by Diana Duncan
He returned her smile. “Let’s hear it for chocoholics.”
“And for bomb techs. You disarmed Daniel’s system.”
“As much as I could. It was a piece of work.” And he’d been in a bit of a rush.
“Talk about nerves of cold steel and bravery under fire.” Her gaze glowed with admiration. “I was totally impressed. You were amazing when you called his bluff.”
“Who was bluffing?” He hadn’t felt cool or steely. He’d wanted to rip the SOB limb from limb. But Tyler had been prepared for him to attack. The only way to defeat sociopaths was to force them to deviate from their script. He glanced at her. Would she hate him for the truth? He gripped the wheel harder. He could never be less than honest with her. “He was determined to kill us. I was prepared for us to die rather than get in that cage and let him rape you. I forced him to accept my terms. No torture, no rape. I can’t apologize for that.”
“I don’t want you to. You saved my life.” She reached for him, but changed her mind. He cornered a tight left. So, they were back to acting like polite strangers. She was already leaving him. She stared down at her lap. “I’m sorry. Because of me, Daniel almost killed you and Murphy. I feel so stupid. I was engaged to him, spent years with him and never saw the evil. How could I have been so clueless?”
“There’s no way you could have known. Sociopaths are ultimate actors. Women who are married to them for years don’t realize they’re cold-blooded killers until too late. We never see their true natures until they take off their masks.” He was nearly to the Strip. Nearly at the end of the line. “Don’t apologize for what he did. It’s not your fault.”
“You’re a very forgiving man, St. Michael.”
“Not so much.” He turned onto Vegas Boulevard and tensed. Precious time was ticking away. “I don’t regret that he’s dead. He’ll never hurt you again.”
“No regrets here, either.” She jutted her chin. “Not just because of us. Janine and Aubrey are safe from him, too.”
“I got to you as fast as I could. He had the place booby-trapped. I heard him tormenting you.” He braced himself. Be straight with me, Kate. Even if it blows my heart to pieces.
She paled. “Then you heard me say the only reason I slept with you was because I was reeling from a double shock.”
His throat felt as raw as if he’d swallowed ground glass. “It explains a lot.”
She placed her hand on his forearm. “During the fire, you yelled that I was a liability to you.”
He hit the brakes a tad too hard. “I said it to make you leave. To save your life. I didn’t mean it.”
She squeezed his arm. “Yes, I got that.”
He did a mental head slap. “You were buying time, to pacify Daniel.” Liam slowly accelerated, thankful for perpetually snarled Vegas traffic. The all-night gamblers were just going to bed. He needed to finish this before she asked to be dropped off. The final showdown had been two years coming, and he had no idea if he’d ever see her again. “I understand why you felt so vulnerable that night with me. Why you couldn’t go through with it. Why you ran. You were in emotional free fall.”
“I was clearheaded enough to know that I wanted you. I knew what I was doing when I went home with you.” She withdrew her hand. “But murmurs in the bar about ‘Love ’em and leave ’em Liam’ stirred up old doubts and new fears. Then the unexpected intimacy threw me into a spin. Instead of declaring my emotional independence, I faced an even more dangerous threat. I was too fragile. Another rejection would have destroyed me, and I went into survival mode.”
She viewed him as an emotional threat? Was that good or bad? “You were overwhelmed. And left before I could leave you.” Liam swore softly. “I’ll be damned. Talk about karmic payback.”
“Care to explain that cryptic statement?”
“I wasn’t always commitment impaired.” He sighed. “When I was a freshman at U of O, Pop was accused of skimming half a million dollars from an armored car robbery. He was framed, but couldn’t prove it. I was engaged to my high school sweetheart, and we planned to marry after college. Michelle had big ambitions. She wanted to be the first woman president.”
“You, hobnobbing with politicians?” She choked. “Somehow, I can’t picture Officer Irreverence as the First Husband.”
“Neither could she.” His mouth twisted in a wry grimace. “When Pop was branded a dirty cop, she dumped me. She couldn’t afford a scandal, blah, blah. Man, she was brutal. Cold. She flushed three years down the crapper without blinking.”
