Cold Touch

by Leslie Parrish

  Hearing a car, she leapt up, went to the window and peeked through the blinds. Someone had just parked at the curb. She saw the dome light go on as the driver’s-side door was opened. Smiling as that light shone on a familiar head of thick, brown hair, she dropped the blinds and went to let Gabe in.

  “Hi,” she said, greeting him before he’d even reached the bottom porch step.

  He looked up at her, his face weary and smudged. “Hi, yourself.”

  “You look like you’ve been playing in the dirt.”

  Slowly coming up the steps, he replied, “Not playing. Not by a long shot.”

  Gesturing him in, she shut the door behind him. “Would you like a beer? Or coffee?”

  “No, thanks. I’m gonna head home and take a shower. I just didn’t want to leave you hanging. Figured you should know what’s going on.”

  Whatever it was, she knew he was dreading telling her. “Okay then. What happened?”

  He replied, calmly telling her what Morgan, Derek and Julia had discovered out in the woods this afternoon—ghosts. And graves. Three altogether.

  Olivia’s head spun, and she felt a little queasy. She didn’t know those people, yet they were connected in a deep, primal way, as only those who’d shared a horrifying experience could be. Like battlefield brothers who could never forget the scars they’d earned together. She and these three people—and poor little Zachary—they’d all been murdered by the same man.

  “Morgan was able to find the bodies?” she asked when he’d finished.

  “He told Julia where they were buried.” He shook his head. “It’s such a damn mess, Liv. It wasn’t like I could call in a search team and say a ghost pointed out their graves. Absolutely the only break we caught today was that the property had been seized for unpaid taxes years ago and nobody ever bought it, so it’s owned by the county.”

  She assumed that meant the legal issues were a little easier.

  “In the end, it was Julia who just used her cell phone, called nine-one-one and made an anonymous tip about finding some human remains while she’d been out walking in the woods.”

  Simple. Smart. But had it been plausible? Would the authorities, however, see anything to back up her claim? Treading carefully, not wanting to ask the man if he’d been playing the role of grave digger today, she asked, “Was her story believable?”

  He nodded once, grimly. “Yeah.”

  Which was all she needed to know about that. “So then what happened?”

  “A squad car was dispatched. The patrolman actually did his job and came deep enough into the woods to find the site. He called for backup, and I made sure I responded to the call.” He leaned a shoulder against the wall, then rubbed his face, fatigue rolling off him. “They’re going to go over the area tomorrow and will find the other two graves. I’ll make sure of that.”

  Talking more to herself, she said, “If one of them saw him, got a better look . . .”

  “Forget it!” Gabe’s voice cut through her musings. “You’re not going near them.”

  Remembering what he’d said last night while he’d held her so tenderly in his arms, she knew where his vehemence was coming from. “But I can help.”

  “I don’t want that kind of help, Liv. It comes at too high a cost.”

  “I’m willing to pay it.”

  “I’m not,” he snapped. “Let’s get one thing clear. I’m putting my foot down on this. You don’t do any more of your tricks on my watch or on my case. I’ve gone out as far on this psychic limb as I intend to, and I’m not going an inch further, not when it comes to you.”

  Sure, he wanted her to think that was it. But she wasn’t stupid. She knew he was worried about her. She also knew something else—that he cared about her.

  “I understand,” she said quietly, knowing she couldn’t argue. This situation was difficult enough without her being childish and demanding or throwing a fit because she’d been shut out. He’d already done so much, she could honor this one request.

  Realizing how difficult this whole thing was for him—walking a line between his job and his oath as a police officer on one side and his willingness to work with her and her colleagues on the other—she had to again count her blessings that he’d been the one to land this case. She put a hand on his arm, feeling the bunched muscles tense beneath the sweaty male skin. “I won’t, okay?”

  He hesitated, then shook his head, slowly, his gaze locked on her face. “I’m swimming upstream here, Liv. I have no idea what the hell I’m doing, but I couldn’t make myself stop, even if I wanted to.”

