by Laina Kenney
Was it a camera that the man had thrown? He must have taken their picture. Was Egan famous? Bliss certainly wasn’t famous. There was no reason for anyone to take pictures of her.
She repeated that thought in her head, but a part of her wasn’t convinced. It had been years since she had felt the heart-pounding fright of that night when her father had been murdered, but it came back with brutal clarity.
Bliss looked down at her clenched hands. The knuckles were white and she was trembling.
Why did she feel like she couldn’t breathe?
Egan was at her side again, and his strong arms came around her and pulled her close to his body.
“I have reported the man and his plates to the police,” he said.
For what, Bliss wanted to ask, but her mouth was so dry she didn’t think she could speak. And it would have been a kind of lie. She knew what he had reported. She could see from the sympathy on his face that he must know something of her history.
It came to her then why he seemed so familiar.
“Do you know Ives Toussand?” she asked with dawning suspicion.
“Yes, we work together. In the past year, I would say we have become friends.”
A part of her relaxed but another more prominent part rose to anger.
“Were you the guard who stayed outside our house at night while Maressa and Ives were searching for the guy who threatened her?” She saw his face change and punched his chest. “Answer me, don’t hesitate while you decide whether to admit it or not.”
Egan captured her flailing fist before she could hit him again and kissed it.
Egan tilted his head and studied her. It put her in mind of a great predator studying its prey and a shiver chased up her spine.
“Are you supposed to know about the guard on your house?” he asked, and something in his tone warned her that he was listening carefully.
Bliss stilled.
“Probably not, but I do.” Her shiver made the words seem less defiant. “Don’t try to tell me there wasn’t one, I know there was.”
“It was my brother Balke, my twin. He was there only for your safety.”
“I know that. I still don’t like it.”
Egan shrugged and she felt her temper spike, fear and anger combining.
“It doesn’t matter to you if I like it or not, does it?”
Egan watched her. “Ultimately, no. Your safety comes first.”
“Who are you to decide that? Is this a testosterone thing? You think just because you’re a man that you can make decisions for me?”
“When it comes to a matter of safety, yes. As long as you are alive to yell at me, I will happily stand and take your anger. Testosterone may play a part, I cannot say.”
“We only met yesterday.” She meant it as an accusation, but it came out more like a verbal caress. Damn.
“Yes. But the timing is not the biggest issue, is it?” His voice was warm and her heart turned over. “There is a connection between us that defies time and logic.”
Bliss tossed her hair back. She was so drawn to him, in ways she couldn’t begin to figure out. And if she didn’t understand it, she certainly wouldn’t be able to explain it. Maybe he couldn’t either.
“I care for you already,” he said.
Her eyes flew to his face and her heart thumped.
“My brother, Balke, stood watch over you. My twin stood guard for Ives when Ives was hunting. And though I wish profoundly that I had been called for that job, it would be difficult to find a more skilled warrior than Balke. You are safe and I am grateful.”
“Why not you?” Another thought occurred on the heels of the first. “Is this guy who took our picture connected with that whole nasty business?”
“I think not, no. That is long over.”
Bliss didn’t want to ask the question that blasted through her mind like a cannon shot.
“Is this about my father’s murder? We’ve been so careful, always, not to have our pictures taken. Maressa was afraid that there would be some way for the murderer to find us. Even getting her driver’s license made her panic.”
Egan paused and her heart stopped then began to beat frantically.
“I do not know for certain. I only know that he should not have been here, should not have been following you, taking your picture and frightening you. Even if his motive was purely financial, there must be someone who has offered to pay for this photograph, for proof. It is a suspicion that makes me uneasy.”
Bliss laughed harshly and blinked away tears.
“Uneasy,” she repeated. She wrapped her arms around her middle and turned away to hide her expression from him.
She felt such terror, and her heart was pounding until that sound was the only thing she could hear. She wanted to run home and find Maressa and hide. She wanted to run as far and as fast as she could with her sister. They could start over again.
“There will be no more running,” Egan said in a firm tone, and his powerful arms pulled her against his chest, back to front. “Ives is your family, now, and will protect you.”
She hadn’t even realized that she was speaking aloud until he answered her.
“I want to run.”
She pulled away and began to pace.
“Stop. Stop and think. If you run from where you are safe, you will give him the advantage. It will be much more likely that, if he is indeed searching for you, your flight will give you away. So the hunter flushes his prey from cover, and in its panic, the prey makes a fatal mistake.”
Bliss froze, and her eyes flew to his face.
“Thanks. I didn’t really want to think of myself as prey.”
“Then do not run. Do not do what is most expected.”
“We had to run to live!”
Egan grabbed her by the upper arms and pulled her up to her tiptoes so they were face to face.
“When you were young and unprotected, yes. Your sister was right to take you and run. It was the only sure way to live. You were right in the fear that you were feeling. You listened to that instinct and it kept you alive. Now, you are in a different position in your life. You have people who care, who will help you through this.”
