"No, not that, not yet. I love you, Delphina, more than I believed I would ever be capable of loving another. But, I—I need more today." He took her fingers and placed them on his temple. "I need the other. It will cleanse me and clear my mind in preparation for what is coming."
As he wished, Delphina planted the vivid memory in his mind. A second later, Miss Preston's ruler cracked across his knuckles. He would gratefully accept the punishment he deserved, and afterward, everything would be all right again.
Chapter Fourteen
Let us do or die.—Robert Burns
Steve sighed contentedly. The warm body against her back, the heavy leg overlapping her own, the gentle fingers playing with her nipple, all confirmed it had not been another erotic dream, but the amazingly, wonderfully real thing.
She turned to face Falcon, and stroked his outer leg with her foot. No matter how they had spent the night, she craved more of the delicious feel of him against her skin. Her tongue snaked out to get a taste of his shoulder, then the skin under his chin. When she lifted her head and leaned over to do the same to his mouth, Falcon captured her tongue with his teeth and pulled it inside his mouth.
One kiss and the heavy male part of him throbbed against her stomach. She was a little sore—who wouldn't be after last night's marathon?—but not so sore that her body couldn't respond instantly to the awareness that he wanted her again. Moving further up his side, she placed her bent knee over his hip, positioning and stretching herself for him. He found his mark without her guidance, and they each moved half the distance necessary to be completely joined again.
"Falcon." Steve whispered his name as if it were a sacred word. "Every time feels better than the last. For someone who swears he never did this before, you've certainly gotten the hang of it."
He kissed her with the same excruciating restraint that he used to ease himself in and out of her. "I had an exceptional trainer," he purred in her ear during another slow, deep thrust.
Steve tilted her head back a notch. "Is that right? What kind of 'trainer' teaches such a. . .sensitive subject?" Another plunge deep inside her caused her to moan softly.
Falcon's fingers ruffled her short hair and stopped to play with the fine strands at her nape. He murmured his answer between brief, fiery kisses. "One who possesses beauty, courage, and kindness beyond words. One who allowed this humble, unskilled male to practice on her incredible body all night long." He flexed deep inside her, and her body instinctively tightened around him.
"O-o-oh. I don't think allowed works in that sentence. Try welcomed, invited . .. seduced." Another flex in response.
"Nevertheless, I do not believe a simple thank you is going to suffice in this instance." His hand slipped down her spine to grasp and massage her bottom, then lifted her to meet his next thrust.
Steve closed her eyes to hold onto the ripple of pleasure a moment longer. "You're right. I think you'll have to buy me flowers, too. Oh, God, do that again!" He did, and her body broke out in gooseflesh. "But I couldn't have taught you about nerves I didn't even know I had." His strokes took on a rhythmic, building momentum which caused her to arch and tense in anticipation.
"I had knowledge of the female body without actually knowing it at all. With you, I have only to open myself to your feelings to know what pleases you. It seems to be a most satisfactory method." He moved harder, faster.
His point, was effectively proven when Steve cried out her extreme satisfaction. One more time he took her to a world where nothing mattered but sensation.
When she finally regained enough energy to separate herself from Falcon, Steve said, "And now I'd like to teach you about a matter of great concern here in California—conserving water." At his confused expression, she laughed and kissed his ear. Using her huskiest voice, she explained, "Come take a shower with me."
Falcon admired her nude back heading into the bathroom. He wanted to make the most of every minute they had left. Like her, his intuition told him their efforts that day would bring them closer to Underwood, which meant his mission, his reason for remaining here, would soon come to an end. How will I bear to leave you, Steve?
Over the sound of rushing water, Steve called, "What did you say?"
"Noth ..." Falcon's brow furrowed thoughtfully. He walked into the bathroom, but stopped himself from entering the shower where he could see a blurry image of her behind the glass. "I did not speak."
