by Linda Cajio
“That’s right, laugh.” He patted her back. “Get it all out so I can shoot you and hang you and draw and quarter you—”
“It’d be worth it!” she gasped. “Oh, Miles.”
“Say my name like that, and I’ll follow you anywhere.”
He tilted her head back so her gaze could meet his. The amusement and camaraderie quickly changed to something else. The sharp clean scent of soap and male invaded her nostrils. Thick heat began to flow inside her, and she unwittingly stroked his warm skin. “Miles …”
Suddenly, he was more dangerous than ever. Even as she realized it, his mouth descended on hers, his tongue thrusting through her astonished gasp.
The invasion was unexpected, bringing surprise and confusion. She knew she should be fighting to get away, but her insides were melting at the taste of him on her lips. Whatever was wrong with Miles, this was right.
Common sense still valiantly rose up in her. She managed to tear her mouth from his. She was panting for breath. “Miles. We have an agreement—”
“You broke it last night.” His eyes were gleaming with satisfaction.
“I did not!” she exclaimed. “I told you I was coming back.”
“All bets are off, Catherine.” He strung kisses along her jaw, just under her ear. Sweet, light kisses that were designed to confuse her.
They were doing a good job of it, she admitted, trying to keep from pressing herself to him. “I’ll escape.”
“I’ve got my tie …” He pulled her closer, his mouth nibbling at her throat, in a way that released a flood of desire in her body.
“The shutoff valves will probably … be discovered today.” That she had given away the mission didn’t matter. She had to stop the seduction before she succumbed.
“How nice.” His lips grazed hers. Once. Twice. His breath fanned her cheek. “Ah, Catherine …”
“The agreement’s done, anyway,” she said in a last effort to control her wayward emotions. His skin was hot under her fingers, spurring an even greater heat within her. If only he hadn’t made her laugh. Anger kept the armor in place, but laughter opened the gates.
He pushed the door shut behind her. “Then let’s make a new agreement.”
His mouth settled firmly on hers, and she was undone. Her hands crept up around his shoulders, exploring the hard muscles and bone. Her tongue dueled with his. Everything about him was overwhelming her senses, and she could remember how close she had come to throwing away fiancé and marriage to be in his arms like this. An obtuse little voice told her she should have.…
His hands slid down her back, then pulled her against him. She groaned into his mouth as everything inside her went wild. He excited her in a way she hadn’t thought was possible. Miles Kitteridge was the one man who could shatter her control and throw her equilibrium right out the window. Under his suave exterior, he was the bad boy, the man all sensible women ran from, the one who kept them on a string. She felt the challenge to try to change the bad boy, to see if she was the one who could conquer him. She knew he would never love her, but to have the closeness just once, to claim him … just once …
His hands slipped under her robe, and her flimsy nightgown was no barrier. He had her wrapped so tightly against him, she couldn’t breathe and she didn’t care. His palm grazed her breast, sending electric shock waves to her every nerve ending. Then he cupped her fully, his thumb brushing back and forth across her nipple. She thought she would explode from the sensation.
“Catherine.” His voice was raspy, and it sent shivers of heat down her spine. His hands were leading her to the bed. She couldn’t have stopped herself if she’d wanted to. And she didn’t. It seemed as if she’d wanted this forever.
He stared down at her, almost willing her to stop him as he slipped the robe from her shoulders. It fell in a puddle at her feet. He reached out and traced a finger along her collarbone, down around the curve of her breast, her nipple. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she took a deep breath against the sensual waves rocking her. She opened her eyes and touched him in wonder, letting her hand wander across his chest, pausing to delight in the hard muscles and the tangle of chest hair. He sucked in his breath, then her nightgown joined her robe. His mouth covered hers in a devastating kiss.
Catherine clawed and whimpered at the raw passion that leaped between them. It was too overwhelming and too honest to deny. She fell onto the bed, pulling him on top of her, taking his weight with a deep satisfaction. The feel of flesh to flesh snatched her breath away. He fit her perfectly, and her hips made a natural cradle for his.
