In His Sights

by Justine Davis

  “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

  “Well, it might be. All I’ve got at the moment is some leftover meat loaf Gram sent home with me. I was thinking sandwiches.”

  “One of my favorites,” he said with another of those smiles that sent her heart into overdrive.

  “Let me just clean up, then.” She was proud of how level her voice was.

  “You’re fine,” he said.

  She gave him a sideways look. “If that means grubby,” she said wryly.

  “Functional,” he said. “Now, if you’d been out here gardening in an evening gown, you’d still look great but I’d be questioning your common sense.”

  And that, she thought, was as neat a compliment as she’d ever gotten. This man was beyond dangerous. He was also too, too tempting. And her resistance to that temptation was wavering.

  “Thank you,” she said, not knowing what else to say.

  She picked up the photograph with care not to smudge the glass. Rand tossed the pruners into the tool bucket and picked it up. She showed him where it went, tugged off her gardening boots and led the way inside.

  She set the photo down on her small dining table. “I want to think about the perfect place for it. Someplace where I’ll be sure and see it every day.”

  “I’m really glad you like it.”

  Lord, another smile, she thought. You’d better get out of here while you still can. “I’ll just take a quick shower,” she said.

  “Why don’t I make the sandwiches while you do?”

  She had the unexpected thought that her ex-husband Dan would never in his life have offered to do that. But then, he wouldn’t have gotten down and dirty with a Himalayan blackberry bush, either.

  “Okay. Bread’s on the counter, condiments on the refrigerator door.”

  “Got it,” he said cheerfully and ambled off toward the kitchen. The moment he was out of sight, Kate took a deep breath to steady herself. She felt like she had on her one and only attempt at skiing—as if she were slipping out of control down a steep slope and picking up speed fast.

  She had just pulled her jeans and shirt off and tossed them in the laundry basket in her closet when the phone rang. She picked up the cordless to answer and continued to the master bath.

  “Katy?”

  “Hi, Gram. How are you? No more pains?”

  “For the third time today, I’m fine. Did he give it to you?”

  “The photo? Yes, he did. I love it. It’s perfect.”

  “He is good, isn’t he?”

  In more ways than one, Kate thought. “Yes, he is.”

  “So don’t blow it.”

  “Excuse me?” she asked, startled.

  “He’s interested, and no woman in her right mind wouldn’t be interested right back. You’re no fool, Katy girl, don’t act like one.”

  Her grandmother’s words echoed in her mind as she got into the shower. She’d finally had to admit to herself that Gram was right, that after Dan she was more than a little wary. And she didn’t like the idea that her ex still had any kind of power over her.

  So, what do I do about it? she asked herself as she scrubbed her face. Have a blazing affair with Rand?

  The blast of heat that rocketed through her at just the thought of a blazing affair with Rand Singleton made her stomach turn over. She just stood there for a moment, water pelting her, stunned at her involuntary reaction. Then soap ran into her eyes and the sting got her moving again. She rinsed it away, hastened through the rest of her shower, quickly toweled off and headed for her closet.

  Somehow she doubted choosing what to wear was going to distract her.

  Something had changed.

  Rand wasn’t sure what it was, but he was positive something had. Had the photograph been the key to getting her to trust him? He’d thought it might be, given how she felt about her grandparents. He hadn’t expected anything to happen so fast, but he couldn’t deny she had changed. It wasn’t so much that she’d relaxed around him, but the edginess he sensed now was a new, different kind of tension.

  He’d been surprised but pleased when she’d quickly said yes when he asked her out to dinner that night. He’d half expected her to fend him off as she had been doing the past couple of times. He thought about asking her why the change, then quickly decided that was one of the more stupid things he’d ever thought of. Especially when she was being more open and encouraging than she had ever been with him before.

  He wanted more than anything to push completely out of his mind the real reason he was in Summer Harbor. Wanted to accept her apparent change of heart at face value. But his first loyalty had to be to Redstone. Had to be.

  So when he took her home and walked her to the door he opened the subject. “I’m sorry you have to go back to work in the morning.”

  “Me, too,” she said, rather breathlessly.

  Something in the way she looked at him made his next breath die in his throat. Only then did he realize how what he’d said could be interpreted in more than one way. And which way she’d taken it.

  “Kate.” His voice was tight, all thought of his job driven from his mind by the look in her eyes.

  Slowly, so slowly he hardly dared to breathe at all, she lifted her arms. Her hands slipped around his neck in an invitation that was unmistakable.

  And in his case, irrefusable.

  He lowered his head, knowing he was likely going to regret this. But he was unable to stop, because he also knew he’d regret that even more.

  This time, she kissed him back wholeheartedly. And he was stunned at the difference her full participation made. Kissing her had been hot before, but this, this was an inferno. And his body’s response was so swift he nearly staggered. It was all he could do to break the kiss before he went up in flames.

  “Take it easy on me, woman,” he said hoarsely, “before I start hearing offers you’re not making.”

  “As long as you hear the one I am making.”

  For a moment he just stood there stupidly, playing back what she’d said in his mind to be sure he’d heard it right.

