A Bite to Remember Page 0,72

watching."

"What?" she asked with surprise.

"I'm not used to an audience," he explained in pained tones. "Turn your back."

Jackie shook her head, but stood and moved to the door to the storage room. She leaned against the door jamb with her back to the room, slipping her shoes back on as she waited. After a moment of silence, Vincent said, "Make noise."

"What?" She glanced over her shoulder with amazement.

"Hum," he instructed. "I don't want you to hear."

"Oh, for heaven's sake! You're like a woman embarrassed to take a pee with people on the other side of the stall listening. Honestly." She glared at him, but it had no effect. He just waited patiently. Sighing, Jackie turned her back and began to hum, then feeling stupid, she stopped and said, "I'm going to go see if anyone is in the kitchen. Join me after you've finished here."

Slipping into the storage room, she pulled the door mostly closed, then walked around the shelf and crossed to the door leading into the kitchen. She pressed an ear to the door and listened. When she didn't hear any sound from the kitchen, Jackie hesitated, then unlocked the door and eased it open a crack so she could peek out.

The kitchen appeared empty, though she couldn't see all of it. Jackie considered stepping out and actually looking around, but something held her back. Her old hinky feeling was dancing along her spine, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Jackie always listened to her hinky feelings, so instead of stepping out, she held her breath and listened for any sound that might give away the presence of someone standing nearby in a part of the kitchen she couldn't see.

When she couldn't hold her breath anymore and still hadn't heard anything, Jackie eased the door closed again and took a deep breath as she relocked it. Sighing, she leaned her forehead against the door and silently prayed that she hadn't made a mistake. She'd felt sure that Trevor and Shell could be kept safe if Vincent had them lock the door between his office and the storeroom and then leave via the door leading from his office out into the hall, but now was starting to worry again. Her hinky feeling always meant something was going to happen, and she didn't want it to be that these two people died because of one of her bright ideas.

Jackie sighed unhappily at the prospect, then nearly jumped out of her skin when hands slid around her waist from behind.

"I can feel your worry," Vincent said softly. "Everything will be all right."

Jackie turned to peer up at him and asked in a whisper, "Are you done?"

He nodded, allowing his hands to link around her back. "I wiped their minds, instructed Trevor to lock the door behind me, then take Shell and return to the dance floor via the other door in the office. Everything will be all right."

Jackie released her breath on a slow sigh. "Okay. They should be okay."

"Yes, they should," Vincent agreed, then urged her closer, and brushed his lips gently over hers. "Thank you. Again."

Jackie went still as he kissed her properly. Vincent might be easygoing in nature, but he wasn't when it came to kissing. He showed a masterful side, his hand sliding into her hair and tilting her head where he wanted it while his tongue slid in to lash hers. Jackie gasped and then moaned as her senses were overwhelmed. The man smelled good, felt good, tasted good, and kissed like a dream. She was a trembling, wide-eyed mass when he broke the kiss and hugged her close.

"Damn, Jackie, I don't blame Shell for wanting to lick every inch of you. I'd be happy doing that myself."

She closed her eyes on the erotic images that filled her mind, then forced herself to step away and said weakly, "We should go back to the table."

Turning away before he could convince her otherwise, Jackie opened the door and led him out of the storage room.

"Would anyone like coffee?" Tiny asked as they entered the house an hour later.

"That sounds nice." Jackie moved up the hall rather than block the entry as Marguerite, Tiny, and Vincent followed her inside. They had gone to a couple more clubs before returning home, and it was late, but she was reluctant to end the evening. Jackie didn't want to be alone. The thoughts waiting to overwhelm her were not happy ones.

"I'm going to go change