by Lacy, Shay
“We should have come back hours ago, Camille,” Charlie murmured.
“Joe, behave yourself for a few more minutes.”
The bellhop did smile then.
They made it to the room. Charlie tipped the bellhop and Juliana managed to remind him, “Would you put on the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign please and tell the front desk to hold our calls.”
But the door had no sooner closed then Charlie gripped her to him for a fierce kiss. Full frontal press showed her he was primed and ready to go. Her body felt needy. She ached to feel his deep thrusts. It seemed a long time since they’d been joined.
Charlie maneuvered them to the bed. All the time his lips sucked at hers with hungry, urgent need. His hands delved under her blouse and closed over her aching breasts. It felt so good she cried out into his mouth. She tugged his shirt out of his pants and unsnapped his black jeans. When she lowered his zipper, he hissed. She rose on her toes as he stroked her nipples with his thumbs. Still, their lips clung together. She wanted their lower bodies mated, too.
She pushed his jeans and underwear down. As he kicked them away, she gripped his erect cock in both hands. It was hot and silky smooth. She caressed it with worshipping hands.
Charlie worked her out of her capris and panties. Together they pulled her shirt over her head and threw off his blazer and T-shirt. His gaze burned with desire.
Then he pushed her down on the bed and followed her. Juliana opened her legs to receive him, and he plunged inside.
“God,” he groaned, adjusting his body on hers and pushing harder into her. “I’ve needed this all day.”
Juliana wrapped her arms around him and pressed her hips upward. Charlie thrust hard and deep. She needed this joining, needed to finish what they’d begun earlier today. She met each thrust with her own.
“So good,” he panted.
It was rough, it was urgent. Their bodies slapped together. “Hurry, Jules. I can’t hold on.” He thrust deep.
Her orgasm washed over her and drew him in. They strained together as their bodies convulsed, clutching each other.
Then the moment ended. They collapsed, panting.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he panted.
“Let me catch my breath and you can have me again.”
Charlie lifted his head and caught her face between his hands. His blue eyes were nearly black. “I want to try to get into the house with the florist or the caterer. They both make deliveries in the morning. I don’t know when exactly. Will you go with me?”
“All right.”
He kissed her hard. “I need you.”
“You have me.”
“This might be our last night together.”
“Then we’d better make the most of it.”
“I don’t want to sleep.” He began to move inside her and he was hard and full once more.
“I don’t want to sleep either.”
Juliana clutched Charlie to her as he began to thrust slow and deep. She’d never had a connection like she had when she made love with him. And she didn’t want it to end.
CHAPTER 12
Salsa music jerked Juliana awake, but something heavy prevented her from moving. Awareness identified the weight as Charlie pinning her to the bed, his hands entwined with hers on either side of her head. He was still buried deep in her body. She must have dozed off after they’d made love that last time. The clock read nine-thirty.
“What is it?” Charlie tightened his hold on her. His voice was groggy.
“My cell phone.” It continued to play music.
“Ignore it.” He shifted on her and in her, testing the size of his erection, which was growing larger.
“It’s nine-thirty. What time are those deliveries? Hadn’t we better get up?”
“I’m up.” His erection was hard now, and he filled her.
Her cell phone quieted. “As much as I want to make love to you again, Charlie, if we can get the sculpture before the wedding, it would be better.”
“Better than making love?” He thrust deep.
“No. But safer.” It came out a squeak. “Couldn’t we make love in the shower to move things along?” Her cell phone began to play again.
“Insistent bugger,” he grumbled.
His grip on her tightened to near pain and he pressed fully inside her. Then he stilled as they both listened to the phone. His breaths were audible. His body quivered with tension. The world was intruding on their idyll, and they both knew what needed to be done.
“I don’t want to stop,” he said.
“I don’t either, but if it’s safer to go in with the florist or caterer, we have to try.”
Still, he fought his body.
“We’ll still be able to make love in the shower,” she reminded him.
Charlie withdrew slowly from her body, leaving her feeling empty inside. He helped her from the bed. Her hips ached.
As he headed for the bathroom, she grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand. “Hello?”
“Juliana, it’s Detective Montoya.”
“Hello, Detective.”
Charlie turned and gave her a sharp look.
“I was able to get a press pass for the wedding,” Montoya said. “But still no luck on getting a photo. However, after last night it’s more important than ever we get that relic off the market.”
Her breath caught. “What happened last night?”
“Didn’t you hear the news this morning?”
“No, I slept in.”
“There was a shootout at a crack house. Two cops were killed before the perps blew up the house. One more was hurt in the explosion.”
“Oh no! Any of your department?”
“No, another precinct. But we all feel it when men in blue go down. We can’t have more of that shit pouring into the city. I know you understand. Can’t you try to find the relic without a photo? Won’t you try?”
Juliana closed her eyes and sighed. “I know what the relic looks like.” She opened her eyes to see betrayal in Charlie’s.
“How?” Detective Montoya demanded.
“I’ve been helping Detective Ziffkin’s brother find a stolen object. It’s the relic.”
“My God, what luck. Then we have nothing to worry about. I’ll drop the press pass at your house . . . ”
“I may not need it. We’re going to try to recover it now.”
