by Arianna Hart
Sweating, Mac looked at the clock. He still had another five minutes before she’d shut the water off. His mind painted a picture of her actions. Once she shut the water off, she’d take another five minutes to dry off and wrap her hair up in the towel. Then came the scented lotion she wore.
He hadn’t actually seen her applying the lotion, but he’d found the bottle in the bathroom and recognized the scent when she was near him. After the lotion would come the baby powder, then she’d get dressed and—
What was that? Mac’s attention immediately shifted to the rattle of the doorknob. A crunch of footsteps sounded outside. Rolling out of bed, he clicked off the light and pulled Caitlyn’s gun from under the pillow where he kept it. Crawling on all fours to stay below the window line, he crept his way to the bathroom.
The water was still running and he could hear Caitlyn singing softly. Reaching up, he turned the handle to the door and crawled through.
“Caitlyn,” he whispered.
“Mac? What are you doing? Is something wrong?” She shut off the shower and poked her head out.
“Someone’s at the door. Grab a towel and get down.” Mac turned to give her some privacy and save his sanity.
The bathroom window was boarded up—the landlord swore the glass was on backorder—so Mac couldn’t look out to see who was trying to get in. If ever he needed a visual distraction, it was now. With nothing to look at but the wall in front of him, his ears picked up every single movement Caitlyn made. And his imagination supplied the pictures all too vividly.
“Who do you think it is?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but I think if it was one of your brothers they would have knocked or called first.” He didn’t dare look over his shoulder. Her clothes were on the counter in front of him, so he knew only a towel covered her. One yard of terry cloth and about six inches of space was all that separated him from a naked Caitlyn.
At this point, he almost hoped it was one of the Children, just so he had a reason to punch someone.
Another crunch of footsteps on gravel sounded loud in the silence of the night. Mac heard Caitlyn’s breath catch as someone pushed against the board covering the window, testing its strength. He released the safety on the gun, readying himself for an attack.
Seconds ticked by as he waited for something to happen. The board bulged as someone pushed on it harder. There was no way the half-inch plywood would hold up against a concentrated attack.
Mac shoved Caitlyn farther back and stepped to the side. If someone was going to slam into the board, he didn’t want to be crouching underneath it. Sweat dripped down his back and every muscle tensed as he waited for something to happen.
And waited.
A horn honked and Caitlyn gasped. The footsteps retreated and tires squealed off into the night. Mac clicked the safety back on the gun and put it on the counter in front of him for good measure.
“Oh God, I don’t ever want to go through something like that again.” Caitlyn dropped her forehead to his shoulder, and tension of a different sort shot through Mac.
He cleared his throat to hide the huskiness from his aroused state. “You’re fine now, everything’s okay.”
She laughed weakly. “I know, it’s just, that was really tense, ya know?”
Mac could feel her shaking. Probably a reaction from the adrenaline. Hell, he was none too steady either. Without thinking, Mac turned and pulled her into his arms for a hug.
He’d forgotten she was only wearing a towel.
Caitlyn wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. The only thing holding the towel up was the press of her body against his.
“I was so scared. I thought they were going to come right through the window.”
“Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” He tried to hold his lower body away from her to hide his growing erection, but she snuggled closer. Her delicate shoulders shook, so he couldn’t let go. What started out as a way to comfort her quickly turned into a disaster.
Her skin was so soft, and he could feel a great deal of it. Mac closed his eyes. He was in hell, absolute hell.
Mac’s arms felt like heaven around her. Caitlyn had been dying to touch him for days now. To finally have his strength surrounding her sent a delicious warmth straight to her toes.
Among other places.
She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach, even though he was trying to hold his body away from her. So he wasn’t unaffected. But then why didn’t he take the next step? She was practically naked for God’s sake. And she was more than willing to go wherever he wanted to take her.
Having Mac in her place was slowly driving her crazy. She wanted him so badly her teeth ached. As he healed, she had a harder time relegating him to the “patient” category. Not that it had been all that easy to keep him there in the first place.
Something about Mac called to a part deep inside her that she’d never felt before. Caitlyn took a deep breath and drew his scent into her lungs. He smelled like sweat, soap and her laundry detergent. The combination sent little flares of heat zipping through her blood stream straight to her core.
What was he waiting for? His hand stroked her back gently, giving her goose bumps. She could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest and his breath blew hot and heavy against her cheek. What more did he need? A personalized invitation to kiss her?
Maybe he was waiting for her to make the first move? He’d struck her as a take-charge kind of guy but maybe he was nervous around her. Caitlyn was willing to try anything to ease the growing need inside her. If nothing else, at least she’d know where she stood with him.
With a nervous flutter in her belly, Caitlyn reached her arms up to his neck and pulled his head down to hers. Standing on tiptoes she was able to meet his mouth and draw him into a kiss.
Soft lips caressed her own as Mac responded. She gasped as the towel loosened. He took advantage of her open mouth and dipped his tongue in for a taste.
Heat shot through her, straight between her legs. His hands were everywhere, running over her shoulders and down her back. The ends of the towel slipped between her breasts and fell to the floor as she pulled him even closer.