He lowered her to the ground and released her. She hugged herself tightly and rubbed her upper arms.
“I can’t put my family and friends in danger.”
Egan’s white teeth came together with a snap.
“Your new friends are more dangerous than you know.”
“You mean Ives.” She swallowed. “And you?”
Egan met her eyes. He didn’t shrink from her honest query, or prevaricate. She had to respect that. And he didn’t look like there was much in the world that could make him feel fear. Not only was he tall, but he had the kind of roped muscles that didn’t come from any gymnasium. The man was seriously built.
“Yes, I mean me.”
“You could go now, not get involved. You could walk away and be safe.”
He folded strong arms over his chest and the cool wind ruffled his hair. His face was set, determined.
“No, I couldn’t. Even if there was no connection between us, no feelings, no heat, I could not walk away and leave you to face something like this alone. I am a protector by nature, not only by profession. And there is a connection between us. It is an undeniable truth in my soul.”
When she didn’t respond, he stepped closer. “Is it too soon to speak of this?” His tone was quiet, intense. “Do you feel what I am feeling, too? Please tell me I am not alone in this new world.”
Bliss didn’t have words to describe the things she was feeling.
But looking into his gleaming eyes, she couldn’t bear to have him think that it was all on one side. To show him he wasn’t alone, for good or ill, she stepped into him and slid her arms around his waist. Her head rested perfectly on the steady beat of his heart.
She sighed and her breath warmed her cheek in the cocoon of his shirt and her hair.
He rubbed up and down her
back with one big hand. It was more soothing than she had imagined and some of the residual panic drained away.
“It is too soon,” she said, “but at the same time I’ve been waiting to meet you all my life. I recognized the feeling of your arms around me, even yesterday when I knocked you over. And I’ve never seen you before in my life, but your eyes are so familiar to me, it’s like I dreamed you up out of my wildest fantasy. It doesn’t make sense.”
Egan pressed his lips to her temple and rocked her in his arms.
“It makes perfect sense to me,” he said. “We are meant to be together. With all the gifts of my heritage, I cannot explain this reward, any more than you can. But I feel you in my heart already. It is true and right.”
She thought of the photographer who had just snapped her picture and her arms tightened around Egan. The autumn wind had nothing to do with the shudder that moved through her then.
“I’ll bring you nothing but trouble.”
Egan chuckled and the sound warmed her.
“I think I will like your kind of trouble.”
“I could be a danger to you.” She said it seriously. In her mind, it was his last chance to escape. She couldn’t keep holding herself away from him forever.
“Bring it on, baby.”
She was startled into laughter. Slang in his slightly dark accent was too cute.
He cuddled her closer.
“You are more beautiful than any dream I could have dreamed for myself. You heat my blood until every heartbeat burns me. If you only knew what I dreamed last night with you, you would blush from the top of your head to the tips of your pretty toes.”
Bliss could feel her cheeks heating already, just from that accent and the husky tone of his voice.
She pulled back reluctantly.
“I need to get back,” she said. “Aunt Belle will wait breakfast for me.”
Egan let his hands fall and she caught one in hers.
“Come with me for breakfast.” She felt so breathless she almost couldn’t get the words out. “Meet my Aunt Belle.”
Now she would find out for sure if he was in it for the long haul, or just interested in what he could get. Now, if he wasn’t serious, he would back off, make some excuse not to meet the family so soon. And then she would know.
But the pleasure that lit his eyes was clear and honest.
“I would be honored to meet her,” he said simply, and Bliss could tell that he meant it.
Chapter 7
Leaving her classroom after the last lab that contributed to her midterm mark, Bliss felt a blessed sense of freedom. Most of the classmates were still talking through the experiment, but she had been expecting exactly that effect, and she knew her results were accurate.
She had written it up in simple terms and handed it in, and she was on her own time for four days before her next E.R. shift. She might open a book once or twice, but she wasn’t planning any study time. These four days were hers to do with as she pleased.
And what she pleased was to spend her time with Egan. She was wearing a nice blouse and a flirty skirt under her lab coat, and when she removed the coat, her friend Emma gave her the thumbs up from down the hall.
Bliss waved back and struck a pose to make her friend laugh, but her thoughts were on Egan, as they had been all week.
She wanted him. Her body flushed with warmth every time she thought of his grin or the feel of his hard body cushioning her fall the day of their first meeting.
And at the very moment the heated thought crossed her mind, the object of her favorite X-rated daydream walked down the hall toward her. He was tall and built, and his snug jeans and black leather jacket made him look a little bit bad. His long strides closed the distance quickly.
Bliss felt her breathing hitch. Long, lean, and muscular, he really was the best-looking man she had ever seen. Of course, she spent half her time with people who were ill, but even among her health-obsessed peers, there was no one to compare. If she ever saw him naked, she would probably just stand and drool.
And she was planning ways to see him naked as soon as humanly possible.
She shook her head and tried to get her thoughts back in some kind of order, but it was a losing battle.