“She’ll make a perfect politician. No heart.”
“No kidding.” Why had it taken him so long to realize the flaw was in Michelle, not him? “When Pop was murdered, she didn’t call. Hell, she didn’t bother to send a card. One loss I could have dealt with. Two, sudden and brutal, knocked me off my feet.” He pursed his lips. “The fall wasn’t so bad, but the impact hurt like a bitch. I didn’t want to get serious about anything after that. I fooled myself into believing I was enjoying the present. But I was just being a fool. During the last twenty-four hours, I’ve wised up.”
“You have scars, too. Only yours aren’t visible.” Her voice was soft, her eyes luminous. “I’m so sorry I ran out on you and added to your pain. But I lost my way. Lost myself. I had to go…for my own survival. After rebuilding, I came back stronger, able to stand on my own. But I’ve also learned a lot since yesterday. And I’m finally sure of what I want.”
Every muscle in his body went rigid. The moment he’d dreaded had arrived. “Tell me what you want, Kate.”
“Take me home.”
That was it, then. Pain graveled his voice. “Your apartment isn’t livable, honey.”
“Take me to your home, Liam. I want to discover the rest of the story.”
Sounds faded, colors paled, and the world ground into slow motion. He blinked, and it returned to normal. Did she mean what he thought? Hope soared. He’d been given a second shot at winning her heart. Then wariness crept in.
If he blew it, there would be no more chances.
Liam supported Kate with a hand on the small of her back as they walked into the lobby of the Bellagio. Her taut muscles quivered beneath his palm. She’d claimed to be sure, but was as edgy as the point man in a minefield.
She stared up at the rainbow-hued ceiling. “No matter how many times I’ve seen these Chihuly glass flowers, I’m always awed at his talent. It’s like being inside a kaleidoscope.”
His feelings were a confused kaleidoscope. Green hope. Red desire. Black trepidation.
The elevator let them out on the tenth floor. He unlocked the door and followed her inside the room. She checked out the elegant decor in muted shades of mocha and cream with splashes of burgundy. The drapes were open, the famous fountains visible from both the living room and bedroom. “Lovely suite.”
“Murphy needs space.” Murphy’s leash was draped over a chair near the door. Liam’s guts cramped. He missed his friend with every fiber of his being. He picked it up and stroked the worn leather through his fingers.
Hellfire. His charm arsenal hadn’t swayed Kate. All he had left to gamble was his heart. He sucked in a fortifying breath. “I love you, Kate.”
Her eyes widened and she gasped. She tried to speak and failed, and he jumped into the breach. “But I don’t want you to compromise your goals or independence for me. I don’t want you to rush into anything. I want you to come to me on your terms. Complete. Whole.”
“L-Liam” she stuttered. “I—”
“Hear me out.” Determination blazed as bright as the sunrise, burning away fear and doubt. “If I have to wait for you, I’ll wait. If I have to fight for you, I’ll fight.” His jaw tightened. “The only thing I will never do is give up on you.”
“Oh!” She covered her face and burst into tears.
Well, crap. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Not exactly the reaction I was going for.”
“I’m just…thunderstruck.” She gulped, pulled herself
together. “You mentioned karmic payback.” She rested her palm on his chest, and his heart stumbled. “When I came out of the fire, the only thing I wanted was to find you. To know you were okay. I hunted everywhere. Searched every face. I knew then how scared and confused you’d felt when I left and you’d looked for me all that time. I can never make that up to you. But I can try.” She stepped back and gathered both his hands in hers. “Because you were right. Fish really do it for me.”
He quirked a bewildered brow. “You lost me somewhere between ‘you were right’ and ‘fish.’”
“When you brought Aubrey the goldfish, I tumbled headlong in love with you. I was terrified to acknowledge my feelings then…but not anymore.” She smiled. “I love you, Liam.”
Joy, yellow and warm, filled him, surrounded him. A grin burst free. “Come closer and say that.” He tugged her to him.
She stopped him. “About Murphy…” The shine dimmed, and his grin faded. Happiness came with a steep price tag. He touched Kate’s soft cheek. A cost he was willing to pay.