Steve slid the door open a few inches and peeked out. "I thought... Never mind. Come on in. It's just right." She wondered why he would deny that he had spoken, and why he looked so puzzled. His voice had come to her clearly a moment ago, at least her name had. It was possible that wishful thinking had caused her to imagine it.
Falcon stepped in behind her and closed the door. If she had truly heard what he was thinking, one of two things was happening. Either she was developing a telepathy with him, or his power to send his thoughts had improved drastically since last night. He would have to be very careful until he had tested his theory properly. Steve's soapy palms rubbing over his chest regained his attention. There was nothing in her expression or actions to indicate that she was hearing his every thought.
When she nudged him around to do his back, he mentally directed a sentence to her. I approve of California's method of conservation.
"I thought you might." Her slippery fingers ran over his firm buttocks, then clamped onto his hips to turn him back to her. She soaped her hands a bit more and proceeded to give him a thorough, intimate cleansing.
He had his answer. Apparently, the sound of the rushing water kept her from realizing she was not actually hearing his voice. Her gentle massage terminated his interest in the experiment. Later. For now he was determined not to miss a single, enjoyable second of her attentions.
Steve closed her eyes as his hands performed a reciprocal service on her body. She was locking away every touch, every shimmering feeling. The night would come when she would need to take the memories out to ease her loneliness. Her certainty of that was so strong it must have made her hear him say what she herself was thinking. How would she bear it when he left?
His fingers slid between her thighs and covered her mound with his palm. Steve felt the warmth entering her flesh, like it had in her arms and legs when he relieved her pain after the fight in Miami. As then, she felt the immediate soothing affect his magical touch brought with it. "Mmmm. Much better. Thank you."
Falcon urged her against him and kissed her tenderly. "I apologize. I am afraid in my enthusiasm I did not consider your welfare as I should have."
"Don't you dare apologize for giving me the most fantastic night of my entire life." She sounded like she was scolding him, but her smile gave her away. After rinsing and turning off the water, Steve opened the door and reached for the two towels she had laid out. Falcon promptly took them out of her hand and dropped them on the floor.
"I have a much more interesting method of removing the moisture. One I am positive a conservation-minded Californian would approve."
Steve did not have to wait to discover what that method might be. Falcon's head dipped forward as if to kiss her again, but instead his unusual tongue flicked out to lick up a drop of water from the tip of her nose. She could not prevent the giggle that escaped. It tickled. He licked the water from her cheekbones, her eyelids, and the corners of her mouth. Steve sighed and willingly gave herself over to his ministrations.
"Your emotions are so delightfully obvious, Steve." With the slightest pressure under her chin, he tipped her head slightly back and lapped up the tiny pool of water in the hollow at the base of her throat. Falcon drew his rough tongue across her collarbone, stopping to drink the moisture pocketed in the indentations there. He absorbed her dampness, just as he absorbed the recurring shivers vibrating through her body.
"You like the feel of my tongue. I am aware that my tongue is more abrasive than a human's. I never considered it a matter of importance." He used it to trace her fingers and drew each one
into his mouth and out. His hot breath exhaling softly on her palms and inner arms was like a desert breeze, as he blazed a trail back to her shoulders. The dampness on her skin evaporated on its own, but he continued the task he had set for himself.
His tongue snaked a path down and around her right breast, outlining her fullness in ever-decreasing circles. Finally, he captured the peak between his lips, sucking and tickling, until Steve thought every nerve in her body had been drawn into that one tight nucleus. Only then did he move to her left breast and repeat the heavenly torment. Each crest was treated to a parting kiss before he continued his observations.
"I was of the mistaken belief that the purpose was to give me a more acute sense of taste." Falcon placed a kiss between her breasts. Steve gasped and contracted her stomach when he proceeded to gently scrape his tongue in a jagged line to her navel. That sensitive small indentation received a seductive swirl and another kiss as he knelt before her.