  “Kate, I didn’t mean—”

  “I know,” she said. “But I did. I don’t have to get up that early.” She drew back slightly. “Unless…you’ve changed your mind?”

  “Not on your life.” The words came instantly, before he even thought. Then, when he did think, he had to add, “But I’m not…prepared for this. I don’t have anything.”

  “That’s okay. I do.” She lowered her gaze, and he knew he wasn’t mistaken about the blush. “Of course, I drove forty miles to get them.”

  Rand just looked at her for a moment, contemplating the wealth of information that statement had given him. That she was afraid if she’d bought condoms here, everybody in town would know before the day was over, which meant she didn’t want to advertise their relationship.

  On the other hand, it had clearly been a conscious decision on her part. He knew she wasn’t the type to do this casually. She’d thought about it, thought about him, and decided she wanted him. Despite all the obstacles she’d talked about, despite whatever scars her ex had left her with, she wanted him. That took his breath away all over again. And he knew there was no way he could walk away from her.

  So why the hell are you standing here analyzing this, instead of kissing her again?

  And then he did just that.

  Chapter 16

  Kate had wondered if she would have second thoughts. Had almost expected to, had expected to panic at the last second, wonder if she wasn’t making a huge mistake.

  She’d done none of those.

  If she was making a mistake, she thought, at least she was doing it with full intention and full speed ahead. But as she stood beside her bed, the bed where she was about to take this irrevocable step, she didn’t think it was a mistake. How could anything that felt like this be a mistake?

  No, she was right to have taken this chance. No matter what happened, every woman should feel like this
at least once. Wherever he touched her her skin tingled. His mouth on hers made her weak in the knees. It was all she could do to keep standing while they wrestled with their clothes.

  She knew there would be awkward moments. Like now, when they both stood naked, with nothing to do but look. Or look away. But if you feel the need to look away, you probably shouldn’t be doing this anyway, her inner voice reasoned.

  And besides, if you have something as beautiful as Rand Singleton in front of you, you should enjoy it.

  She felt heat rise in her cheeks at her own thoughts. But it was true, he was beautiful. Tall and strong, but lean, not burly; fit, not muscle-bound. And so potently aroused she felt a shiver inside, and a burst of female power she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

  A qualm struck her as she wondered how her eight-years-older body would stand up to the kind of scrutiny she was giving him. But he wasn’t stupid, he knew how old she was, and she wasn’t in bad shape anyway. And obviously—very obviously—he didn’t find her particularly lacking.

  “Kate,” he whispered, reaching for her. She saw his fingers trembling, and the last of her reservations vanished.

  He picked her up, easily. Her breath caught; he was even stronger than he looked, because she was not a featherweight. He put her down on the bed with a care that bordered on reverence. For a moment she looked up at him, at the silky hair that persisted in falling over his forehead like a boy’s, the blue eyes that were looking at her in a way no boy ever could. Looking at her with such heat and passion that another shiver rippled through her.

  He came down beside her in a rush, and a burst of heat shot through her at the touch of his body against hers, skin to skin. His mouth came down on hers once more, fiercely, and she felt her belly clench and ripple under the sweet onslaught. His hands stroked over her until she couldn’t stay still; she rose to him as if he were some mythical creature with magic powers. There was no holding back, she wanted his touch everywhere.

  He seemed to hesitate for a moment, his hand on her rib cage, just below her breasts.

  “Please,” she whispered, arching her back, offering them to him.

  He growled something that could have been her name, and then his hands moved upward, cupping her, caressing her, then stroking her nipples until they hardened and she gasped at the sheer force of the sensation. At the same time he trailed a burning path of kisses down her throat, and just when she thought she couldn’t bear any more, he replaced his fingers with his mouth. The wet heat and the flick of his tongue over already taut flesh made her cry out again, in a wild voice she barely recognized as her own.

  For a moment he moved away, and she realized he was reaching for the packet on the nightstand.

  “If I don’t do this now,” he said, catching her glance, “you’ll have me so crazy I’ll forget to do it at all.”

  She felt that jolt of feminine power once more at his words. She watched him as he sheathed himself. It had been so very long for her. She had never really known what she was waiting for, except something more than the perfunctory sex she and Dan had had at the end. She had nearly given up on finding it, whatever it was. Perhaps because it had never crossed her path before. Until now.

  And now she was tired of waiting.

  “I’ll try to go slow,” he said as he came back to her, “but I can’t promise.”

  “Don’t,” she said, reaching for him. His skin was sleek and hot beneath her fingers. “Don’t go slow.”

  He groaned in answer and moved over her. For a moment she savored the weight and feel of him, but then even that wasn’t enough. Her hands slid down his back to his hips, urging him forward. He fumbled for a moment, which in an odd way excited her more than practiced ease would have. She reached to guide him, loving the sound he made as her fingers touched rigid flesh.

  This was it, she thought. This was what she’d been waiting for.

  Or who.

  A gasp broke from her as he slid forward, stretching her, filling her. He hesitated, and in a convulsive movement she lifted her hips, driving him home. Her name burst from him, and she felt a shudder go through him. His response sent her own senses spiraling upward, and when he began to move, to withdraw and drive forward with a fierce urgency, she could only grab his shoulders and hang on.

