by Joyce
"That wasn't so bad."
She looked at his arm, draped almost impersonally around her. His hand was warm and solid against her skin. He was surprised when she touched him. He noticed her reluctance. Recalled her words from the hospital.
His scent was like what she knew of him, masculine and arresting. It teased her senses. Heightened her awareness of him. Her thoughts scattered. A rush of heat bloomed from the center of her body. He tugged her shirt from her shoulders. She was naked. Her hair spilled down her neck. She raised her arms to hold him. Her breasts brushed against his chest and she sighed.
Rae sat down and put a hand to her head. What was she seeing? It seemed to be her but it was an impression from him. She didn't see the future. Her sight didn't work that way. She and Steve barely knew each other. Yet it was so real.
"Are you okay?” They were belted into their seats for the descent.
"I'm fine,” she mumbled. “I just need to get off the plane."
"Is there a Mr. Rae Harris?"
He's trying to distract you. “Shouldn't you know that? Being the computer whiz and all?"
"I didn't think to look."
"That's a surprise. Since I'm old fashioned, I'm surprised you didn't think I needed a man to take care of me."
"I guess I took you at face value. You live with your grandmother so I thought you weren't with anyone."
She softened her tone. It wasn't his fault that she was having these impressions from him. He was already suffering. “You were right. There isn't a Mr. Rae Harris."
"Ex-Mr. Harris?"
She shook her head.
"Fiancé? Boyfriend?"
"Are you afraid someone might come after me?"
"Why not?” He considered her thoughtfully. “You're a beautiful woman. Aren't you interested?"
"I don't know. Maybe I'm hard to live with, too."
"So there has been someone."
"Not for a long time,” she replied evenly. “And never again."
The pilot announced that they were approaching the airport and would be landing in ten minutes.
Steve moved closer to her. “Would you like to hold my hand again?"
"I'm fine.” The plane hit another air pocket on the approach to the field.
"You're an enigma, you know."
"I've been called a lot of things—"
"But none of them a more sincere compliment. I like mysteries. Especially unraveling them."
"Let's not go there, Steve. I don't think you want me to unravel while I'm trying to find Bryce."
"You're right. But there's something about you, Rae. I felt it the first time I saw you."
She thought about the zap she felt at the shop that night when he touched her. The other erotic visions since then crowded her brain. Was she picking up on his thoughts about her? “I think this should be a working relationship. I'm not here to sleep with you."
"I didn't think you were,” he retorted.
The descent was simple, barely noticeable. Rae was surprised when the pilot told them they were safely on the ground.
"That's about it,” Steve said finally.
She realized that she had her eyes tightly closed and opened them. She expected to feel embarrassed but she felt at ease with him. Odd, since there didn't seem to be anything about this man that was easy. She rarely felt comfortable with anyone.
He smiled slowly, sensuously. “It's hard for me to believe that you were an FBI agent."
"Is there a type?"
"I expected you to be different."
"You mean because I've killed people?"
"Yes. I don't know. You seem hard. But there's no protective shell.” He nodded perceptively. “That's why you couldn't keep it up, wasn't it? Because you lived through all of them? You made them all personal, didn't you?"
Rae drew back. She could feel him fingering through her thoughts and feelings. She wasn't sure if he realized what he was doing. It made her wary. “We're wasting time. We don't have that luxury."
She grabbed her bag and walked off the plane, thanking the crew who got her there safely. She didn't know what she was thinking or not thinking feeling comfortable with Steve. He was a shark. He played hardball. He had a family member who was in trouble and he needed her help. That was it.
He was charismatic. His attitude was sympathetic and watchful. She felt him trying to learn about her. He liked to dissect people. She knew the type. Once he understood her, he could manage her.
Rae didn't want to be managed and wouldn't be handled. She was there to do a job. She might have to remind herself of that fact a few thousand times. Because she found him attractive. She liked the way his eyes played over her. The feeling that he wanted to get inside of her was exciting.
But she wasn't looking for that. After John, she didn't think she could ever feel that way about another man. God, she didn't ever want to feel that way about another man. Yet those flashes of intimacy between her and Steve couldn't be ignored. It never happened to her before. Not even with John. Maybe it was a warning.
Steve was right behind her after thanking the crew and giving them instructions for the next day. Another car whisked them from the airport though the busy streets of Atlanta. Traffic was heavy since it was close to midday.
Rae glanced at Steve. He was quiet and withdrawn on the other side of the limousine. He was looking out the window at the streets and the buildings that he saw everyday. Was he seeing Bryce? Was he wondering where she was and when he'd find her?
"Tell me about Bryce.” Her voice was soft, shadowed, inviting confidences from him. It was a kind of probing she learned interrogating suspects and witnesses. Tell me about Bryce.
Steve didn't resist. “David was the real genius. He was the one who parlayed our ideas into something that could make money. But he changed after he married Sharin. Then Bryce was born. He didn't want to spend as much time as it took to keep Solutions going. He wanted to be home with Bryce. He loved her so much."
