Kade: Armed and Dangerous (16 page)

He stuffed the pair of pink panties into his back pocket, then pushed her thighs apart
with his hands, totally exposing her to his gaze. The countertop was cool beneath
her, but her body was already burning up. She was faintly aware of the pot of sauce
bubbling on the range and the smell of garlic.

Everything faded as her world came to a pinpoint on the man between her thighs.

“You are so beautiful, darlin’,” he murmured as he lightly brushed his fingers over
the blond curls of her mound.

She trembled at the contact and her cheeks heated.

Kade set his Stetson on the counter beside Kelsey, then knelt on the tile floor between
her legs. He gripped her thighs with his large hands as he brought his face to her
folds. He paused and inhaled. “You smell like heaven.”

Kelsey shivered and bit back a moan. This was right. This was good... Feeling and
experiencing what life had to offer and doing it with Kade.

Go for it, Kelsey. Live.

She couldn’t hold back that inner voice that worried about the consequences. “What
if everyone comes home early?” What if I can never say no to you?

He gave her a wicked grin. “Then I’ll throw you over my shoulder and cart you off
to my room and finish the job.”

Before she could think of a suitable reply, Kade parted her folds with his fingers
and licked her slit with a long, slow swipe of his tongue.

Kelsey moaned from the exquisite sensation and watched him sliding his tongue over
her clit. She clenched the edge of the countertop as he pressed her thighs wider apart
and licked and sucked her swollen nub.

His tongue swirled and tasted her as he slipped two fingers into her channel. Blood
pounded in her veins and in her ears, so loud she could hear nothing else.

She’d never had a man do this to her before, and the feeling was incredible. Nothing
on earth could replace the feel of a man’s mouth on her folds, licking her slit, and
his fingers thrusting inside her. She could just imagine him sliding into her channel,
his rock-hard body pressed against hers.

She tilted back her head and felt her nipples, hard as stones beneath her blouse.
Kade’s stubble was rough against her folds and the insides of her thighs, driving
her closer to that place inside her that was growing, budding, and blooming. She’d
never felt anything like this and she was sailing so fast toward her climax that it
fully blossomed inside her in a rush. She gave a little cry as heat burned her from
head to toe and back again.

Kade slowed his movements but continued licking her until Kelsey’s hips finally stopped
rocking against his face. “No more,” she begged, and shuddered with another aftershock.

He stood and moved between her thighs. Slowly he brought his face to hers and kissed
her long and deep. It made another tremor go through her.

With a smile he moved back and caught her around the waist. He lifted her off the
countertop and set her on her feet.

Kade tugged her skirt down over her hips while Kelsey tucked in her shirt. “I can’t
believe we just did that,” she said.

His lips quirked as he dragged his hand over his mouth and chin. “I’ve been dying
to taste you since I met you.”

At that moment the front door crashed open and Trent’s yell shattered the moment.

“Dad! We’re home!”

Kelsey bolted out of his arms before Trent made it into the kitchen. Kade winked at
her and then smiled at his son. “How’s my favorite guy?”

After Trent had run off to his room and Kade greeted his mom and dad he excused himself
and headed down the hallway.

Kelsey’s gaze widened as she watched him walk away and she prayed that no one else
had noticed.

Her bright pink silky panties were peeking out of his back pocket.

***

“Eduardo Montano, please,” Kelsey said to the courthouse’s elegant receptionist. The
nameplate on the woman’s desk read PORTIA ZAPATA.

“Do you have an appointment with the mayor?” The receptionist wore a sleek black business
suit, her voice smooth and professional. She seemed accustomed to heading off unwanted
visitors.

“Yes. I’m Kale C. Nichols with San Francisco’s City by the Bay magazine,” Kelsey replied.

While the receptionist buzzed the mayor’s office, Kelsey ignored the urge to fuss
with her skirt and her press badge, doing her best to appear calm, cool, and collected
despite the humidity. She’d spent the past week in casual clothing, and for the first
time she could remember she felt confined wearing a silk suit. On top of that, the
leather heels pinched her toes and she longed to be in her casual sandals or tennies.
She’d arranged her hair in an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck, applied her
makeup so that it gave her an air of elegance, and she wore diamond studs in her ears.