He was just walking toward her, nothing exceptional at all, but the play of muscles and the half smile on his face made her want to grab him and never let go. She wanted to kiss that generous mouth while it was smiling. She wanted to knock him down again on purpose and just keep him there while she sampled everything he had to offer.
She wanted to pull up his T-shirt and run her curious tongue over those washboard abs. She wouldn’t dare such a thing with a guy her own age, since she didn’t trust their control to begin with, but she definitely wanted to test Egan’s limits.
She wanted to tempt him until that cool control vanished in a burst of heat and power that would burn them both to ashes.
She wasn’t sure exactly what they had together, but she was more than sure that she would never have it again with anyone else. He could make her overheat without even trying, and he tasted better than any man had a right to.
Conversations stopped up and down the hall as the other students spotted him and goggled. They craned their necks trying to see who that lazy stalk was for.
Just as he reached her he pulled a single scarlet rose out of his jacket and presented it to her. While her hands cradled the blossom, he took advantage of her preoccupation and swooped in for a slow, thorough kiss that blazed through her system like a shooting star.
When he finally lifted his head, Bliss was draped over his arm, breathless and almost mindless. She still held the rose.
Bliss retained enough of her sanity to realize they were in public, but not much more than that. Not enough to be embarrassed when there was a collective sigh and several of the girls fanned their red faces.
A slow swell of female applause made the lockers ring in the narrow hallway.
Egan saluted all the young women watching with that wicked grin that always made her heart thud, but his eyes came straight back to hers.
“I missed you,” Egan murmured. “The past twenty-four hours have felt like an eternity. You will never know what it cost me to stay away from you that long to give you the time to prepare for your test.”
Bliss noticed the frowns on the faces of the few guys present, but could barely manage a sigh. From what she had seen, they should be taking notes.
She smiled up at him, happy just to rest in his arms and admire the excellent view.
“Are you ready for our first real date?”
The avid faces surrounding them didn’t bother Bliss one bit.
“If only you knew,” she said softly, and his eyes sharpened.
She licked her lips and he took her up on the invitation, leaning in and capturing her mouth for another deep blazing kiss that kept her warm all the way to the restaurant.
Chapter 8
Sidarova was the picture of understated elegance and yet Bliss felt nothing but welcome. It lived up to everything she had heard about it over the years.
After they were seated by the charming maître d’, Bliss took a quick sip of her lemon water, trembling in anticipation.
Her mouth was dry and her palms were damp. She had promised herself that she would be very adult about her decision to seduce Egan after this dinner, but she was too excited to be reasonable.
A tray of tiny pastries appeared.
“Compliments of the chef,” said the smiling waiter.
Bliss did a double take, then looked around the busy restaurant. Yes, every server was male, and they were all drop-dead gorgeous. Even the older ones had something about them, some way of walking or something she couldn’t quite define that made them just a little bit better-looking than average. They must all be related, or something.
She sighed and almost laughed at her fanciful imagination. She must be more nervous than she was letting on.
Egan offered her the platter and she c
hose a puffy golden triangle.
Bliss popped the first tiny pastry into her mouth and stopped. The flavor was incredible, rich pastry around a sweet and creamy filling with a gentle bite of heat at the end. She snatched another while she chewed and grinned at Egan.
“Wow,” she said after the second one. She licked her lips to capture every last crumb.
“Try this,” he said, passing over a pastry of a different shape.
Bliss opened her mouth for him and his eyes darkened. He slid the warm pastry into her mouth and flicked her bottom lip with his finger on the way back.
A shiver went down her spine that had nothing to do with the wonderful taste exploding in her mouth and everything to do with the man.
She struggled to swallow normally.
“These are dangerous. Theoretically, I know they must be loaded with calories and fat, but all I feel when I taste them is greedy for more. Whoever made these is a genius.”
Egan laughed and tipped his head in acknowledgment.
“I will tell him you said so. It will make his head swell even more.”
Bliss raised an eyebrow in silent question. She was far too busy sampling to waste much time talking.
Egan obliged.
“My…supervisor’s father is the Head Chef here at Sidarova, Vasily Sidarov. He is the founder of our feast, so to speak. I told him I was taking my…girl out for dinner, and he would not hear tell of us going anywhere else. He said that there wasn’t another restaurant in Boston that could compare.”
Bliss smiled around another pastry.
“He was right. At this moment, I could be persuaded to believe that no one else in the world cooks like this.”
Bliss felt certain that the meal couldn’t live up to the appetizers, but it surpassed them. The tastes and textures were perfectly balanced, from the juicy seared steak and garlic rosemary potatoes to the crispy salad and grilled red peppers with pesto. Bliss ate more in one meal than she ate most days, but it was delicious.
And when the dessert cart parked beside her, she sighed in regret and chose a decadent strawberry cheesecake dusted with icing sugar.
Under Egan’s appreciative eye, she felt flushed and restless. He watched her avidly throughout their dinner, but she suspected she was looking at him the same way, as if she wished that he was the main course.