His kisses were everywhere, tasting, nibbling, branding. She arched herself into his mouth, the delicious feel of his tongue bringing her nipples to hard points. She ached for him, realizing now that her verbal sparring with him was only a cover for the passion he ignited in her. Her response to him shook her to the core. But there was more, so much more, that her closeness to him the last few days had brought to the surface. The barrier she had guarded so carefully and had finally let down was not a trap.
Miles knew what little control he had was slipping away as Catherine writhed beneath him. Never had he found such breathtaking passion in a woman. Her hands ignited fires inside him that flowed along his veins like heated wine. He had waited for this—waited years for the slow fire to consume him. Every move she made challenged him, enticed him. He would never possess her. She would possess him. Her hands caressed his back, sliding down his skin, then nearly driving him over the edge as they dipped under the waistband of his pajama bottoms. He reached between them, spanning his hand across her abdomen. She cried out his name and dug her fingers into his hips when his hand slipped lower to find her woman’s flesh tight and hot. His control broke with a vengeance. He kicked his pajamas off, then lifted his body over hers and united himself with her.
“Sweet Lord, Catherine.” He gasped for air. All his fantasies had never even come close to the reality of her.
“Miles, please. I want you very much.”
They moved together in the ultimate gift of man and woman. With every thrust they gave and took in a wondrous exchange. Passion was overcome by need … and more. Catherine arched herself up to him as the sweet oblivion finally overtook her, and Miles plunged after her, the culmination swift and intense, until there was nothing left in the storm but each other.
Catherine slowly rose to the light again, growing aware of Miles on her, naked and contented. No man had ever claimed her as he had. No man could break her as he could. Too late, she thought in despair as every barrier she possessed snapped back into place. Too late.
She knew she had been a fool to think she could steal this one time with him and walk away. Somehow, despite everything she knew about him, every shred of common sense she had, she had fallen in love with him.
“I do believe we’ve reached a new agreement,” he murmured, nuzzling her throat.
Disappointment shot through her. But what had she expected to hear? she asked herself. His undying love? “Miles, this was a mistake.”
He raised his head. “Catherine, I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but this isn’t one of them, trust me.”
That was the point, she thought. She couldn’t trust him with her heart.
“Now don’t get all prickly on me after I got arrested for you,” he said, kissing her under her earlobe.
She squirmed at the erotic sensation tingling her flesh.
He spread kisses down her neck. “Catherine, be soft for once … for now.”
She closed her eyes. It was a request she couldn’t deny him, for the moment. But she would have to correct things later with cold, calculating Miles, if only for her sanity’s sake.
She wondered which would break her more—being with Miles, or being without him.
The telephone blaring in his ear brought Miles out of a dead sleep.
He jumped in shock, disoriented, then scrambled up and snatched the receiver.
“Hello,” he said, realizing at the same moment that C
atherine was no longer in the bed with him.
“Miles! You’re there! I’ve called everywhere for you.”
Byrne Wagner’s voice was a bellow. Miles winced, the lack of sleep making him feel as if he had a hangover.
“I have to go, Byrne,” he said, beginning to put down the phone.
“That damn Earth Angel manually turned off the pumping system at the refinery!” Byrne screeched into the telephone. “Everyone was looking for a breakdown and the valves were shut! Meeting as soon as you can get here. This time we’re going to stop that—that—”
“Has Catherine been called?” Miles interrupted.
A long pause ensued. “Her house was called,” Byrne said finally. “She wasn’t home.”
“Are you going to track her down like you did me?”
“What the hell are all these questions for? She’ll be called.” Byrne slammed down the telephone.
Miles set his down more thoughtfully. Something would have to be done about Byrne, and quickly. He had some ideas about that, but right now he had to find his wandering angel. He scowled at the thought that she could make love with him and leave immediately after. The sun was low in the sky, indicating it was late afternoon. Who knew how long she had been gone. Byrne and his damn meeting could wait.