The soft cotton of his shirt rubbed against her nipples, teasing her with the contact. Her breasts felt full and heavy and ached to be touched by him. As if he could read her mind, one large hand cupped her, gently stroking the underside of her breast.
A groan slipped from her lips at the touch and Caitlyn rubbed her hips against his. She was dying to see him naked, feel his skin against hers. Her hands slipped under his shirt and she ran her fingers across his abdomen. She was reaching for the elastic on his waistband when he stopped her.
“Caitlyn, we can’t.” He held both her hands in his now.
“Why not?” She vibrated with desire for him. Every atom of her being screamed to finish what she’d started.
“It isn’t right.”
“If it got any more right my bones would melt.” She stared into his eyes. Eyes that were still dilated with desire. He wanted her, she knew he did.
“That’s not what I mean. It wouldn’t be right to lead you on. As soon as I’m able to, I’m out of here. Hell, I should’ve been out of here a week ago.”
His words sent daggers of pain into her heart. “A week ago you could barely stand for more than five minutes, forget walk around the block. You’re still in no condition to leave.”
Anger burned away the desire that had flooded her system. She knew he was going to leave when it was time, she shouldn’t be angry because he pointed it out. Or because he was gentleman enough not to lead her on.
She was still pissed.
“It doesn’t matter, I have to go. I’ve put you in enough danger already. Doesn’t tonight prove it?”
“Tonight proved a lot of things, but that you should leave isn’t one of them.”
Caitlyn reached around him for her pajamas and stalked off, not caring that he could see her naked butt.
If not for his misplaced sense of chivalry, he’d have seen a lot more.
“Don’t leave like this. It’s for the best,” Mac called from the bathroom.
“You know something? I’m getting really sick and tired of other people telling me what’s best for me. How about you let me make my own decisions?”
She made it to the safety of her room before tears of frustration dripped down her cheeks. Throwing herself on the bed, she punched the pillow and pretended it was Mac’s stubborn face. Her body still hummed from the emotional roller coaster it had been on all night. She’d gone from exhaustion, to fear, to excitement, to anger, all in an hour’s time.
No wonder she felt like a wet noodle. Her feelings had been twisted in so many directions she didn’t know how to react any more. Kissing Mac had felt so good, so right. How could he ignore that?
Maybe he wasn’t feeling the same connection she was?
Bull. He’d sported a hard-on that could pound nails. He’d felt something. Could he be commitment shy?
Gee, ya think?
But cripes, she wasn’t looking for a ring and a white picket fence. Rolling onto her back, she hugged the pillow to her chest and stared at the ceiling. What did she want? Her body pulsed with a surge of heat.
Okay, what did she want besides sex? As much as she wasn’t ready to settle down and play house, she wasn’t into one night stands either. Did she want more than a good time with Mac?
Butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought. Yeah, she wanted more. Too bad she wasn’t going to get it. He was probably right to stop things before they went too far.
Damn it.
Caitlyn threw the pillow across the room. Next time she’d stick to picking up stray dogs.
Chapter Eight
Caitlyn woke to the melodious sounds of splashing and swearing. With a yawn, she followed the cursing until she spied Mac standing at the bathroom sink wearing only his boxers. He was trying to shave his thick beard using her cheap, disposable razor.
It wasn’t very effective.
“Should I get out the IV fluids again? If you cut yourself anymore, you’ll need a transfusion.” She wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed after last night or not, but she was too busy staring at him to care.
No wonder her body went into overdrive every time she was near him. He had muscular legs that were as thick as tree trunks. His torso rippled with more muscles and his shoulders were broad and well defined. Caitlyn’s mouth went dry at the sight of all that skin just a few feet away from her. Her hands itched to run up his back and follow every dip and curve.
“Sorry. Did I wake you?” Mac dropped the razor and grabbed the sweatpants that were lying on the floor.
“No, I was getting up anyway when I heard the cursing. You can’t shave that thick of a beard with a disposable razor.” Caitlyn averted her eyes as he covered himself. What a shame.
“No kidding. Unfortunately I don’t have an electric razor handy, and I can’t take this beard anymore. It itches.” He dabbed at a nick with a washcloth.
“I have a set of clippers that might do the trick. I use them to give Liam haircuts, but they might trim your beard enough for you to shave the rest off.”
She slipped by him to get the clippers out of the linen closet. Her body tingled as her breasts brushed against his back. All her good intentions of last night went down the drain as her nipples tightened and licks of flame shot to her core. Her mind might know having an affair with him would lead to nothing but heartbreak but her body didn’t give a damn.
“Here, try these.” Her voice was thick with need.
“Thanks.” He plugged in the clippers and turned them on without looking at her.
Caitlyn knew she should get out of the tiny bathroom and leave him alone. The space was too intimate, too homey. A memory of her mother sitting on the edge of the tub while her father shaved flashed into her mind.
“Do you think you could cut my hair with these? If I’m getting rid of the beard I might as well get rid of this long hair too.”
“You want me to cut your hair?”
“Yeah, my cover’s been blown so there’s no sense staying in character. In fact it might be better if I didn’t look like Diego anymore.”
