Sweet Fortune (22 page)

“Well, we're two healthy single people who happen to be very strongly attracted to each other. Neither one of us is the type to get involved in one-night stands.” She lifted her head and frowned up at him in the darkness. “Are we?”

“No. I've never been particularly interested in one-night stands,” he assured her. “The risk/reward ratio is badly skewed. Frankly, I've never considered them cost-effective.”

He heard her swallow a choked little laugh, and her arms tightened around his waist. “Hatch, you are impossible.”

“You, on the other hand, are very, very lovely,” he breathed as her skirt fell to the floor.

He moved his hands over her, enthralled by the gentle contour of her back and the flare of her hips. He slipped his fingers inside her panties and eased them down until they followed the skirt to her ankles. Then, with a sigh of sheer masculine pleasure he cupped her buttocks and squeezed carefully. She shivered.

The small shudder of unmistakable desire that rippled through her was intoxicating. Hatch did not wait any longer. He leaned over and pulled down the covers of the bed. Then he picked her up in his arms and put her on the sheets.

He undressed impatiently, unable to take his eyes off her as she lay waiting for him. He was fascinated with the dark outline of her nipples, the tiny hollow in her gently curved belly, and the triangular thicket of hair that concealed her deepest feminine secrets.

He was already fully aroused by the time he got out of the last of his clothes. His body felt taut and strong and powerful. Jessie did this to him, he thought in awe. She made him feel this way. He could not wait to bury himself in her tight, humid sheath.

“I promised myself that this time we'd take it slow.” He came down onto the bed beside her and drew her toward him.

“Did you?” Her eyes were shimmering with wonder and sensual excitement. She stroked his arm and touched his hip lightly, fleetingly. Her legs shifted restlessly on the sheet.

“I let you push me too fast last time.” He bent his head to kiss the soft, vulnerable hollow of her throat.

Her eyes widened in instant outrage. “Now, just a minute here. I did not push you into making love to me in Mrs. V's office. How dare you blame me for that? You were the one who pushed me into doing it right there on her sofa, of all places.”

He slowly combed his fingers through the crisp hair between her legs, aware of the welcoming scent of her. “You might as well face it, sweetheart. You have the power to push me over the edge.”

“Hah. I don't believe that for a minute.”

“I didn't either. Until I found myself taking you right there on Mrs. Valentine's office sofa.” He kissed one tight, firm nipple. “That kind of power is a dangerous thing, Jessie. Be careful how you use it. Who knows where we'll be the next time you push me too far?”

She shivered again as he forced his knee gently between her legs, opening her to his touch. He sucked in his breath, clamping down what was left of his self-control when he realized she was already wet. “Jessie, honey. Jessie, touch me.”

She kissed his chest as her fingers floated lightly down to curve around his throbbing shaft. Hatch thought he would explode then and there.

“So much for taking it slow this time,” he muttered. He rolled onto his back and pulled her down on top of him. She knelt astride his hips, her lips parted in sensual wonder. She cradled him in both hands, openly marveling.

“What's so funny?” she demanded in a husky voice as she glanced up suddenly.

Hatch realized he was grinning widely. “Something about the way you're looking at me.” It occurred to him that he had never seen such a look of discovery and delight on a woman's face. He had never been wanted in quite this way. It was wildly exhilarating. Pleasure and a very primitive satisfaction rushed through him like a shot of adrenaline.

“Hatch,” she whispered, “I truly do not understand any of this.”

“Don't worry. You're doing just fine.” He tested himself against her, letting her feel the extent of his arousal.

“I don't mean this.” She stroked him lightly and smiled in delight when Hatch caught his breath in an undeniable, starkly passionate response. “I mean, why is it you who can do this to me? I know this sounds trite, but the truth is, you really aren't my type at all.”

“Why don't you stop trying to analyze it and just put me inside you where we both can feel it?” He reached down between her legs and drew his finger through the slick, wet moisture there. Then he guided himself inside her. He heard her take a deep breath as he pushed himself carefully into the snug passage.

When he was partway inside he clamped his hands around her waist and lowered her slowly down over the full length of him.

“
Hatch
.”