“The wedding’s not for hours. What are you doing?”
“I can’t tell you that. I’ll call you later.”
“Juliana, don’t do anything stupid.”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Juliana hung up and turned to face Charlie. He was so sexy that she ached for him. But his expression was closed. “Two police officers were killed last night and another wounded. The narcotics officers need to make sure the statue doesn’t get auctioned. Enough cops are killed every year fighting against drugs. We don’t need more of them to die.”
“So I became expendable.” He said it in a flat tone.
“I didn’t betray you.”
“It sure sounded like it.”
“All I said was the relic was the same thing you were looking for.”
“And I told you they have no right to it. It belongs to my client. They can’t just take it because they think it’s the right thing to do.” He stood with his fists clenched, the muscles in his bare body tensed. “I need a shower. We’d better get started if we’re going to meet the florist or caterer’s delivery.” He turned and headed for the bathroom.
“Charlie.”
He halted, his back stiff. She couldn’t help noticing his firm, round, grabbable butt. Their bodies and hearts had been in harmony for hours as they made love. Now there was discord, and she hated it.
She moved closer and touched his back. He stiffened. “Charlie. I don’t want to hurt you.”
He remained silent for a moment, still tense. “You shouldn’t have mentioned Rick’s name.”
It wasn’t the resp
onse she’d expected. “I thought it gave you validation.”
“He has nothing to do with this. You knew I didn’t want him involved.”
From bad to worse. What was driving him wouldn’t allow him to divert from his path. “I’m sorry.” It was all she could say.
Charlie stayed frozen for a moment. Then he gave a long sigh. “Come on. We need to shower.”
“We?” She couldn’t hide the hope in her voice.
“Yeah. I’ve got this need . . . ”
“I’m interested.”
• • •
Juliana had betrayed him. The thought kept returning to Charlie’s brain. They’d missed the caterers because they’d spent too long in the shower. He’d tried to forget her betrayal in her body, and their coupling had gotten out of control. Already a bruise in the shape of his hand had formed on her right bicep. It would be visible in the beautiful cream dress. God, this had to work so they wouldn’t have to attend the wedding. He felt the clock ticking in his brain. He had to get the sculpture now before the narcs tried to stop him from taking it to California.
He and Juliana waited in the car outside the florist, dressed in jeans and T-shirts. She had her hair in a ponytail and wore heavy mascara and eyeliner, dark eye shadow, and black lipstick. Goth didn’t begin to describe her. She looked years younger than she was. He’d let his hair air dry, so it curled riotously, and had pulled locks forward onto his forehead. He looked like he was in his twenties again.
Charlie checked to be sure his bandage was hidden under his shirt’s sleeve. He couldn’t let it show at the Montgomery mansion. The wounds throbbed from this morning’s exertions. He rubbed his chest where Juliana had bitten him. He liked wearing her marks of possession.
“There.” Juliana pointed as the florist van pulled up to the back door of the shop.
They exited Juliana’s car and approached the van. One of the employees looked up. “Mr. Montgomery said we should help,” Charlie said.
“Talk to the manager.” The dark-haired young man jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Maggie Solomon.”
Charlie and Juliana walked over to Maggie, a middle-aged blonde woman. Again, Charlie gave his cover story.
“We have enough help.” Maggie continued shoving papers onto a clipboard.
“He’s paying us, so we’re supposed to work,” Charlie said.
Maggie’s dark gaze sharpened. “He’s paying you?”
“Yeah. My dad works for him. I’m John. This is my girlfriend, Sondra. We got delayed.”
Maggie looked them over, her gaze lingering a moment on Juliana’s bruise and the love bite on her exposed midriff. “I see. Okay, you can help. We need to load all the flowers for the wedding into the vans, take them out to the estate, place the ones in the house, and store the rest in the coolers.”
“We can do that,” Juliana said.
The loading completed, Charlie and Juliana had to sit on the floor in one of the vans. Surrounded by blooms, the sweet odor was nearly overpowering. He kept his arm around her and nuzzled the side of her face. It was part of their cover, but he couldn’t stop touching her. He wanted to kiss her, but for them, kissing was a prelude to making love.
There was another reason Charlie kept physical contact with Juliana. She was like a GPS device using the sculpture photo in her jeans pocket as her destination. Her body was tight with tension, like a violin string, and when they pulled up to the Montgomery gates, she inhaled sharply.
He did kiss her then, and whispered in her ear. “Keep calm.”
She nodded and kissed him back.
Now his body hummed with tension. He couldn’t be near her without wanting to be inside her.
The van pulled close to the back door.
Maggie had to call Juliana’s fake name twice to get her attention. The florist handed her a tall vase of beautiful gladioli and gave her directions to the front foyer. She handed another wider vase to Charlie. “Living room coffee table. Through the foyer. Follow her.”
When they entered the house, Juliana whispered. “It’s here.”
“Where?” In his excitement, he had trouble keeping his voice down.
“Wait.” Juliana closed her eyes to slits.
Charlie nudged her down the hallway. He didn’t want to attract attention to them.