She kissed his fist, where he’d wrapped the leash around and around his hand and was clinging to it. “I didn’t save the mutt’s life just to send him to live with your brother.”
Whoa! Say what? “You saved Murphy’s life?”
“I found him knocked out in the next room. I rolled him onto a tablecloth and dragged him away from the fire.”
He rubbed his chin and said, “As I disarmed the system, he alerted. I sent him to search out the threat.” His brow knitted as he worked through the wrenching sequence. “It wrecked me when I heard him fighting the other dog. It killed me when I couldn’t find him, had to leave without him.” Astounded, he looked down at her. “You saved us both.”
“He saved me. I got lost, and would have burned to death. But he woke up and led me to the kitchen. We sought shelter in the walk-in refrigerator, huddled together for warmth.” She fingered Murphy’s leash. “One dog took away my life…but another gave it back to me.” She shook her head. “I don’t want you to send him away. He belongs to both of us now.”
Elation banished the last dark shadow inside him. “You must have had quite an epiphany, Kate.”
“Only a fool wouldn’t see the parallels. The refrigerator offered temporary respite. But we would have eventually died from hypothermia or suffocation. I locked my emotions in the deep freeze, thinking they were safe.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Instead, they nearly suffocated to death. By not taking risks, I was clinging to a faulty, broken illusion of security. And headed for a disastrous fall.”
He dropped the leash onto the chair. “You rebuilt your life from nothing, alone. You can be proud of what you accomplished.”
“My ‘accomplishment’ is an illusion…just like the photos. I was so obsessed with not failing again, I held back, protected my heart. I settled for stark, flat, black-and-white existence. I achieved material success, but remained emotionally stunted.” Her earnest gaze held his. “Sure, if I take chances, I might fail. But in not taking a chance, I ensure failure. Trusting you isn’t a risk.” She slid her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest. “The riskiest choice I ever made was playing it safe. And the greatest risk is doing nothing.”
“Life is a risk.” He held her tight. “Bad stuff happens. But good stuff also happens. And sometimes…” He tilted her chin up and kissed her forehead. “Wonderful surprises happen.”
“Yes, they do.” She smiled. “And my new life, my real life starts here. Now…with you.” Her smile wavered. “The problem is, I’m not sure how to let go. How to really live.”
He stroked her tousled hair. “Stick with me, Kate.” She swayed, and he caught her shoulders. “It’s been a long day.” He led her to the sofa. “Sit.”
“Arf, Ace.” She chuckled. “Are you aware that you frequently slip into dog commands?”
He laughed. “I’ll watch that.” He grabbed the room service menu. He wanted her more with every heartbeat, but she was wiped. He tamped down desire. He’d waited years to claim her…what was one more day? “You need food. What’ll it be?”
“A giant hot-fudge sundae with extra whipped cream and sprinkles.” When his brows rose, she shrugged. “Life goes by fast. Enjoy dessert first.”
He shot her a wicked grin. “Best idea I’ve heard all year.”
She self-consciously smoothed her singed, rumpled dress. “I’d like to grab a shower while you phone room service.”
“You bet. There’s an extra hotel robe in the closet. Do you want the bathroom with the luxury shower, or the whirlpool tub?”
“Shower. I’d fall asleep in the tub and drown.”
He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “No worries. I’m proficient in mouth-to-mouth.”
She rose and her lovely mouth curled in a slow grin that made his stomach swoop. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
Chapter 17
9:00 a.m.
Naked, Liam opened the glass door and stepped inside the large, steamy shower enclosure. Kate had turned on all of the showerheads in the ceiling and walls, even the massive rain shower overhead. Facing away from him, she slumped against the marble wall. In the soft golden light, her skin gleamed like wet alabaster. “Kate,” he said quietly. “Are you all right?”
She gasped and lurched around. She didn’t try to cover her body. Instead, she broke his heart by angling her right arm behind her. “Afraid I would run out on you again?”
Actually, he was afraid she’d pass out. “You didn’t desert me once today. You didn’t leave me to drown. You didn’t leave me to fight alone in the fire, and you didn’t leave Murphy to die. You’ve given me unquestioning loyalty, times ten. I’ll never worry about you leaving me again.”