He threw on trousers and a shirt, and grabbed a jacket and tie as he half-ran out of the bedroom. He strode quickly down the hall, past Sheba’s room, then tracked back when something caught his eye.
Catherine had her small weekender on the bed and was calmly packing her clothes into it. Sheba was lying at the foot of the bed, her plumed tail twitching in annoyance.
Catherine glanced at him, then went back to her packing.
“Get out your power suit,” he said, choosing to ignore the bag and her retreat from his bedroom. “Byrne’s just called another emergency meeting.”
She smiled a tiny smile of amusement and set down the shirt she was holding. “For which disaster? The shutdown or the sign?”
“The shutdown. I don’t think they’ve found the sign yet.”
“They will. Earth Angel called the TV stations about an hour ago.”
“You’ve been up for a while,” he commented, walking into the room. He sat down on the bed and stroked Sheba. The cat purred, unconcerned with the awkwardness between the humans.
Catherine turned to look at him. “The agreement’s over, Miles. I’m going home.”
“I can’t allow that. You’ll be doing more Earth Angel things.”
“What will you do? Keep a chain on me?”
He grinned. “Now that has distinct possibili—”
“And after I bailed you out?” The words were light, but her tone wasn’t.
He reached for her. “Catherine …”
She backed away. “What happened was a mistake, Miles. You know it and I know it.”
“It seemed pretty perfect to me,” he said, staring at her. This wasn’t the aftermath to their lovemaking that he’d been expecting.
She shook her head. “Look, it would never work, so let’s not belabor the point.”
“There’s more to this than a difference of philosophies—”
“Miles, I’m determined to expose what’s been going on, and you’re determined to stop me—”
“Because I don’t want you hurt! And because there are other ways of doing—”
“No, there aren’t.”
“Yes, there are.”
“Miles, what are you looking for in a relationship with me?”
“I …” He hesitated, knowing she wanted answers he wasn’t ready to give. “I care. I can’t answer anything more beyond that.”
“I see.”
He felt oddly defeated. Rising to his feet, he said, “Get dressed, Catherine. We’ve got a meeting to go to.”
“I’m not staying here, Miles.”
“Get dressed,” he repeated, and stalked out of the room.
Her uncle looked more livid than ever, Catherine thought as she took a seat at the conference table as far away from Miles as she could get. It seemed like a dream that she had been in his bed that morning, making love. What was all too real was his lack of an answer to her question.
Risking a glance at him, she saw he didn’t look much better than Byrne. She had the impression the two men were angry with each other, but that notion was ludicrous.
Byrne launched into a tirade on the shutdown valves. Catherine schooled her features into a poker expression. Her aunt Sylvia was sitting next to her, and she had the strangest idea Sylvia was amused by Earth Angel’s latest antics.
“I’m ordering the guards to shoot anyone on sight!” Byrne exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table.
Catherine stiffened. Miles raised his eyebrow at her, clearly telling her he’d predicted this.
“Don’t act sillier than you already are,” Sylvia said. “We’d be up for murder charges. I suggest that we hire more security, have constant checks of the perimeter and all outbuildings, and update the system, as Father proposed. This would never have happened if we hadn’t been so cheap in the first place—”
“We don’t need all that,” Byrne said, gazing around the room, a smirk on his face. “I’ve received some information …”
Catherine suddenly had a bad feeling about that information.
“… that someone has been illegally dumping drums of waste products on a lot at this end of the city, and has put up a sign accusing us of doing it. Well, we have not been doing it, but in a magnanimous gesture I ordered a complete cleanup of the lot.”
Heads nodded sagely. Catherine barely restrained a snort of disgust.
“I have been investigating who the Earth Angel is,” Byrne continued. The smirk widened. “And finally, I have some evidence that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt who this criminal is.”