  Now she understood why he’d needed to come here rather than call to tell her what had happened. It was as if he needed to see her to convince himself he was still doing the right thing, as if he trusted her, drew some kind of strength from her. Maybe it was because he’d been there, had borne witness when she’d connected with Zachary. It wasn’t easy for anybody to let go of a lifelong certainty that some things couldn’t possibly exist—it had been hard enough for her. For a blunt skeptic like him? Well, she had to admit, the man’s courage in stepping out onto this huge limb with her stunned her a bit. Hell. Everything about him stunned her a bit. It had from the minute he’d saved her life last week.

  “Thank you, Gabe,” she whispered. “Knowing someone who has so much to lose is putting this much faith in me . . . well, I can never express how much I appreciate it.” Unable to help it, she moved closer, her hand tightening on his arm, until they stood just a few inches apart.

  “I’m not good at ignoring my head and going with my heart,” he said, his voice low.

  His tone and the way he looked at her made her wonder if they were still talking about just the case. There was something intimate in that stare, in the way his eyes dropped to her lips and his own parted on a slow breath. She sensed he was referring to something a lot more personal. Like the fact that he’d been telling himself she was out of his league, that they were wrong for each other . . . when his heart was saying to hell with all that.

  She desperately wanted him to listen to his heart, to touch her, to finish what they’d started this afternoon in the conference room. But she’d initiated both their intimate encounters. If Gabe really needed to get his head involved in whatever crazy—yet also wonderful—thing was happening between them, he needed to make the next move.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to sit down, relax, and have a beer?” she asked, leaving it entirely in his hands.

  He hesitated, as if tempted, then looked down at himself. “I’m a mess. But, maybe I could use your bathroom and at least wash my hands before I go?”

  She pointed toward a half-open door down the hall. “It’s right there.” Then she added, “I’ll be in the den—with your beer. If you’re really stressed about being dirty, just jump in the shower while you’re in there. Towels are under the sink.”

  She didn’t add that she was having a hard time wondering how she’d feel sitting one room away while he stripped out of his clothes and washed every inch of that big, broad body in her downstairs bathroom. Some things were just better left unsaid. Or unthought.

  Going into the other room, she almost held her breath, waiting to hear either the sink or the shower. One would indicate he intended to simply say goodbye, then leave; the other that he had reconsidered and might stick around awhile.

  After a long moment, she heard the shower go on.

  Olivia smiled. So far, she suspected his head was making the same decisions his heart would have. That made her happy, not just because she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the intimate moments they’d shared, but also because she’d just gotten used to being in his company over the past few days. It was amazing how quickly she’d gotten used to having him there.

  She liked spending time with him and wanted more of that. Maybe, someday, they’d even get to spend normal time together—going out for dinner, taking a walk—but for right now, even tense, crazy, madness-is-all-around-us time would do.

&nbs
p; Something was building between them, something insistent, something real. It wasn’t just sexual—although, yes, they were going to have sex sooner or later, of that she had no doubt.

  There was more, though. Having spent so much time with him over the past few days, she realized she liked him, very much. More than liked him, really. In fact, he seemed like exactly the kind of man she could love. That combination of blunt strength and sweet tenderness was nearly irresistible. When you threw in the intelligence, the determination, the flashes of wit, the inherent kindness, and an overwhelming sexiness, he added up to her perfect man.

  She honestly hadn’t been sure men like him were still around, much less living in Georgia, working as cops.

  Her mind whirling with all those thoughts, she didn’t even notice he was finished with his shower until he walked into the den. At which point she couldn’t think a single damn thing.

  Because he’d put his jeans back on . . . but nothing else.

  The jeans looked great. The nothing? Absolutely amazing.

