Midnight Hero - By Diana Duncan Page 0,23
O’Rourke. Sir.”
His sensual lips twitched. Then he burst into laughter. “Baby, I’ll kiss any thing you want. Any time. Any where.”
Whoo. “I appreciate the offer.” Was it normal to indulge in a brief erotic fantasy in the middle of a life-or-death situation? For her pulse to throb, her skin heat, awareness tingle over her? She was going insane.
As if he’d read her naughty thoughts, his eyes grew dark and smoky. “It’s not an offer, it’s a promise. But if it makes you feel better, you can tally it in your notebook.”
A guilty flush stole up her neck. What would he say if he knew over the past six months, she’d compiled a mental roster of intimate activities she’d like to indulge in with him?
“You’re not pale now.” He trailed a finger down her cheek. Studied her. Grinned with sudden enlightenment. “I’ll be damned. You and your lists. I’d love to get an eyes-on assessment of that one, darlin’. How much am I into you for?”
Busted by Officer Sexy. Her flush burned hotter. “About twenty items.”
Amusement and desire glittered in his dark eyes, danced around his mouth. “I’ll pay up in full.”
They had to live through the night first. Jolted to reality, she swallowed hard. “Let’s table this discussion until later.”
“Count on it.” He sobered. “Enjoyable as this is, I’ve got a recon to perform.”
“Right. What do you want me to do?”
He glanced around. “Most hunted animals, including humans, go to ground. If anyone comes looking, they’ll search low.” He pointed. “Up there.”
A trampoline hung suspended from the ceiling. He lifted her onto the counter and levered up beside her. His cupped hands boosted her onto the trampoline’s taut surface, and then he jumped to the floor. He extinguished the flashlights. “If you don’t move, I can’t see you at all in the dark. Stay put. Don’t budge. Don’t make a sound until I return and you know for sure it’s me.”
She scooted to the edge of the trampoline. “Be careful.” She blew him a kiss.
He pretended to tuck the kiss into his jacket pocket. “For later.” He gave her a roguish wink, turned and strode out.
Bailey lay spread-eagled on the trampoline and waited. Waited. And waited. Eerie silence smothered the room. How long did a recon take? She mentally skulked up the dark mall with Con, picturing every cautious step, every heart-shaking pause. Fear thrummed inside her. Stop it.
Seeking a diversion, she glanced around the store. A tiny pair of ice skates caught her gaze. She smiled. The mall held a lot of good memories. She and Con had gone ice-skating at the mall’s rink on their third date. On a weekday, the rink was sparsely populated. She’d stroked the ice to pop songs blaring from the loudspeakers. A natural-born athlete, Con had tossed cinnamon gum into his mouth, skated backward and teased her to go faster. His joie de vivre was contagious. They’d danced across the ice, engaged in a breathless, daring one-upmanship that he’d won by executing a back flip.
She’d jokingly called him a show-off and pushed him down on his backside. Laughing, he’d tugged her on top of him, and kissed her for the first time. The instant their lips touched, she’d felt as if she’d belonged to him forever. Lost in the kiss, all awareness had faded. Until he’d gently reminded her they were in a public arena. He’d helped her up, wiggled his eyebrows and offered to kiss her thoroughly later, in a more private place. She’d blushed crimson from forehead to toenails.
More flushed and breathless from the kiss than the exercise, they’d sat at a cozy table in the back of the concession area and sipped cocoa dotted with marshmallows. Later, at her front door, when his hard body had brushed hers and he’d kissed her goodbye, he’d tasted of sweet, dark chocolate and cinnamon…and oh-so-tempting sin.
The desire to take their relationship to the next level both physically and emotionally had grown each time they were together. Each touch, each kiss, every beat of his heart had made her long to be his. Until her doubts and fears had begun to choke off her feelings.
Tingling in her fingers tugged her back to the present. Her hand was going numb from inactivity, and she shook it. How long had it been? She retrieved a flashlight from her pack and checked her watch. Twenty-two minutes. Twenty-two minutes was plenty of time. Waiting turned into worrying. What if he’d been caught? What if—?
No. She wouldn’t wander down