Rae stared out the window and let him talk. Her mind wandered as she listened. She could see pictures from his words and his voice. There was that strange nuance again when he spoke about his brother. David. His one real contact with the girl was his brother. He was relating to her through him. He was trying to make up for something that happened between them.
"Bryce is like her father. She looks like him and acts like him.” Steve laughed hoarsely. “Sometimes, she'll say something and I'll look up at her expecting to see David standing there. It's eerie."
"How old is Bryce?"
"Five. She was devastated when David died. She loved him as much as he loved her. I couldn't save him. But I'm sure as hell not going to lose her too!"
The buzz from the telephone jolted him into awareness. He clicked on the overhead light and answered. He stared at her like he couldn't believe he told her those things. “It's my chief of security. Do you still want to go to the office?"
Rae's mind was full of images and ghosts from his words. “Yes."
"I don't know what else you can find there. The security team went over the office thoroughly."
"I need to start there. That's the beginning for everything, at least as far as we know right now."
"All right.” He returned to the phone to tell his security chief. “We'll go to the office."
She waited for him to put down the phone. “I know this gift I have is hard for you to understand."
"I can handle it. I knew your ability was psychometric. That's why I came for you."
Rae held on to the half trance quality she created in her mind to question him. “How? How did you know? The FBI doesn't have that information."
"I'm not sure,” Steve admitted. “It came to me when I was looking through your files. I just knew."
"Do you know things like that all the time? Or am I a special case?” She knew she was probing more deeply and openly than she normally did but the answer was important to her.
"I don't know."
Rae could feel
him fighting her. “And you came after me based on that?"
"I feel things sometimes during business deals. Sometimes, I know things about people before they tell me. It's instinct. The FBI didn't mention your other talents in your service record. I put it together for myself."
She pushed the hair back from her face and readjusted the pencil in her hair. She mentally put some distance between them. “My first partner knew. He was psychic. His Irish grandfather raised him. He believed in all kinds of spirits and omens. He carried charms with him."
"What happened to him?"
"He was killed on the job."
"That was John Matthews?"
She looked away from him. She could feel a small flare from him probing her mind. “You did read the file, didn't you?"
"I have a friend who helped me or it wouldn't have been available."
"Hackers."
Steve shrugged. “The government needs to hire some for themselves."
"I suppose so."
"So, how does it work? What happens to you?"
"I have feelings about some people and objects,” she answered him slowly. “Not all people, thank God. I used it with my FBI training and psychology to find the bad guys. Nothing complicated or ritualistic. It's part of me. It seems to run in my family. My mother and grandmother had the sight. They never thought anything of it. It was as natural to them as breathing."
"But not for you?"
"I guess I was a problem child. It never felt that natural to me. Especially since everyone else around me was different. It made it easy to hang around with the root women but not with the other kids at the mall."
"Root women?"
Rae couldn't believe she already explained that much to him. The man was like a brain magnet, sucking information from her. She struggled for control. “It's an island term."
"A term for your mother and grandmother that you didn't want to be yours?"
"Root women are what they call the women who collect herbs and do healing on the island. Some of them are a little psychic, like my mother and grandmother. They use herbs and plants to heal.” She was amazed at his perception. His psi was more powerful than she first realized. She closed herself to it and refused to answer the more personal question.
Steve relented in his examination of her. “That sounds like something from the past century."
"Not like your world full of computers and takeovers?"
"Not like any world I know of.” He shifted in his seat. “You make computers sound like science fiction. I know you used them when you worked for the FBI."
"I did. I wasn't very good with them. But for some people, they're still science fiction. I can only name you a handful of people on the island that have them."
"Not the root women?"
Rae laughed softly. “Definitely not the root women."
"Your grandmother could use a computer to pass on her knowledge to another generation."
"She passes on her knowledge in the old way: word of mouth. You'd be surprised how many people come down for her lectures and herb walks."
"Yet all of that could've been lost today."
It wasn't something she wanted to admit but it was true.
"I'm sorry.” He slid his hand across hers. “I'm sure she'll be fine."
Rae struggled with the sensation his touch aroused in her. She panicked and fought for control. He was definitely the catalyst. It was like suddenly being thrown into another world. A sensual bubble that enclosed the two of them in some other place. Her skin felt like it was on fire. The images of them, hot, passionate, melted her focus. She was there. In his arms. Wanting him, needing him. He kissed her throat. His lips slowly captured her taut breast. His tongue teased the hard nipple. She cried out and clung to him.
She needed a handbrake to stop the connection between them. Or a cold shower. She moved away from him and huddled in the corner of the seat. “I'm sure she will be, too. With your money."
"I'm glad I could help."
She was still fighting the emotional turmoil. She needed more distance. Her voice was acidic. “You do that so smoothly."
"What's that?"
"Act like you give a damn."
"What makes you think I don't care?” Steve leaned close to her again. “I'm rich, so I'm cold?"