"It has occurred to me that there is something else it may be good for. I can touch you, satisfy you, in a way no man in your world can." The warning did not prepare her for the shock of his unique appendage easing itself between her thighs, tasting, stroking, learning all the ways she was different from him. Overcome with pleasurable weakness, Steve's knees gave out. Falcon quickly moved his hands up the back of her thighs, bracing her for his next attack on her senses.
He dragged his tongue slowly to the center of her passion. Steve knew she was breathing too rapidly; her heart was pounding too heavily. She could not survive. But she could not stop this exquisite torture, either. Trembling from head to toe, she pressed her fists into his shoulders. Her fingers clenched and unclenched, tangling and tugging on his hair. This was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Higher and higher, she spiraled. Toward what? Silently, she begged for release from the all-consuming tension building inside her mind and body.
Falcon must have heard her plea. His movements became controlled, limited to imitating the stroking that had brought her such pleasure when he was inside her a short time ago. She heard herself moan—a sound that was part pleasure, part pain. Teeth gritted, eyes squeezed shut, head thrown back in near delirium, complete ecstasy swept through her like a cyclone.
Falcon absorbed the violent quaking of her body, and held her tighter. Suddenly she collapsed in his arms. Panic overwhelmed him. Had he gone too far? After all, what did he really know about human females? Gingerly, he touched her temple. In his mind's eye he saw the same twinkling prisms he had seen with the loss of his virginity. He shared her return to consciousness. When Steve's lashes fluttered, he removed his fingers.
"What..."
Falcon kissed her nose and smiled. "Apparently your body decided it was time for a nap."
"My God! I fainted! I've never fainted in my life." Steve blushed as she realized what had caused the lapse, but did not lower her gaze. "That was incredible. I'm just not sure I would ever want to go through it again—at least not today." She laughed and kissed his nose right back.
After indulging in a lazy breakfast, it required very little urging on Falcon's part to convince Steve to take a real nap before they set out on their mission. The plan was to leave in mid-afternoon wearing simple disguises, enter the Underwood building separately, and remain hidden until after closing time. Their information on the building's layout and security systems was extremely sketchy, but a test run was not a viable option.
Between the two of them they recalled that, although there was a desk and monitor in the lobby, no one had been at the security station when either of them had entered. More than likely a guard was posted only at night. During the day each floor probably had its own receptionist, as the executive floor had, to screen its visitors. As they exited from an elevator onto any level, they ran the risk of being stopped and possibly recognized. Falcon had seen two closed doors in the lobby, aside from the elevator, and they pinned their hopes that at least one of them led to a temporary refuge.
When Steve awoke a short time later, it occurred to her that she felt more rested than she had any right to, but immediately channelled her revitalized energy into preparing for the job ahead. She chose a simply styled, shoulder-length, light brown wig and donned a navy-blue, tailored business suit, white blouse, and low-heeled shoes. With the addition of a pair of tortoiseshell glasses and a slightly scarred ' briefcase, she could pass for an unremarkable salesperson.
Due to her limited resources, Steve could not change Falcon's appearance as easily. She finally settled on a variation of the Nevada cover. A black baseball cap to entrap his hair, sunglasses, a tee shirt and her utility belt changed him enough to fool a casual onlooker, but, if someone was actually looking for him, they might see through the props. They would have to be extremely cautious. To Falcon's relief, he could forego the false lenses as long as he kept the shades on. He had a feeling all his gifts would be called on this night.
Just as Steve unlocked the door of her Mustang, Falcon stopped her. "Wait. A man was here, at your vehicle." He closed his eyes and placed his outstretched palms on the hood.
Steve froze, not understanding, but obeying implicitly. When Falcon moved away from the car, she waited for him to explain.
"The image is fading, which means what I am seeing occurred many hours ago, at least twelve. The man's aura is dark but not truly evil. He opened this front segment and loosened two fittings on the driver's side. Then he left. Does this make sense to you?"
Steve frowned and bent down to inspect the asphalt under the car. Beneath the master cylinder was a small stain. Touching the spot, she discovered it was fresh. One sniff of the translucent, oily substance confirmed it was brake fluid.