The harsh reality of the situation burst Caitlyn’s daydream. She was thinking about playing house and Mac was thinking about staying alive. Kind of put things into perspective.
“Diego? Who’s Diego?”
“Me. Or rather my cover, but since they know I’m not really a drug dealer now, there’s no sense having all this hair and being uncomfortable. So, can you cut it?”
“Ah, I only know how to give buzz cuts. I’m not a hairdresser or anything. Liam’s hair is only half an inch long, so it’s easy for me to keep it like that. I can’t do a style.”
“That’s fine. When I’m not on assignment I wear it almost that short anyway.”
All that thick hair and he wanted it chopped off? Caitlyn wanted to argue with him but bit her tongue. If he thought he’d be safer with his hair cut, who was she to tell him otherwise? “Okay, when you’re done shaving, bring the clippers into the kitchen and I’ll take care of it.”
Caitlyn grabbed a couple towels, carefully avoiding contact with him this time, and fled the bathroom. With shaking hands she made a pot of coffee. Water sloshed over the sides of the coffee maker and splashed on her shirt.
Pull yourself together, O’Toole!
She should not be reduced to a quivering mass of hormones just because she saw him in a pair of boxer shorts and brushed up against his back. He was just a man, for heaven’s sake. She’d touched plenty of men in her life. Until she went away to college she’d played basketball and football with her brothers and their friends. It wasn’t like she was unused to casual touching.
But touching Mac was a whole different story.
Too bad. After last night’s fiasco, she knew he wasn’t going to act on the attraction zinging between them. It didn’t matter that every time she was within five feet of him sexual tension filled the air and her body hummed with desire. If he wasn’t going to act on it, she wasn’t going to beg him.
Slipping a mug directly under the filter, Caitlyn waited for her first infusion of caffeine. Nope, throwing herself at him once was more than enough. She’d laid her body bare for him, she didn’t need to lay her soul bare too. He didn’t want her, end of story.
She had a bitter taste in her mouth that had nothing to do with the coffee she’d made.
“Yum, smells good. Can I have a cup?” Mac asked from the doorway.
Caitlyn jumped, spilling coffee on her hand. She shot a look at him while running her hand under cold water. “Can’t you cough or something to warn me you’re coming? You scared me half to death.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. I didn’t realize you were so jumpy. Is your hand okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. And I’m not jumpy. I’m just not used to having people trying to break in on a regular basis.”
Mac’s face hardened briefly. “I know, and I apologize for that. I’ll be out of here soon and you’ll be safe again.”
Caitlyn’s heart dropped to her stomach at the thought of him going back out onto the streets. She poured him a cup of coffee to cover her distress. “Let’s make sure you’re fully healed before we talk about you leaving. Right now you’re recovering nicely, but it will be a while before you’re up to running around chasing drug dealers.”
Handing him the cup, her fingers brushed his and another electrical jolt shot through her. Her breath hitched and her pulse throbbed in her veins.
“Here, sit down. I—I need to go brush my teeth before I cut your hair. I’ll be right back.” Caitlyn scurried to the bathroom. Maybe she should take a cold shower while she was at it.
After washing her face with cold water and brushing her teeth, she felt marginally under control. If she just thought of him like a brother, maybe she could get through this without jumping him.
Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that O’Toole.
Caitlyn grabbed a comb and the spray bottle she used for her plants on the way back to the kitchen. Mac sat in the chair drinking his coffee with a pensive expression on his face. His chin, devoid of the layer of black stubble, looked even harder and more stubborn.
And devastatingly sexy.
Think of him like a brother. Think of him like a brother.
“Here, wrap this towel around your neck so you can catch the hair that falls.” And cover up all that temptingly naked skin.
Mac did as she directed without a comment, and she stepped behind him.
“You’re sure you want me to do this?” she asked, running her fingers through the shoulder-length strands. “I could take you to my hairdresser and she could give you a real haircut that isn’t quite so short.”
“Why don’t I just take out an ad in the paper announcing my location instead?”
“You don’t have to get snippy. If you want all this cut off, then fine. Just don’t complain to me when you can wash your hair with a bar of soap.” She sprayed his hair down with the water bottle, smiling when he flinched at the cold water.
“I’m more used to short hair, I only grew it out for the assignment. Besides, I’ll be harder to spot with short hair.”
Caitlyn didn’t think even shaving his head would make him harder to spot but kept her mouth shut. Long hair or short, Mac’s very presence drew attention. Especially female attention.
Grabbing her kitchen shears, Caitlyn hacked away at his hair to get it short enough to use the clippers. Thick, silky strands fell to the floor as she snipped away, and she bemoaned the waste. At least she was getting to play with it a bit before it ended up in the garbage. It might be the only chance she’d have to run her fingers through his hair.
With every clip of the scissors, Mac felt Diego disappear. He wanted to urge Caitlyn to hurry and cut it all off as fast as she could. He’d been Diego the drug dealer for so long that it was a relief to get rid of him. Losing the long hair made him feel like his old self again. A fine upstanding citizen, not a scummy druggie. He didn’t relish the idea of going back into the cesspool of his undercover life.