One of the most important things she’d learned early in her career was to dress as
the natives do. When interviewing a rancher, dress comfortably in jeans and a blouse.
When speaking with an office clerk, wear nice slacks or a pant outfit. When meeting
with a politician, dress to kill.

A few moments later, the receptionist escorted Kelsey into the mayor’s office. The
news reports she’d seen of the mayor hadn’t done him justice. He was almost beautiful
with his long black eyelashes and aristocratic features. Not a speck of gray marred
his ebony hair or his full mustache.

“
Buenos días,
Señorita Nichols,” the mayor said with a small bow. “With the name Kale, I expected
a man. Instead I find myself in the company of a most beautiful señorita. Or is it
señora?” His voice was well modulated, his manner that of a true politician.

She smiled. “Thank you, Mayor Montano. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with
me. Is there a Spanish word that translates to Ms.?”

He took Kelsey’s fingers lightly in his, lifted them to his mouth, and brushed his
lips across her knuckles. His cologne was heavy, a cloying smell that reminded Kelsey
of her ex-husband’s cologne. “I’m afraid not. Call me Eduardo, please. May I call
you Kale?”

She didn’t share that her real name was Kelsey in situations that involved individuals
in politics or certain other areas. As she withdrew from his grasp, Kelsey replied,
“Of course.”

“Have a seat, Kale.” With a sweep of his arm, he gestured to one of two leather chairs
in front of his desk. After Kelsey sat, the mayor hitched up his slacks and settled
into the chair next to her. “Mr. Montano—”

“Eduardo, please.”

“Ah, yes.” Kelsey swallowed. “Eduardo. May I record our interview so that I can ensure
my notes are accurate?”

He nodded and crossed his legs at his knees. “By all means.” After Kelsey pulled the
cell phone out of her purse, she prepared it, then withdrew her notepad of questions.
She glanced at the rich furnishings, trying to get a sense of the man she was about
to interview.

Behind the desk was a large window, but the wooden blinds were drawn shut. Bookshelves
lined one wall, filled with brass sculptures of bullfighters and bulls, as well as
a few thick volumes. Oil paintings of matadors in vivid hues of reds, greens, blues,
and yellows dominated the other two walls, the fighters waving traditional red capes
before powerful black bulls.

“You have a lovely office,” she said. “I see you have a penchant for bullfighting.”

“Si.” Montano’s mustache twitched and he gave a ruthless smile. “The greatest of all
sports.”

Kelsey turned from looking at the sculptures and gave him her let’s-get-down-to-business
smile. “I understand you’re running for United States Congress in this fall’s election,
and your campaign is on an immigration reform platform.”

“Yes, that is correct.” He placed his elbows on the arms of his chair and steepled
his fingers. “I feel very strongly that something must be done to alleviate this ongoing
problem.”

“Will you explain?”

He nodded. “But of course. First, I believe we should grant amnesty to all Mexican
nationals now living in the U.S.” He ticked off the points on his fingers. “Second,
I advocate free schooling for children of undocumented aliens in all states, and that
we should not require these children to prove citizenship in order to go to school.
Third, I believe that no one in any state should have to provide a Social Security
number or proof of residency to obtain a driver’s license.”

Montano continued in the manner of a politician practiced in out-lining his views.
“Fourth, I oppose mandatory reporting by employers of their employees’ nationalities.
Fifth, I do not believe we should fine employers who hire undocumented workers. And
sixth, I do not agree with dragnets that round up immigrants from their homes or workplaces.”

Kelsey made a note to herself on her notepad. “How do you feel this will help the
problem with the numbers of people attempting to cross the border illegally every
day?”

“I believe that we must ease the hardship of the suffering souls living in fear and
despair on our side of the border,” he replied. “Those poor people on the other side
are in my thoughts and prayers. However, they must wait and cross into this country
legally, as did my father, many years ago.”

Typical politician.
Talking in circles around her questions.

“I see. Now regarding the number of aliens crossing the border illegally, do you feel
that going after the smugglers and coyotes would get to the root of the problem?”