“You fit me so perfectly. So damn good.” He could feel her clinging to him, sucking him deeper, holding him prisoner there inside her. Again he had to will himself not to give into the temptation of an early release. It was all he could do to wait while he used his fingers to bring her to her own peak.

She began to move on him, cautiously at first. He watched her expression through narrowed eyes, enthralled by her responsiveness. He was right. No woman had ever responded to him with such complete and such sensual abandon. She made him feel powerful; the most powerful man on the face of the earth.

He had never reacted to a woman's touch with such violent need.

He let her set the pace as long as possible. But when he felt her start to tighten around him, he lost what was left of his willpower. He had to end this sweet torture or go out of his mind.

Deliberately he tried to insert his finger into her alongside his engorged manhood. There was no room. He had known there would not be, of course. She was already stretched too far, filled too completely with him. But when he added the extra bit of pressure there at the sensitive entrance, she gasped. Her eyes widened briefly and then she shuddered and went over the edge.

“Hatch. Oh, my God,
Hatch
.”

He locked his arms around her, swallowing her soft, keening little scream of ecstasy as he thrust himself once more straight to the core of her. “Yes, Jessie. Hold me.
Hold me
.”

In that moment he could not have said exactly what it was he wanted from her, but he knew he needed it more than he had ever needed anything in his life. When she collapsed in a soft little heap on top of him he thought he had it.

For a while, at least.

Hatch did not know how long he had been asleep. But he awakened because some sixth sense alerted him to the fact that Jessie had left the bed. He turned over and opened his eyes.

“Jessie?”

She was standing at the window, still nude. He could just barely make out the shape of her gently curving breasts in the pale, watery moonlight. As he watched, she put her face closer to the glass, and he realized she was staring down into the parking lot of the inn.

“Hatch, there's somebody out there.”

He yawned. “Probably some guest getting back late from dinner. Come back to bed, honey.”

“No, I think he's trying to break into your car.”

“
The hell he is
.” Hatch shoved back the covers and came off the bed in one swift movement. A split second later he was at the window, following Jessie's gaze. She was right. A lone figure was hovering near the passenger door of the Mercedes. There was just enough light coming from the weak yellow porch lamp to reveal an object in the man's hand. Even as they watched, the figure raised his arm.

“He's going to smash the window,” Jessie said in horror.

“Sonofabitch.” Hatch unlatched the bedroom window. He vaulted up onto the sill and stepped out on the ledge.

“No, wait, what are you doing? Hatch, come back here. You're in your shorts, for heaven's sake. Wait until I call the police. For goodness' sake,
Hatch
.”

Hatch swore softly as he saw the figure near the car look up at the sound of Jessie's voice. The man was wearing a stocking mask. “Dammit, Jessie, he heard you. He'll get away.”

Hatch stepped down onto the porch roof and in two strides reached the edge. Crouching low, he took a firm grip, swung himself over the side, and lowered himself down onto the porch railing. His bare feet touched the wooden surface and he was grateful there were no splinters.

But he was too late. Light, rapid footsteps sounded on the pavement of the small parking lot. Hatch knew he had lost his quarry even as he leapt from the railing onto the ground. He winced as he felt a pebble dig into his sole. He caught a glimpse of the black-clad figure disappearing around the corner of the inn.

“
Shit
.”

Hatch started after the dark figure but gave up when he realized he was running on sharp gravel. Pursuit was useless. His bare feet would be torn to shreds. His only chance of getting his hands on the jerk had been the element of surprise, which Jessie had ruined.

Hatch swore again as he limped back to examine the Mercedes. He surveyed the windows anxiously and ran a questing hand along the pristine silver-gray fender. He relaxed a little when he realized that no damage had been done.

The dealer had told him the new state-of-the-art alarm system Hatch had ordered would be available for installation at the end of the month. Hatch decided he'd call when he got back to Seattle and see if he could speed up the delivery date. No place was crime-free these days. It was a damned disgrace when a man could not even park his car out in the open on a quiet little island.

“Hatch.
Hatch
. For heaven's sake, Hatch.”