She straightened, keeping her dirty finger away from her suit, and opened her briefcase with her other hand. While she located a tissue, she said, "At the very least, someone's tampered with the brake line, but I'd have to get in there to know for sure.
"This reminds me of the gang attack in Miami. If we had driven away from here without checking, we would almost certainly have had an accident on one of the hills. It would have slowed us down, might even have caused some injury, but the odds are we would have survived. I believe that was the intention with the fight. We were supposed to be sidetracked and injured, perhaps severely enough to be hospitalized, but that chauffeur didn't kill us when he had a clear shot. The only thing I can figure
is Underwood hopes to discourage us without having to do anything as messy as murder."
"I am not so sure, Steve. I picked up a conflicting message from the Oriental. He would have been satisfied to cause my death."
"Well, either way they can't know we have some very unusual talent on our side." Steve winked at him. "At any rate, the only way I'd drive this car is after I bled the brake lines and replaced the fluid, and there isn't time for all that. We'd better call a cab."
Falcon followed her back into the house. "You would be able to effect those repairs yourself?"
"Oh, sure. Daddy made sure I could do anything he could do, including auto mechanics. Actually that's one reason I've never traded in this old classic. I know where every single part is located and how it works. It's easier to stick with things I'm familiar with."
Now it was Falcon's turn to frown. She had clearly made an exception to that rule in his case. He turned her to him, and his fingers traced the line of her jaw. "Regrets, Steve?"
His question could have pertained to a thousand different things, but she knew what he was asking. She took his fingers in her hand and brought them to her lips for a soft kiss, then placed them over her heart. Raising her hands, she removed his glasses and wrapped her arms around his neck. She could see herself reflected in his devastating eyes.
"Not one, Falcon." She stood on tiptoe to deliver a soul-wrenching kiss. His hands slid down her back and applied enough pressure to bring her flush against him. Using more will power than she thought she possessed, she broke the kiss. "And if you start that again, it will be too late to ge
t into Underwood's building, and you know it."
Falcon had trouble surfacing from the sensual haze that had enveloped him the moment she looked into his eyes. "This emotion, desire, is most interesting. I would not have believed it possible, but now that I have ... given in to it, it comes more easily, and more potently. A moment ago I was ready to forget my entire mission for one more hour in your arms. I suppose, in time, I will improve my control over it."
Steve laughed at his analytical manner. "Well, let's hope you don't start improving until you go home." The words hung in the air between them. It was Steve's turn to grow serious. Falcon opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with her fingertips. Steve forced the smile back on her face. "No. It's okay. I really don't want to talk about it."
By the time the cab arrived and took them into San Francisco, the marginal hour they had allowed themselves had been burned up. They got out a block away from the building and Falcon went first, as planned. The less time he spent out in the open, the better. Ten minutes later, Steve followed.
As Steve entered the building, two people exited the elevator. She walked to the directory and studied it intently during the seconds it took them to depart the building. From that location she scanned the lobby. The monitor and keyboard at the desk reminded her to keep an eye out for cameras. Where were the two doors Falcon had seen? At the far end of the lobby was a hallway.
Steve took a moment to be sure no one was about to exit the elevator. The motor was silent. Quickly, she investigated the hallway, which turned out to be no more than an alcove with two doors. Above one was the familiar red-lettered "Exit" sign. She opened the door to verify that she had found the stairs. Her hand touched the next doorknob. Instantly it opened, and she was yanked inside. The one glimpse she had before the door closed again told her Falcon, minus his disguise, had pulled her into the janitor's closet.
The only illumination came from a minuscule strip at the bottom of the door. It was enough to make her realize any light they turned on inside might be detected outside as well. Falcon's eyes glowed down at her. Of course, he could see fine. She could tell he was smiling, and whispered, "You think you're pretty smart, huh?" He did not bother to respond. "It's awfully cramped in here. Did you notice if the floor was clean enough to sit on?"
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