“Of course we wish to find and prosecute these reprehensible beings.” Montano shrugged.
“Let me express how much it saddens me that these smugglers of humans, these so-called
coyotes, continue to cause the loss of so many lives. It’s a terrible problem and
something must be done about it.”

She met his gaze head-on. “What do you propose?”

“First we must address the most important issues on immigrants already living in this
country before we can tackle that obstacle.” Not going to get a straight answer.

Kelsey checked her list of questions and looked back to Montano. “What do you know
of a coyote named Gordo?”

For a fraction of a second, Kelsey thought she saw unease in the mayor’s eyes, but
a questioning look replaced it almost at once. “Gordo? I do not recall a coyote by
that name. Where did you hear it?”

Was there something in his look? “Someone mentioned it to me,” Kelsey said, and went
to the next item on her list.

Montano answered more of her questions in his carefully rehearsed manner, then glanced
at his watch. “As much as I enjoy your company, senorita, I have another appointment
I must attend to.” She gathered her belongings and thanked the mayor. He seemed like
he was a nice enough man for a politician. As she left she wondered why the interview
with him had made her feel so uneasy.

It was going too fast. They would crash.

Screams filled the cramped cabin. Naya squeezed Kelsey’s hand, crushing her fingers.
“OhGodohGodohGodohGod, ” Naya cried over and over and over again.

“Head between your knees,” Father yelled. Mother sobbed beside him.

Kelsey pushed Naya down. Naya was still praying. Kelsey’s head filled with the chant,
her heart pounding in desperate rhythm. “OhGodohGodohGodohGod, please. Let us live.”

The plane slammed forward, nose down. Impact. The seat belt dug deep. Kelsey’s head
smashed into a seat back.

Spinning. They were spinning. Luggage burst from overhead compartments. Around and
around they whipped. Back and forth. Suitcases battered her arms. Screams. Shrieks.
The sound of metal grinding, tearing, as the plane ripped in half.

The caustic smell of electrical smoke filled the cabin. Sparks, then fire.

Whirling. They were spinning, screaming.

Slower, it moved slower, but Kelsey’s head still reeled. The screech of metal against
asphalt raked across her spine, like a giant hand scraping down an immense chalkboard.
Finally, finally, the plane shuddered to a stop.

Were they really alive? Did they make it?

Fire. Smoke. Screams. Sirens. The stench of burning flesh. Pain seared Kelsey’s thigh
and she saw torn cloth, her flesh flayed open, blood covering her lap.

Naya’s hand still clutched Kelsey’s in a death grip. Kelsey lifted her head and looked
at her sister. Blood shrouded Naya, and her mouth and eyes were wide open, frozen
with fear.

“No!” Kelsey bolted upright in bed. Tears streamed down her face, her clothes soaked
with sweat, every inch of her body trembling.

The door burst open. Light from the hall silhouetted Kade’s big form, his hair rumpled.
Through her tears she saw concern stamped across his features.

“What happened?” He shut the door and in a couple of long strides, he reached her.
One look at her face and he slid onto the edge of the bed and pulled her into his
lap. “Honey. Are you all right?”

She sobbed against his strong shoulder. She couldn’t speak. Couldn’t force the images
from her mind of smoke, flames, twisted metal, and her dead sister’s face. Kelsey’s
leg throbbed, as if her skin were still shredded, blood still pouring from the wound.

“A nightmare?” Kade’s voice was soft and soothing.

She shuddered and nodded against his chest. “I—I dreamed about the plane crash. Naya.
Her face. It was so—so real.”

For a long while he held her, gently rocking her, trying to soothe the horror of her
nightmare. Terror and grief raged within Kelsey. She could barely think. Barely hold
the screams trapped in her throat.

“Easy,” came Kade’s low murmur through the chaos. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

Safe?
How could anywhere be safe? Her swallowed screams turned to sobs. Nowhere on earth
would ever be safe again.
Father. Mother. Naya.

Dear God. Naya.

Hot tears streamed down Kelsey’s cheeks, but Kade’s embrace didn’t falter. “Let it
go. Let it out. I’ll be here. Right here.”