Black and Blue

Calming, she realized Blue watched her with concern. She had to look away.

When was her desire for him going to fade?

They’d almost kissed. Again. She’d known it was about to happen, and she hadn’t planned to stop it. Had actually planned to encourage it.

What was wrong with her?

Maybe . . . she should just give in, she thought now. After he broke things off with Pagan. The poor dear. No matter what Blue said, Evie played a part in the demise of his relationship with the girl, and she felt terrible about it. Terrible and guilty and ashamed.

I need to ask for her forgiveness. But that wasn’t going to make a difference, was it. If anyone ever kissed Evie’s man, “anyone” would die. No questions asked. No apology accepted.

You don’t have a man all your own. You’ve never had a man all your own.

One day she would. And when that day came, she wouldn’t share.

So . . . what should she do about Blue?

First up, she had to rid her body of its craving for him. Until she did, she wouldn’t be interested in anyone else—and now that her hormones were awake, she wanted to be with someone, she realized. Wanted to have a real relationship. With a doctor at the hospital, maybe.

Second, she had to—

Go back to step one.

Oi. The only way to rid her body of its craving was to give it what it wanted. Blue. After she had been sated, she could forge ahead with new plans for her future. No harm, no foul.

“Nearing a dock,” Blue said, drawing her from her musings.

She raised the night-vision binoculars and scrutinized the area. There were no other boats stationed at the small, floating post. No bodies hiding behind the poisonous trees and plants thriving in the dry, acidic atmosphere. About fifty yards back was a seemingly dilapidated shack with no lights glowing from the inside to indicate someone lived there.

“We’re good,” she said.

Trusting her, Blue parked and tied the boat to the dock. When she tried to step up and out, he stopped her by clapping a hard hand on her upper arm. Then he applied pressure, urging her to lie down.

“Now is not the time to make out,” she said, hating how breathless she sounded. Especially since it wasn’t the first time.

He glared at her. “Sex is not always on my mind, you know.”

“You’re right, I’m—”

“At least, it didn’t used to be,” he muttered, his anger draining. “Now, stay down and you won’t be hurt.” Done with the conversation, he straightened and closed his eyes, forcibly breathing in . . . and out . . . until his usual hum of power became a screech.

She cringed against the violence of it, and her pain receptors actually vibrated. What was happening? How was he—

A glowing blue ring shot from around his waist, widening as it moved, soon sweeping across the entire expanse of land. But as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Everything stilled, quieted.

He’d once told her he had countless abilities. She hadn’t taken him literally, but she probably should have.

“What did you do?” she asked.

He smiled down at her. “If anyone was hiding nearby, they are now paralyzed, and will remain so for the next few hours.”

“What about Michael? If he’s in that house—”

“He could have been in the way of the blast, yes, and if so, he will be paralyzed. It’s a small price to pay for our protection,” he said, helping her to her feet. “He’ll understand and agree that I made the right call. Eventually.”

Okay. “I can live with that.”

His smile returned, widened . . . enchanted her. But when her gaze lowered to his mouth—that lush red mouth any woman would probably kill to have all over her—his amusement died a quick death. He angled his body toward hers until their chests were almost brushing with every breath they took . . . breath that was suddenly coming faster.

Tension sizzled between them, hot and hungry.

Not here. Not now.

But soon.

“You are a nifty little toy to carry around, you know that?” she said with only the slightest tremor.

He held on to her hand, refusing to let go. “Interesting choice of words. Toy? You thinking about playing with me, bunny boo?”

Gah! Stupid names. There was no way to answer his question—and save her pride—without lying. But she’d told him she would never lie to him, and she’d meant it. Not counting the few times she had, in fact, lied to him.

“Enough.” She jerked free and shouldered him out of the way. As she stepped onto the dock, his palms flattened on her arse and gave a little push. She fought a grin as she whirled on him. “You wanting to lose a hand, Mr. Hammer?”

“Please. Like you’re really going to do anything. We both know you like what I do with my hands.” He eased up beside her, tall and strong and everything she longed to devour.

Again she had to turn away, because again she had no response.

They stripped out of their bodysuits, then maintained the same pace as they stalked to the door of the shack. Blue kept a pyre-gun trained dead ahead. Something was odd—she didn’t feel the hum of his power, she realized.

“What happens after you expend so much energy?” she asked softly.

“I have to recharge.”

“So you are without Arcadian abilities?”

“For a few hours, yes.”

“I’ll just have to guard you, then.” She dug inside the purse draped across her middle and removed a tube of lipstick.

“And you’re going to do that by freshening up your makeup?” he asked. “Wow. I’ve never felt safer.”

She twisted the tube until it morphed into a pair of wire cutters. “How about I freshen your makeup with these, huh?”

“What else do you have in there?” he asked, trying to grab the bag.

She slapped his hand away, saying, “Pray you never find out.” An ID panel was hidden behind a piece of rotted wood. She removed the lid and scanner to fiddle with the complicated interior. “Only one person has entered in the past three days. No one for weeks before that.”

“And you know that how?”

“I read the data entries. And now I’m programming myself into the system.”

“If this is Michael’s place, shouldn’t you already be programmed in?”

“Like he’d really make it that easy.” The front door opened with a click and a whoosh.

“Easy enough,” Blue muttered.

“For me, yes. You? Not so much.”

“Are you trying to say you’re smarter than me?”

“Trying? Ha.”

“Well, I’m stronger, so suck it.” Suddenly he was all business, pushing his way inside.

Evie followed close on his heels, watching as he scanned and aimed, scanned and aimed.

“Stay here,” he commanded, disappearing around the corner.

“You might want to come back,” she called. “There are—”

“Ow!”

“—traps,” she finished with a flinch.