Sarah would risk her life for—love for the kids she taught, or her killer. Jay’s mind whirled but produced nothing but a messy carnage of unanswered questions.
“Goddamn it.”
Tossing the dregs of his coffee over the balustrade, he turned and marched back inside the house. A slow burning headache pulsed at his temples as he looked toward the pinewood staircase at the edge of the room. Cat made love to him with raw ferocity. The bedroom had been filled with the scent of fresh air and the sea coming from the open windows. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks down on the shore had been overtaken by their animalistic grunts, moans and pleas. It had been a bigger reality than Jay’s wildest fantasy.
Then the phone call changed everything. He curled his hands into fists and stared blindly ahead. The caller was playing with them. With Cat. The knowledge stuck like a boulder in his gut. This person...this vermin had killed one of his best friends, but there was no way in hell he’d come within six feet of another. He loved Cat with his every fiber. He would kill for her.
Blinking, Jay slowly exhaled. He needed to play it cool. Reign in his temper and prove his counselor wrong. He didn’t want Cat just because of their past. He needed to silence the unease battering around in his chest like a damn Ping-Pong ball and find the man who was a threat to their rekindled love affair. And it was a love affair. Whether Cat wanted to accept that or not.
Jay placed his mug on the table and glanced at his watch. Eleven o’clock. They were wasting precious time. He headed for the stairs.
When he pushed open the guest-bedroom door, he stopped. Cat wore a sleek black pencil skirt and white cotton blouse. Simple, professional. Except for the four-inch stilettos on her feet, which were as sexy as hell.
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