There was a full emotional blast from him as he drew nearer to her. She tried to shake it off. “Why would you? Besides the fact that you can use what's happened to manipulate me."
"Maybe I'm just a nice guy."
"I don't think so."
"Is that an impression you get from me? Or a personal feeling?"
Rae pressed her face against the cold window. Anything to clear her thoughts. Focus. For God's sake, focus! “I don't feel anything about you personally. This is a job. I came to find Bryce."
"That's right,” Steve concluded. “But you still feel things for the people you help, don't you? You still got so involved that you started drinking and tried to get yourself killed."
"What are you talking about? You don't know—"
He moved closer and whispered, “You're right. I don't know. But maybe I can feel things about you, too."
"Do you know what you're doing?” She searched his eyes for any clue of what he was thinking. “Do you have any idea—?"
"None at all. Maybe you can show me."
He kissed her. His lips were warm and gentle, tasting her, inviting her to taste him. She shivered and his arms went around her. Heat rose like lightning through her, stabbing painfully at her awareness. You want him inside of you. Hot and hard. You want him right here. You want him...
She pushed him away. “Try that again and I'm gone."
Steve backed off. “I apologize. It just ... happened."
"Don't bother. And don't let it happen again."
"I won't deny that I'm attracted to you. And I can feel that you're attracted to me too."
Words choked on her lips. An intense awareness flowed from him. Maybe he realized his own gift. Maybe he didn't. She knew he was keeping things from her. She couldn't trust him. Even worse, she couldn't trust herself. Whatever it was that was bringing them together was powerful. It was all she could do to resist touching him again. Her hand itched to move down his arm or touch his face.
"I'm attracted to you, too, Steve. Like I'm attracted to bar fights. I'm here for one thing only: to find Bryce and collect my money. Don't try to turn it into anything else."
"We're here.” The speakerphone broke into their discussion. “Are you going up?"
"Yes,” Steve told the driver with a trace of annoyance in his voice. “Let us out near the door. We'll go up from there. We shouldn't be long."
"Okay. Do you want me to call security?"
"I've already done it. Thanks."
Rae shuddered. She could still taste the liquor on her tongue that he had on the plane. It was strong and smoky flavored. Jack Daniels. Her favorite bedtime snack. Just like in the vision she had of the two of them together. She ran her tongue across her lips. The man was enough to tempt a saint, if she was one. Unfortunately, she was only a small, flawed human. She was going to have to watch her step.
When the car stopped, Steve climbed out and held the door for her to follow him. He pressed a code into the elevator keypad. “What I said back there, about being attracted to you—"
Dark eyes warred with light as they waited for the elevator. Don't say it!
"I meant it. It wasn't just something to say.” The elevator door slid open. “I think there's something connecting us besides this thing with Bryce. I feel something about you. I can't explain it. God knows it's not the time or the place."
They stepped into the elevator. She stared at the ornate ceiling. She wished the top floor would come faster. She might be able to explain what he felt. But she didn't want to get into it. She didn't want to give him that power over her. Right now, he was probing blindly, not focusing. If he realized—"I appreciate that. But what I said still stands. If it happens agai
n, I'll leave."
There was a long silence between them. Rae was prepared for him to try anything. She observed him discreetly, muscles ready for him to pounce. He didn't move.
Instead, he leaned negligently against the side of the elevator. “I don't believe you."
"Don't try it to find out."
Steve shrugged. “I won't. But I think I know you already, Rae. Since you agreed to this case, you won't let it go that easily. You've made it part of you already."
"That doesn't mean I won't walk out."
He held up his hands. “I'll keep them in plain sight."
Rae didn't answer. She wished his hands were the only things she was worried about when she was near him. The door chimed and opened for them silently. She breathed a small prayer.
"So.” She brought her control back together with a shaky hand, beginning to quiet the tension between them. “You came up this elevator that day with Bryce."
"That's right. She comes to work with me almost every day. We came up together from the parking lot."
Rae closed her eyes and let her mind reach out to him. “What were you talking about?"
"She was singing a new song she learned for me.” Steve closed his eyes. His voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes?"
"She held my hand. We were talking about her birthday."
She nodded, forcing the story from him with her thoughts. “Yes?"
"The elevator doors opened and the two of us got out.” The elevator doors opened. The connection between them was broken. Steve shook himself, like a man awakening from a dream. He stared at Rae with something like fear in his keen blue eyes.
"Mr. Williams.” The chief of security, a burly man in a gray uniform, met them at the entrance to the floor. “I've been waiting for you, sir."
"Any word?” Steve asked him hopefully.
"None, sir. I'm sorry."
"This is Duke Barneby, my head of security. Duke, this is Rae Harris. She came up with me from South Carolina."
"Ms. Harris."
"Mr. Barneby."
"I'm going to show Ms. Harris around the office,” Steve told him. “Then we'll talk."
"Yes, sir."
A brown haired woman with large glasses was standing beside a copying machine. She cleared her throat and glanced intently at Steve.