  She thought she couldn’t bear any more, couldn’t take any more, and then he shifted position until his every stroke caressed her in a way that made her cry out at the building sensations. He kept on and on until she could barely breathe as her body began to clench.

  “Kate,” he said, his voice low and harsh. “Kate, I can’t—”

  His words stopped on a guttural sound that she felt begin deep in his chest. His hands slid to her shoulders, to hold her as he slammed into her one last time. Her body convulsed and she moaned his name as he sent her flying.

  Kate’s amused, sensual laugh lingered in Rand’s mind as he crept up the stairs of the Crawford house as quietly as he could. He hadn’t wanted to leave her, but Walt and Dorothy knew he was taking their granddaughter out tonight, and while getting home late was one thing, not coming home at all was something else entirely.

  He’d been worried about her reaction when he told her he thought he should leave. And she had studied him with a very guarded look as he explained. But once she realized what he was saying, she had begun to grin. When he’d looked at her curiously, it took her a moment to explain.

  “It’s just funny. You’re going to try and sneak back into the house I used to try and sneak out of.”

  He had had to admit she had a point. “I just don’t want them mad at me.”

  Her mouth quirked upward once more. “Well, since Gram’s the one who told me I would be a fool to turn you down, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

  Rand would never forget standing there half-naked, gaping at her, boggled by her words. “Your grandmother…she what?”

  And that’s when she had started to laugh, a lovely sound that sent a tickle up his spine and made him want nothing more than to climb right back into bed with her and start all over again.

  He made it back to his room just after one, without waking the Crawfords. Or at least if he had, they’d chosen not to confront him. Once safely inside, he took out the cell phone he’d turned off tonight and powered it back up. He was in bed and getting gloomy about how empty it felt when the phone chirped at him, announcing he had voice mail.

  With a sigh he picked it up. He was relieved to find there was only one voice mail pending, but unhappy when it turned out to be a laconic message from St. John telling him to call. It was from three hours ago, so for a moment he considered waiting until morning. But only for a moment; everybody on the Redstone security team knew St. John never seemed to sleep. He made the call.

  “About time,” the rough, gravelly voice said without preamble.

  “Even Josh takes Sunday night off,” Rand said mildly.

  St. John made a sound that could have been assent or simply a grunt. “Tuesday,” he said.

  Rand’s brows furrowed. “Tues— The next shipment?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks.”

  St. John disconnected without further comment. Rand shook his head. Four words, he thought. That was taking terse to new heights. He was even worse than Draven. Not that it was surprising. On the occasions when he’d encountered the man, Rand had thought him the most buttoned-up man he’d ever met.

  Tuesday, he thought. That meant the shipment would be loaded tomorrow night. He’d better get to sleep tonight, since he clearly wouldn’t be getting any tomorrow.

  Kate felt a pang of doubt and isolation when she awoke alone, but was determined not to let it take hold. She’d gone into this with her eyes open. And she couldn’t deny there was a lot to be said for taking a younger man as a lover.

  Her body clenched at the flood of memories her thoughts brought on. Yes, there was a lot to be said, all right. As long as she remembered the affair was doomed from the start. She would
simply keep her heart safely locked away, and she’d be all right.

  Determinedly she tried to push thoughts of Rand out of her mind. It was difficult, because her body was reminding her of him at every turn. It wasn’t just the unaccustomed tenderness in some delicate areas, or even the faint marks of passion that she found on her skin when she prepared for her shower. It was that her body seemed to be humming, everything seemed more vivid, even her breathing seemed different, the air cleaner and fresher.

  Think about work, she ordered herself.

  She was a quite a bit later getting up than she usually was, and she would be late going in, but her plans for the night made it better that she’d slept in. For a moment Rand crept back into her thoughts as she wondered if he might call or come by, wanting to go out again. She’d have to tell him she had to work, if he did. That made her mouth twist as she told herself not to expect anything from him.

  When she got to the office her phone was ringing. She picked it up as she tossed her purse into a desk drawer.

  “Kate Crawford.”

  “Hello, dear,” her grandmother said. “I called earlier but got that voice-mail thing.”

  “Hi, Gram,” she said as she tugged off her jacket.

  “How was your evening with Rand?”

  Leave it to Gram to cut right to the chase. Glad she wasn’t having this conversation face-to-face, she managed to say, “Fine. We had a nice dinner.”

  “He got in rather late. Tried to sneak in, but that one step still creaks.”

  I should have warned him about that, Kate thought, remembering all times she’d forgotten about that step and betrayed herself. “Good thing he’s a big boy and doesn’t have to worry about curfew.”

  “Well, you tell him not to worry about waking us up anymore,” her grandmother said in a tone that made clear she suspected her granddaughter had more than a little to do with their boarder’s late return. Kate thought it best to just dodge the matter altogether. She hadn’t quite worked her mind around how she was going to integrate this new aspect of her life, and until she did, the less she said—or admitted to—the better.