He glanced up to see Jessie leaning out the window. She was clutching his trousers. He opened his mouth to chew her out for having caused the commotion that enabled the man to get away. Then he promptly closed it again as it occurred to him that he was standing around in his briefs in a public parking lot.

“Shit.” Hatch grimly held up one hand. Jessie bundled up the trousers and pitched them down to him.

Hatch was adjusting his zipper when a light went on in the room next to the one he and Jessie were using. A plump bald man wearing a T-shirt stuck his head out and glowered down at Hatch.

“What the hell's going on down there? We're trying to sleep up here. You want to get drunk and cause trouble, go somewhere else, you bum.”

“I'll do that,” Hatch said.

He went up the porch steps, found the front-door key in the pocket of his trousers, and let himself into the darkened lobby.

Jessie was waiting anxiously inside the room. She had put on her robe but her hair was still pleasantly tousled from sleep. Her obvious concern for him was gratifying. Almost gratifying enough to make him forget that she had been the reason the would-be vandal had gotten away.

“Are you all right?” She fussed around him as he lowered himself into the chair.

“Hell, yes.”

She frowned as she sank down onto the bed across from him. “Is something wrong?”

“Dammit, Jessie, I nearly had him. If you hadn't started yelling about calling the cops, I would have had him.”

“Hatch, it's only a car.”

“Only a car?
Only a car
? Do you know what that model costs? Do you know how long I waited for it to be delivered? Maybe you come from the kind of background where beautiful things like that get taken for granted, but I don't.”

“Hatch, calm down. Believe me, I appreciate the value of your car. But I value you more than I do your Mercedes. Be reasonable. In this day and age you can't just go around confronting criminals. It's very dangerous. He might have had a gun.” She paused. “Or a knife. Like last time.”

Hatch went very still. “What are you talking about?”

She hesitated. “I'm not sure if I should say this or not because it will only upset, you're liable to start lecturing me again and I don't want you ruining everything, if you see what I mean.”

Hatch came up out of the chair, took one step over to the bed, reached down, and hauled her to her feet. “What the hell are you talking about?”

She touched the tip of her tongue to the corner of her mouth. “Well…”

“Dammit, Jessie.”

“Okay, okay, I'll tell you, but you mustn't get too concerned, because I'm probably wrong.”

“Wrong about what?” He tightened his grip on her shoulders.

“About the fact that the guy you just chased off in the parking lot reminded me a bit of the one who broke into Mrs. V's offices and tried to steal Alex's computer equipment.”

Hatch felt himself go cold. “Christ. Are you sure?”

She shook her head quickly. “No, how could I be certain? The man was wearing a stocking mask each time, remember? But there was something about his build. Slight. Wiry. I don't know, Hatch. It was just a feeling. Sort of like the one that made me get out of bed and look out the window in the first place.”

“That settles it.” Hatch released her and went across the room to check the lock on the door.

“Settles what?”

“You're through playing big-time psychic investigator. This case of yours is developing too many angles and I don't like any of them. I'm declaring it closed, as of now.”

Her mouth dropped open in shock. And then outrage kindled in her eyes. “You can't do that. This is my case. I've got a client. And I've got all sorts of new leads to follow. I'm not about to stop my investigation on your orders.”

“Look, Jessie, this is no longer a game, understand? I was willing to indulge you for a while because it all seemed relatively safe.”

“Indulge me? Is that how you saw it?” She stared at him in gathering fury. “Thanks a lot, Sam Hatchard. I had a hunch that was your attitude but I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt after you found that computer-printout page for me. You had me almost convinced you were taking my new job seriously, that you were actually interested in my project.”

“I am taking it seriously. That's why I'm calling a halt to it.”

“You can't stop me from continuing this investigation.”

He exhaled heavily and absently rubbed the back of his neck while he tried to think of a better way to deal with her anger. “Be reasonable, Jessie. You know for certain now that you're not dealing with a fake psychic. Edwin Bright is most likely running some kind of scam, from the looks of things. But he's not seducing his followers by pretending he has psychic abilities. Report that to Mrs. Attwood and you'll have done your job. She needs a real private investigator if she wants to carry this any further.”