Barely able to keep his eyes open, Christian rested his mind, counting what few blessings they had. For now, Raven's partner and friend was alive but in critical condition. Every precious minute of life was a positive sign, but no guarantee he'd pull through. The man's wife sat with him in ICU, and Christian had arranged for the Dunhill jet to pick up Tony's parents from San Antonio. They'd be landing soon. And with their arrival, time would rush forward, drawing them into its undercurrent. Finally taking Raven's lead, he let his thoughts drift, relaxing their grip on him. As he did, the room dissolved to inky black when he shut his eyes, listening to the measured rhythm of Raven's breaths.
Only a minute lapsed before the hospital intercom system jolted him awake, a muffled voice through the waiting room doors. Opening his eyes, he found Raven staring back. Her puzzled look softened to a warm welcome.
'You didn't have to wait, Christian.' Under protest from the crinkling sofa, she sat upright, stretching her arms and straightening her mussed hair with a quick finger comb. 'But I'm glad you did. Good morning.'
Her voice was husky with sleep. The sound of it stirred him.
'Good morning. Can I get you some coffee?' he offered. His voice barely above a whisper, he sat forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees. 'And you should eat something before things get too hectic.'
'When are Tony's parents getting here?' She looked at her watch.
'They should be touching down any minute. The hangar will call when they've landed.'
'Not sure I ever thanked you enough for that. His parents don't fly much. They would've gotten lost at a big airport like Midway or O'Hare on a normal day.' She smiled, the emotion only fleeting. Her face darkened with the reminder of why they were sitting outside the ICU. 'But today is anything but normal.'
'Before they get here, we should talk.'
He knew he had no right to express an opinion about police matters, but during the last few hours, he'd been plagued with worry for Raven's safety. She narrowed her eyes at him, opening her mouth to speak, but he interjected, 'I overheard your conversation about Tony's assailants being mercenaries.'
'This is police business, Christian. We're not sure if it's connected—'
Before she finished her thought, he called her on it. 'Bullshit! It's connected, all right. The break-in at your place, Tony's attack, and maybe even something tied to your father. It's not just about my past. Whoever killed Mickey is gunning for you now. And if mercenaries are involved, you'd need a small army to defend yourself.'
'When Chief Markham was here earlier, he authorized twenty-four-hour police protection for Tony and me. I'll be okay. All this comes with the territory of being a cop, Christian.'
He stood abruptly, pacing the floor and pointing in her direction.
'Bullshit on that, too, Raven. According to the motto, your job is to protect and serve, not make yourself a target for some lunatic killer. I'll only buy that argument if they start issuing uniforms with bright red-and-white targets across the chest.'
Hearing how he must sound, he wanted to stop from making an ass of himself. But it was too late. He'd gone way past that now. His voice raised, he continued his tirade.
'And for every cop pulled off duty to protect you, Tony, and his family, that's one less cop to find this SOB.'
Rising from the sofa, she tossed aside his jacket and confronted him. With her brow furrowed, she stood her ground, hands on her hips. He knew the woman would not make this easy.
'And what do you propose I do about that? Believe me, I hate the fact that I've been assigned protection. I refused it, but the chief insisted, pulling rank on me.' Her eyes bore the weight of her emotion, second only to her pale skin flushed with anger. Punctuating her outburst, she crossed her arms. 'But the bastard that attacked Tony is gonna pay for what he did. I got plenty of cops willing to do whatever it takes to find this guy. There won't be a place he can hide. I'm gonna see to that.'
'Let me help you,' he insisted, aroused by her fire. The woman was fearless.
'Help me? You're not officially off the suspect list, for crying out loud. I'm not sure I can trust you. Are you forgetting about your own secret agenda?' With her chin jutting forward, she amassed the attitude, standing close enough for him to smell her warm skin. 'Or must I remind you, Captain Cryptic?'
He watched her nostrils flare; her breast heaved in maddening swells. The heat from her skin seduced him. Raven orchestrated his body's reaction with the precision of a symphony conductor. Bellowing with the resonance of a bass drum, his heart pounded his rib cage, the sensation intoxicating.
For only an instant, she lowered her lids and gazed at his lips. With innocence gone, a desirable woman stood before him. Her eyes held him spellbound. She seemed to understand his intention even before he fully grasped it himself.
An impulse struck him like a blindsided sucker punch.
Without his usual deliberation, Christian merely reacted, following his instincts. Standing so close to Raven, he felt her pull like a force of gravity. His hands reached for her, taking on a life of their own. He had no will to stop. One arm found the small of her back, drawing her toward him. His right hand caressed her cheek, his fingertips stroking her velvet softness.
At first, her dark eyes brimmed with shock at his bold move. Tension made her body taut. But just as suddenly, she collapsed into his arms, reeling with his impulsive intimacy. In his embrace, her body nestled warm against him, fitting into place as if he were made to hold her. With a faint tremble to her lips, she beckoned him with her surrender, her eyes enticing him once more. And the sweet fragrance of her skin filled him with the courage to take the next step.
'I want you . . .' His voice trailed off. Overwhelmed by his urge, he gave her every opportunity to stop before it was too late.
'Entirely too much dialogue, Delacorte.' Her voice sultry, she closed the gap between them. 'Kiss me, damn it!'
Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. With a touch, the softness of her delicate skin sent shock waves firing through his body. He pressed for more. Gently parting her lips, his tongue took liberties, finding her just as eager. The sensual barrage jolted his senses, short-circuiting his brain with gratification. Skin flushed with heat, he grew rigid, his body straining against his pants. Fleeting control gave way to insatiable appetite as his hands eagerly explored soft mounds of flesh. And she responded in kind, equaling his growing desire. She tugged at his shirttail and slipped her hands next to his raging skin.
He felt such a connection to this woman. Far more powerful than his physical hunger for her, he savored the deepening bond between them. Blocking out all other sensation, he wanted to focus on every inspired nuance of her, to give her pleasure. The room faded into nothingness. The sound of her throaty sighs and the arousing scent of her skin dominated him.
Only Raven mattered. Only she touched something within him—something he thought he'd lost. Only she made him forget.
Only he would get a phone call during a time like this.
The vibration of his cell phone nudged him back to reality. He would've ignored it, but with the phone hooked to his belt, its pulsating signal reached out and touched her too. She jumped. And with that, he'd been disappointed to learn that the tingling he felt in the pit of his stomach had not been entirely prompted by the alluring woman standing before him.
'Is that your cell phone, or are you just happy to see me?' Breathlessly, she teased him, hunger and frustration still vivid in her eyes. Her breasts swelled against his chest as she clung to him, nearly driving him crazy.
'Oh, I'm definitely happy to see you.' His breathing rapid, Christian leaned his forehead against hers, his hands still cradling her body. 'And I'd like to see much more of you, believe me.'
'Forget the visual aids; I'm a tactile girl.'
'Hold that thought.' Reluctantly, he turned to one side, pulling from her embrace. Flipping the cell phone, he put the receiver to his ear. 'Yeah, Delacorte here.'
'I'd like to hold more than just a thought, Christian,' she muttered.
As he talked on the phone, she nuzzled against his back. Raven wrapped her arms across his belly and burrowed her warm hands under his shirt. His taut muscles reacted to her touch, making the phone call a