The hallway widened onto a beautiful two-story marble foyer. A wide, curved staircase led to the upper floors.
Juliana pulled up short near the stairs, her eyes opening. “Up.”
Dammit, there were people upstairs. The risk of discovery was high if they attempted the second floor. From where he stood, Charlie could see the living room filled with beautiful furnishings and artwork. Damn Montgomery for stealing the sculpture. Some men could never have enough money.
Charlie and Juliana placed their vases. She eyed the staircase, licking her lips.
He watched the movement with hunger burning in his gut, and lower. He wrenched his gaze away. Should they attempt the upper floors? After getting shot he felt some trepidation for himself. He felt even more for Juliana. He had to protect her.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Maggie demanded from behind them. “There’s more to unload.” She moved past them to adjust the flowers in the vase Juliana had placed.
Charlie guided Juliana back to the vans.
“Can we get upstairs?” she whispered.
“It’s risky. I’ll think about it while we unload. Tell me if the sculpture moves during that time.”
Maggie didn’t give them any other flowers for the front of the house. Charlie saw a back staircase as they loaded exquisite red roses into the cooler. They were almost done unloading. If they were going to risk it, they had to do it now.
But Haley Montgomery, the bride herself, descended the back staircase looking annoyed. Charlie drew Juliana to him and ducked his face against her neck. He didn’t think Montgomery’s daughter paid much attention to the help around her, but he couldn’t take any chances.
“Miss Montgomery,” Maggie greeted the girl. “Would you like to see your bouquet? It’s gorgeous.”
“Sure.” Haley followed Maggie to the cooler.
“Up,” Charlie urged Juliana. They had to try for the sculpture.
They made it up the stairs, but in the hallway they saw a blonde woman with her back to them. Charlie dragged Juliana back into the stairwell.
“It’s that way,” Juliana pointed down the hall.
Female voices came from below. Maggie and Haley returning. Dammit. “Down,” Charlie ordered.
“But we’re close,” Juliana protested.
“Close to getting caught. Move.”
They made it to the bottom of the stairs before the two women appeared. Charlie took Juliana in his arms for a hungry kiss.
“Back to the van you two.” Maggie sounded resigned.
Charlie tugged Juliana away from the stairs, from the house, from the sculpture. They’d have to try again during the wedding. And they’d have to succeed.
CHAPTER 13
Charlie drove Juliana’s car behind the limo from the hotel to the wedding, giving the other guests the excuse they couldn’t stay for the entire reception due to another commitment later that evening.
Juliana felt wired. This was it, their last chance to reclaim the sculpture before some drug scumbag bought it to create a drug empire in Miami.
Charlie said the sculpture would probably be downstairs this time, easier to reach. She hoped so. Her nerves couldn’t take an extended search for it.
There was a line of cars in front of them turning into the estate, and parked cars lined the curb.
“This will work to our advantage,” Charlie said. “We can park in the street for a quick getaway.” He flashed her a smile.
Juliana wished they had a concrete plan instead of contingencies based on what-ifs. Bank robbers had better-laid plans than she and Charlie. Did he always fly by the seat of his pants? As a boy he’d been restless, flitting from dream to dream. He hadn’
t liked to stand still, and he didn’t like structure. What was he like now?
They had to park half a dozen houses down the road. They joined the other wedding guests heading for the gate.
“You look stunning in that dress, darling,” Charlie said.
Juliana smiled at him. He’d said the same thing in their hotel room, only with much more heat. She’d been surprised at how sophisticated she looked in the dress with her hair in a French twist. Charlie looked very Californian dressed in dark slacks, dark blazer, and a cerulean shirt with a Mandarin collar. The expensive sunglasses were a nice touch. He looked very sexy.
She had her hand looped through his right arm. They gave their cover names to a guard at the gate, who checked his list and let them through.
She exhaled a sigh of relief.
The guests headed for the house. Juliana tightened her hold on Charlie’s arm. This was it. She had the photo in the silver purse on her shoulder. As she crossed the threshold, she gripped it tight.
Dalton Montgomery and his wife were greeting guests a few feet inside the door. Juliana’s breath caught. How were she and Charlie going to get past the man?
Yet Charlie held her in line until it was their turn. Charlie gripped Montgomery’s hand. “A beautiful day for a wedding.”
“Yes,” Juliana added. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Welcome to our home.” Montgomery studied them, trying to identify them. “Please have some champagne.”
Charlie towed Juliana further into the foyer where a server offered them flutes of champagne, which he refused. She led him into the spacious living room where other guests mingled. When they were in front of the second hallway, her body turned toward it. She smiled at Charlie and lowered her voice. “Down that hall.”
With studied nonchalance, he turned. A smile lit his face. He dropped his head to nuzzle her ear. “As I suspected. I know the way in there. When the ceremony begins, we need to be in the house.”
“Wonderful,” she said in a normal tone.
“Let’s mingle a little. I don’t want to attract attention.”
Charlie proved adept at conversing with strangers. He simply asked people questions about themselves. He and Juliana gave their cover names if asked, usually just their first names. And the lies he told—he was an independent film producer, small but expecting to grow; he was an architect, he was a stock trader, he owned an import-export company.
