The Fall of Lucas Kendrick (19 page)

He could feel the restless heat of her and murmured something low in his throat, soothing, his fingers seeking the slick, hot center of her desire. Kyle moaned softly when he found it, sending shock waves all through her, and her body twisted in a sudden, helpless reaction.

She could feel his lips touching her thighs, caressing, moving ever closer to the tormenting fingers. Her legs trembled, and there was a molten heat in the pit of her belly, burning her,
bringing her so vividly alive that she ached all over. She wanted to scream, to let out some wild cry of need and pleasure and agony. And she did cry out, softly, when she felt his lips touch the ache. She cried out wordlessly, her nerves splintering, all her breath leaving her for an instant in a gasp.

She felt that wonderfully familiar feeling, as if she were stretched tightly, about to break into pieces, her heart pounding against her ribs with thuds she could feel strongly. All her consciousness seemed to focus on him, on what he was doing to her, and if she could have found words and forced them out, she would have asked him why he was doing this, why he was tormenting her this way.

But she could find no voice, no words, and the plea in her mind was a desperate, growing agony. Her head moved restlessly on the pillow, and her breathing was shallow, ragged. Primitive little sounds came from her throat, tangled and hurting. She didn’t think she could stand it; her entire body rebelled against the torture,
twisting, and her heart was choking her with its fierce pounding.

He moved finally, rising above her with a taut face and blazing eyes, every muscle rigid and quivering. Kissing her deeply, the whispered hoarse words of love into her mouth.

His own control broke into splinters, and his body joined hers in a sudden thrust. Kyle cried out, her eyes widening, conscious of nothing but the sheer pleasure of him deep within her. There was an emptiness now filled, and the ache in her was partially satisfied. She cradled his body, her limbs moving to enclose him, feeling the strength and power of him, feeling her heart and his pounding together.

Kyle could feel her body reaching, stretching mindlessly for something almost beyond reach. But it was there and she knew it, knew Luc could take her somewhere glorious. And she clung to him, murmuring a plea she didn’t hear, the emptiness in her filling … filling … bursting suddenly in a mind-splintering explosion of sensations far beyond pleasure. Her entire body
shook, heat searing her flesh and her soul, and her cry was a breathless sound of exaltation.

Lucas groaned harshly when her body contracted around him, his own body surging toward release. He buried himself in her, the white-hot strain of his need giving way suddenly in a burst of sheer ecstasy.

Lying drowsily at his side, Kyle suddenly remembered Zamara’s advice on how to hold a man. Grinning a little, she decided it couldn’t hurt to try it. Knowledge like that shouldn’t go to waste; it would be criminal. And why shouldn’t she try it? Later, maybe. When she had the strength to move.

“What are you smiling about, love?” he murmured.

“Oh, nothing.” And there was nothing
wrong
with it, after all. Seducing a much beloved and loving husband. Nothing wrong with it at all.

Lucas raised his head and studied her smile. “When did you turn into the Mona Lisa?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But she could feel the smile.

“That smile.” He showed her a look of mock uneasiness. “Now I know why that smile fascinates people. It’s three parts evil, dammit.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“I am not. You’re up to something, wife. I know you are. What are you up to?”

“Not a single thing, darling.”

But she was, of course. And late that night, after a candlelight dinner and a seductive nightie that didn’t have much chance to seduce before it wound up on the floor, she let him know just what she was up to.

“Three parts evil,” he managed in a drained, somewhat dazed voice long into the night.

“I’ll have to thank Her Highness.”

She had to explain, of course.

Later.

K
ELSEY GAVE HIS
boss a wary look as he came into the office. “You wanted to see me?”

“I have an assignment for you, my boy,” Hagen told him briskly.

Making himself comfortable in the visitor’s chair, Kelsey frowned. “I don’t know, boss. You’ve gotten too damned good at matchmaking lately for my taste. I’m nowhere near ready to get married.”

Hagen stared at him, wounded. “Do you
really believe I would deliberately lose my best agent?”

“Deliberate,” Kelsey said, “has little to do with the matter. You’ve hit more bull’s-eyes by accident than on purpose.”

“It won’t happen again,” Hagen said definitely.

“Let’s not take any chances,” Kelsey begged. “No female partner this time, all right? Don’t send me to a tropical island, or to the back of beyond, or to a secluded estate, or even to a large city. I think that covers it.”

Hagen stared at him.

“I’m not ready to get married,” Kelsey repeated firmly.

“You’ll be working with Derek this time.”

Kelsey blinked. “Derek? Your outlaw Derek? The man who never believes a single, solitary thing you tell him? The man who doesn’t use guns? That Derek?”

“That Derek.”

After a moment Kelsey said slowly, “Must be some job if you’ve roped him into it.”

“It is, indeed. And we know almost nothing about what’s going on. You two will be on your own.”

Kelsey cursed his curiosity.

But he sat forward to listen.

THE BISHOP TRILOGIES
Stealing Shadows • Hiding in the Shadows
Out of the Shadows

Touching Evil • Whisper of Evil
Sense of Evil

Hunting Fear • Chill of Fear
Sleeping with Fear

Blood Dreams • Blood Sins • Blood Ties

THE QUINN NOVELS
Once a Thief • Always a Thief

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Amanda • After Caroline
Finding Laura • Haunting Rachel

CLASSIC FANTASY AND ROMANCE
On Wings of Magic • The Wizard of Seattle
My Guardian Angel
(anthology)
Yours 2 Keep
(anthology)
Golden Threads • Something Different
Pepper’s Way • C.J.’s Fate
The Haunting of Josie • Illegal Possession
If There Be Dragons • Rebel Waltz
Larger than Life • Time After Time
In Serena’s Web • Raven on the Wing
Rafferty’s Wife • Zach’s Law
The Fall of Lucas Kendrick