Into a Dangerous Mind (5 page)

that same ass on more occasions than I care to count, I’m trusting you to save it again.”

“You won’t regret this, Dix. I know it’s him.”

“I hope you’re right.”
 
He pointed toward Zach.
 
“But by the time this thing is put to bed I expect a file full of cold hard facts to pass up the chain.”

Zach nodded.
 
“Understood.”

“I’d better get out there and move my van or it will look like you’ve had the longest cable install in history.”

Zach marveled as he opened up yet another meticulously organized cabinet in Cassidy’s kitchen.

.

He pulled out a small, unopened tin canister of cinnamon for French toast.

After the events of the previous evening, he knew from experience she’d be starving, since using psychic gifts tended to deplete the body’s energy faster than physical exertion.
 
Especially since her body wasn’t used to the new powers yet.

He hoped making her a decent breakfast would put her more at ease while he interviewed her.
 
But that had proved difficult when he’d opened her refrigerator.
 
All he found was a case of bottled water, a six-pack of Diet Pepsi, some long-neck Bud Lights, and several containers of moldy, leftover Chinese food.

in the cabinets appeared to be a box of strawberry pop tarts, a jar of creamy peanut butter, and a jumbo bag of Skittles.

He immediately called to have one of his agents deliver some decent food.

He dipped more bread into egg batter and dropped it into a hot skillet.

He’d read over her FBI file, but it shed no light on the woman he met last night.
 
Zach dropped some bacon and sausage into a second sizzling skillet, and set the timer for the biscuits he’d just put into the lower oven.

The file showed her as a twenty-nine-year-old cellist with the Phoenix Symphony who looked to be a model citizen.
 
Cassidy Marie James never got so much as a traffic ticket.
 
She attended
Arizona
State
University
on a full music scholarship and graduated with a very respectable three-point-eight GPA.
 
Upon graduation, several lucrative offers from major symphonies and music organizations around the world had poured in, but she accepted the offer that would keep her close to home.

The file held no listing of living relatives, marriage or children, just several references to publications which ran reviews of her performances or carried articles she authored about various music industry issues.
 
She paid her taxes on time, donated her time and money to The Literacy Foundation, The Education of Fine Arts Association, and Toys for Tots charities, and had voted in every major election since she’d turned eighteen.

But he struggled to mesh the perfect file with the passionate woman who kissed him last night and sent his system into overload.

He knew she thought him nothing but a dream, and she’d still been in shock, but he just wasn’t prepared for the kind of all out physical assault one simple kiss wreaked on his system.

Adding eggs next to the bacon, his thoughts wandered to last night.
 
He could still feel her insistent mouth on his, and with that vivid memory, liquid pools of pure heat low in his stomach and groin throbbed insistently.

.

Shaking his head in an attempt to clear it, he heaped French toast, bacon, and eggs onto a serving platter decorated with a large saguaro cactus and two howling coyotes.
 
He opened the top oven, placing the platter inside to keep the food warm.

Pouring himself more coffee, he gave in to a large yawn.
 
He hadn’t gotten very much sleep the previous night on her overstuffed sofa.
 
The black leather sectional might be more luxurious than his bed, but being close to her kept major portions of his anatomy alert throughout the night.

, he admonished as the part of his anatomy in question stirred in remembrance of the heated kiss.

He quickly checked to ensure his shields were tight.
 
Probably not a good impression if the first thing she heard when she awoke was him talking to his errant erection.

Besides, not only did he have no business getting involved with a witness, but she also had the gift.

.

Having decided on a course of action, he smiled and hummed to himself while he pulled the biscuits out of the oven.

He almost dropped the hot pan.
 
A groan ripped from his throat as he felt a hot mouth close over his already painful erection.
 
He whipped around, scanning every inch of the small kitchen to make sure he was alone.
 
He set down the biscuits carefully, and braced his hands on the counter to keep from falling to the floor in a heap as the phantom mouth continued its work.
 
Tight lips and a busy tongue teased his swollen tip as invisible hands cupped and stroked him.

He broke himself away from the sensations long enough to realize someone else’s psychic output affected him.

.

He reached out mental tendrils around him.
 
He stopped short as he touched a familiar mind—Cassidy’s.

“How the hell is she strong enough to tie me into her dreams?” he demanded of the empty room.
 
Concentrating, he nudged her mentally, just enough to wake her and then pulled back.

.

He tried to adjust his jeans into a comfortable position with a now throbbing erection.

.

Cassidy stepped into her kitchen and immediately saw the man of her late night dreams arranging steaming biscuits on a platter.
 
His perfectly muscled derriere brought her up short and she pinched herself.

just a dream—she hoped.
 
She could still feel him hard and eager inside her mouth.
 
She shook her head to try to dislodge the sensation.

He still wore the jeans from last night and had added a comfortable looking T-shirt.
 
Neither garment did anything to disguise the fact he was one of the most well built men she’d ever seen up close.
 
He moved around her kitchen with an ease and grace that made her envious.
 
She always imagined she looked like some slapstick comedienne bumbling around when she attempted to cook—which was almost never.

The kitchen looked smaller somehow with him in it, as if the vaulted ceilings had been lowered a few feet.
 
Add the broad shoulders and the well defined muscles of his arms, and her spacious kitchen began to look small and cozy.

Cassidy studied the angles of his face and the sexy little dent in his chin she remembered tracing last night as he carried her.
 
She looked up into his intense gaze and jumped as she realized he stood watching her inspect him like a tasty dessert.

“I…I’m sorry.”
 
Heat crept up her neck and into her cheeks.
 
“I’m not used to finding strange men in my kitchen.”

He only smiled and placed a platter laden with eggs, sausage, bacon, and French toast in the middle of the table.
 
“So I gathered.”
 
His amused gaze met hers.. “Would you like some breakfast?”
 
He pulled out a chair for her, and gestured for her to sit.
 
“You must be starving.”

It took Cassidy a minute to recover from the effect of the boyish grin.
 
It transformed his face into something more approachable, but definitely just as masculine.
 
Not to mention the great dimple off to the left side of his mouth.
 
She controlled the urge to reach out and trace it with her fingertip.

The entire situation felt very surreal, but she couldn’t think of any reason to refuse, so she sat as he set a mug of coffee in front of her.
 
“Let’s start over.”
 
She breathed deep and enjoyed the healing aroma of the coffee before looking up to meet his gaze.
 
Attempting to gain some measure of control over the situation, she cleared her throat before she spoke.
 
“I’m Cassidy James.”
 
She held out her hand to shake.
 
“And you are?”

He finished chewing a mouthful of bacon, swallowed, and then reached out to shake her hand.
 
“Special Agent Zachary Hatcher, but please, call me Zach.”
 
He took his badge and ID out of his back pocket and laid it on the table for her to inspect.
 
“I just moved in across the street yesterday.”
 
He chucked his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the direction of his house.

“I didn’t know that house was even up for sale.”
 
She examined his ID while she spoke.

He smiled.
 
“Technically, no, but the FBI can be very persuasive.”

She surprised herself by realizing she already knew he worked with the FBI.