  Olivia’s heart leapt. The man was just stunning. No pale, lean, nine-to-five body here; he was built like a boxer: small waisted and lean hipped but so muscled and toned through the arms, chest and shoulders that he looked capable of lifting a car. His bare chest gleamed with moisture and steam from the shower, and his muscles rippled with every movement as he toweled his stillwet hair. Droplets fell from the damp strands, landing on his shoulders and sliding down. They left faint zigzag lines that disappeared into dark, wiry chest hair that swirled over the top of his chest.

  “I’m gonna run out to my car and grab my gym bag. My workout clothes have to smell better than these,” he said.

  She tried to speak with too dry a mouth. Lifting her glass, she sipped her water, then managed to mumble, “It’s fine. You don’t have to.”

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  She managed a tiny nod but kept her attention on her drink, not on him.

  He apparently noticed that and misinterpreted. Moving closer, he put a hand on her shoulder. “Liv, what’s wrong?”

  She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as two strong scents filled her nose: clean and male. Gabe moved his hand to her hair, running his fingers through a few long strands, and she quivered a little. Did this smart man really have no clue what he was doing to her?

  “What is it?”

  No, he obviously did not. “Nothing. Just . . . go, do whatever you have to do.”

  Before I do something I don’t want to do—like trying to encourage you to think with a part of your anatomy other than your brain.

  It wasn’t his heart she was referring to.

  How could she not be thinking of that when he was standing right beside her, his jean-clad legs a few inches away? He was so close she felt the warmth as the moisture evaporated off his skin. The man was the most sexually exciting creature she had ever seen in her life, he was half naked, and, given where he was standing, his groin was probably no more than eight inches from her right cheek—not that she was looking. Hell, no.

  Her voice obviously hadn’t convinced him, because Gabe suddenly dropped to one knee beside her chair. “Talk to me. What is it? Are you upset about what I told you? Do you want me to go?”

  Men could be so incredibly dense. Finally swinging her head to look at him, she snapped, “I’m trying to be honorable here, okay?”

  His eyebrows almost shot up into his hairline. “Excuse me?”

  “You said you weren’t used to following your heart instead of your head, so I’m trying to back off, let you really think about what you want and not influence you either way.”

  “Influence me?” he said, sounding innocent, but she’d swear a hint of mischief lurked on those incredibly soft lips.

  “Gabe,” she said, speaking through almost clenched teeth, “I’m not going to make the first move again, damn it, and then have you later say your head wasn’t in the game. So if you want me, you’d better do something about it.”

  That was a risk, but she was tired of dancing around this. She wanted him badly but on open, aboveboard terms. No seductions, no stolen embraces driven by pity or anything else.

  After a moment that lasted just a couple of seconds but felt longer, Gabe did something about it. Without another word, he cupped her face in his hands and leaned in close.

  She had a moment, one single moment to think, Thank God. Then he was kissing her, tasting her, answering all her questions with warm, deep thrusts of his tongue. He was hungrier than the other times they’d kissed, as if desperate to memorize every inch of her mouth. It was as though he wanted to claim her, make sure he kissed her so well and so deeply that no man would ever come close to giving her this kind of pleasure again.

  Somehow, she already knew none would. Certainly none ever had before.

  Without pausing, he dropped those powerful hands to her hips and tugged her forward. Olivia parted her legs, all her feminine instincts taking over. There was no deliberation, no thought, just pure reaction to the feel of him, his smell, his hot, hard body pressed against hers.

  “Mmm,” she groaned when she let her hands begin traveling over that muscular form. She kneaded the powerful shoulders, then felt her way down his chest, twining her fingers in the crisp brown hair that ringed his nipples until he hissed against her mouth.

  Gabe seemed to want to touch her just as much. He reached for the front of her sleeveless blouse and tugged, hard, sending buttons flying in all directions. Not that she gave a damn.

  “I’ll replace it,” he mumbled against her lips.

  “No need; I stock up at the dollar store.”