Her eyes glowed. “Good, because I’m not going anywhere.” She cocked her head. “Who’s going to answer room service?”
“They’re swamped with breakfast orders. It’s gonna take thirty to forty minutes…so I came to wash your back.”
Her luscious mouth quirked. “An offer I can’t refuse.”
“Service with a smile.” He reached for the shampoo. “You can tip me later.” Grinning, he motioned. “Turn around.”
She obeyed, again keeping her arm out of sight. He dumped shampoo into his palm, and massaged it into her scalp. Lather foamed, and a soft but fresh scent mingled with the steam. He glanced at the bottle he’d returned to a built-in marble shelf to see what she’d chosen from the basket on the counter. Spearmint and chamomile. Smelled good enough to eat.
“That feels wonderful.” Her taut muscles went lax beneath his fingertips. “It tingles.”
Standing inches from her naked back with his fingers buried in her silky wet hair, he was getting a few tingles himself. He mentally conjugated French verbs. She’d had a traumatic day and was tired. He would not push. He shifted her beneath a stream of water. She tipped her head back, and he combed his fingers through the soapy strands until they were rinsed.
He soaked a washcloth and added shower gel. After scooping aside her hair, he gently massaged her shoulders, then her back.
She breathed a contented sigh. “You have beautifully talented hands, Liam.”
You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. “So do you.”
She hung her head. “Mine’s ugly,” she whispered. “Useless.”
He dropped the washcloth on a shelf and turned her to face him. Reaching behind her, he drew out her right hand. “Your hands have helped me all day. They’ve comforted me. Saved my life.” Holding her gaze, he raised her crippled hand into view. “What makes you special and beautiful and talented isn’t in here.” He kissed her scarred knuckles. “Or here.” As he kissed the scarred path up her arm, her breath caught and she quivered.
“Your beauty and worth are inside you. Here.” He touched her forehead. “And here.” He settled his fingertips over her heart, where it galloped beneath his touch. “You have no limits except those you place on yourself, Just Kate.”
Awed, Kate stared at her hand, clasped tenderly in Liam’s. She’d been looking with narrowed perspective, had seen only distorted, weak muscles and jagged scars. His gentle words and tender kisses opened her vision to a wide-angle view. The complete picture finally snapped into full frame.
Her hand did not define who she was. Her potential wasn’t restricted to her limited grasp.
Anything she could dream, she could achieve.
Her heart soared. He’d given her the most precious gift of all. He’d shattered the lock and freed her spirit from its frozen dungeon. And she wanted to give back.
Delight lit his green eyes. She deliberately poured shampoo into her bad hand, and then stroked it through his thick hair. His gaze warmed. He smiled tenderly, understanding the significance…as she’d known he would. “Ah, Kate.” His voice was husky. “Do you know what it does to me when you touch me?”
Like she could fail to notice. A giddy rush of feminine power glittered through her veins, more intoxicating than the best champagne. She grinned and drizzled bath gel on his sculpted pecs. “I’m getting a great big hint.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest, and tanned, slick muscles bunched beneath her soapy fingers. With her index finger, she wrote her name in the layer of suds over his heart.
He glanced down and laughed. “You can’t return me now.”
“I’m keeping you, Ace.” She sleeked her palms over his nipples, and he inhaled sharply. Avoiding the sword scratch, her fingers glided down his ribs and washboard abs to his flat stomach. “This is fun.”
“Yeah. Fun.” He groaned. “Or torture.”
“No.” She pressed herself to him and rubbed their soap-slicked bodies together. “This is torture.”
He sounded strangled. “I had to fall for a creative type.”
Her giggle turned into a moan as he backed her into the wall. He slid his full length up and down her, all foam-sleeked skin and hard male muscle. The crisp hairs on his chest abraded her nipples and the huge ridge of his arousal teased her most sensitive parts. He kissed her, his tongue enticing hers to play. He touched and stroked her all over. The scented bubbles spread tingly friction everywhere naked, wet skin glided over naked, wet skin.