Catherine didn’t move. Her heart thumped painfully.
“Shocking evidence,” Byrne continued.
Catherine braced herself.
“The Earth Angel is …” Byrne dramatically pointed his finger at the culprit. “Miles.”
Eight
Catherine erupted into laughter.
Miles grimaced at her, fighting the urge to either strangle her or kiss her. Both appealed, as usual. But she was lessening the tension in the room. He could see the others visibly relaxing.
“I’m sorry,” Catherine gasped in between fits of giggles. “It’s just that … Miles of all people. That’s a good one, Uncle Byrne.”
“I have information!” Byrne bellowed at her.
Catherine roared.
Miles sat back in his chair and eyed Byrne for a long moment. If there was one thing he knew, it was how not to react. He also knew how to relax in the heat of a crisis. Finally, he said, “Your ‘information’ is nonsense, Byrne.”
“Right before this meeting began,” Byrne said, “a reporter got through and confronted me about a police report that you were at that lot last night. What were you doing there, Miles, if you’re not the Earth Angel?”
So much for the record being expunged, Miles thought. Clearly, the wheels of justice ground slowly. He scratched his chin and said the only thing he could think to say. “I had a tip the Earth Angel would be there, and I went to catch him.”
Byrne gaped at him. “But … but …”
“Catherine can confirm it. She was with me,” Miles added, deciding to stave off any further revelations. If Byrne had found this much out, he’d eventually uncover whose car was involved. “What I’d like to talk about are the leaking drums buried there—”
“Why didn’t you and Catherine catch the Angel?” Catherine’s father asked, obviously curious.
Miles stared at him, his mind scrambling for an answer to the unexpected question.
“You had a tip,” Gerald continued. “You were staking out the field. How could that sign go up without your seeing who did it?”
“Dad, we were …” Catherine looked at Miles in a panic.
“Busy,�
� he finished helplessly.
“Busy!” Byrne exclaimed. “Busy!”
“Busy, Byrne,” Sylvia said, grinning. “Like you’re busy with that woman up in Ardmore three nights a week—”
“Sylvia!”
But everyone was laughing and smiling knowing smiles. The implication Sylvia had made was clear to everyone. Catherine’s face was bright red. Miles had no doubt she was furious and embarrassed—especially knowing Sylvia had hit the mark. He shrugged. He wasn’t about to confess their real purpose, and he doubted Catherine would, either. She was smart enough to realize that if she did, the entire family would swing back to Byrne. Besides, her Earth Angel activities would have to come to an end. He doubted she was ready for that.
But Byrne, on the other hand, would have to be stopped.
“Well, this is wonderful,” Gerald said. “She’s finally showing some sense in her choice of men.”
The insensitive words were like a slap, and Miles gritted his teeth to hold his temper. This was her father, after all, so it wouldn’t do to punch his lights out. No wonder Catherine kept a lot of emotional doors closed. He looked directly at her and smiled to ease the hurt her father must have caused. “I’m the one who’s showing some sense. I consider myself lucky that Catherine doesn’t run for the hills.”
She frowned, as if puzzled by his words. The funny thing was, he meant them. He reminded himself of the packed bag at his house. He couldn’t let her go, not after the way they’d made love, not after the way she’d possessed him. He could still feel her … feel the way they had moved together … feel the shudder of spent passion rush through him fast and furious.
“People,” Catherine said, “you all are acting as if this is something permanent. Miles and I just had a … date to catch the Angel. I got the tip too.”
“You two are perfectly matched,” Sylvia said, disregarding her niece’s words. “I’ve always thought so.”
“Can we stop playing Hello, Dolly and get back to the meeting at hand?” Byrne asked in a loud voice. “I would like to know why Miles and Catherine did not see fit to tell anyone—like our security people or the police—about this tip.”
“Welll …” Miles felt like he was doing a Ronald Reagan imitation.