  He laughed softly, and she wanted to swallow that laughter down, loving the light, happy way he made her feel. She wished she could bottle this euphoria to drink from later, a constant reminder that she could feel light of heart, could flirt and be silly and fun and have a sexy, playful relationship with a man. This man.

  Of all the things she so found so perfect about Gabe, that was one of the biggest. Though they’d been surrounded by darkness almost since the moment they’d met, he could, at times, make her feel so carefree. Like she was just a typical twenty-seven-year-old with no baggage and with nothing but brightness and all kinds of possibility laid out in front of them. As if they could just be normal, be at the start of something wonderful.

  We are.

  She didn’t question the whisper in her mind; she knew it was right. They were starting something wonderful; she only hoped the evil around them didn’t bring it crashing down.

  “Liv, you take my breath away,” he said, staring down at her, his eyes narrowed, lips parted as his deep, audible breaths passed over them.

  She smiled, more sure of herself as a woman than she’d ever been in her life. Because she saw how much he wanted her. Hunger, lust, desire—they dripped from the man.

  “Take me to bed, Gabe,” she ordered.

  He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He stood and picked her up by the waist, looping an arm beneath her bottom. Olivia wrapped her legs around his hips, wanting to cry at how big, hot and hard he felt.

  All that heat would soon be inside her, driving away any remnants of cold, making her forget what her body had ever felt like before he’d been a part of it.

  He groaned, as if he could feel the heat of her through his jeans and her slacks, then bent to kiss her again. That kiss continued, deep and wet, as he walked all the way upstairs and straight to her bedroom. He didn’t reach for the light; the moon was full and shiny, gleaming through the door that led out to the balcony. And a million stars seemed to have burst through the humid sky to brighten this one perfect night.

  When they reached the bed, he sat on its edge, keeping her on his lap. She scratched his back lightly, loving the way his tongue moved in and out of her mouth like he was already making love to her. His kisses both filled her up and made her desperately hungry for more.

  Moving his mouth across her cheek, he kissed her, nibbling lightly, r
ight down to her neck. Olivia liked the direction he was heading and leaned back, trusting him to hold her, not to let her fall. Funny how much she trusted this man already. He hadn’t let her fall emotionally throughout the roller-coaster ordeal of the past few days, and she knew, down to her soul, that he would move heaven and earth to make sure nothing ever hurt her physically.

  “Please,” she murmured, arching her back further, needing a more intimate caress.

  He noted the invitation and responded to it, moving his mouth down her throat, sinking his lips into the hollow and pressing a hot openmouthed kiss there.

  “Close but not quite,” she said, both delighted and a little frustrated by his slowness.

  He chuckled, the sound almost evil. “Patience isn’t one of your strongest suits, is it?”

  “I’m very patient. I waited for you to make up your mind about this, didn’t I?”

  This time he didn’t chuckle but laughed deeply. “Yeah, that took all of ten seconds.”

  “See? I’m infinitely patient.”

  She proved it by resisting her urge to twine her fingers in his hair and pull him down to her breasts, where she so wanted his sweet, lovely attention. The feel of his chest hair against her bare skin had shot her awareness level into the stratosphere, and she held her breath, waiting for the thrilling scrape of his cheek or the brush of his lips against her puckered nipples.

  “Oh, yes,” she groaned when he finally kissed his way to the top curve of one breast. She stroked his back, arching toward his mouth, needing even more. “Please, Gabe.”

  He didn’t make her wait any longer, deftly removing her bra and then bending down to kiss one taut peak. She moaned as he flicked his tongue out for a taste and cried out when he closed his mouth over it and sucked deeply. Pleasure roared through her. Olivia’s breasts had always been incredibly sensitive, and the electric delight rocketed in every direction, landing especially hard between her thighs. She jerked against him, needing to be naked, needing him inside her.

  There was a lot she wanted to do with this man. She wanted to taste every inch of him, to feel his mouth on the most intimate parts of her body. But mostly, she just wanted him to fill her up, to make her warm and whole, to remind her that she was every inch a woman.