Tempest - Kris Michaels Page 0,97
yes." Her sister bit her bottom lip before she asked, "Did this woman who raised you treat you... well?"
Pilar drew a deep breath and told the truth, "She didn't treat me unwell. I was an annoyance to her when I was small. I was raised primarily by nannies, and when I was old enough, I attended boarding school. I was sent to the best colleges. I'm a lawyer in Florida." She wouldn't disclose any of the atrocities Regina had instigated. "What about you? Did you fare well after our parents passed?"
The woman glanced at the man who stood beside Luke. Her eyes softened and she nodded. "I had some difficult moments, but Mike has been my salvation." She extended the hand which was not holding hers. He walked to her and took her hand. "This is my husband, Mike White Cloud. He and I work for Guardian and live in South Dakota."
"You work for Guardian?" She glanced at Luke who smiled.
"We both do. Taty teaches language proficiency, and I run a training complex for Guardian. It is a very small world, isn't it?" Mike gave her a brilliant smile.
Pilar shook her head in disbelief. "Very small." A realization zinged through her. Her life had really begun the moment she walked into the cell and met Luke. A series of events using that meeting as an impetus culminated in the life she was always supposed to have... with her Guardian.
Pilar hadn't taken a breath since her sister and brother-in-law had left the hotel room fifteen minutes ago. He answered her when she paused long enough for him to get a word in edgewise, but his participation wasn't necessary. His lady was floating on a cloud, and he wasn't going to do a thing to make her happiness dissipate. This is what he'd wanted for her. Safety and happiness. Tempest tuned back into the one-sided conversation she was having with herself.
"She's going to send me a picture of her, I mean our, mother and father. She looks so much like me. Did you notice her arm? She said while she was working for MI6, she was shot so she doesn't have too much strength, but I mean, she was shot! And MI6! James Bond stuff right there."
Suddenly she twisted around, a slight wince at her sudden movement flashed across her face. "You must think I'm the most boring thing in the world."
What? "Excuse me? I think I missed part of the conversation somewhere. Why in the world would I think that?" He rose from the chair where he'd been watching her bounce from the couch, to the windows, back to the couch and up again, and sat down with her on the couch.
She waved an arm toward the door. "You work with those types of people. I mean Guardian, MI6. You left alone and came back with a team of men." She glanced down at her tightly clasped hands. "How in the world can I keep your attention?"
He slid closer to her and tipped her chin up so he could see those beautiful blue eyes. "You've had my attention every minute of every day since the moment you walked into my cell. What we have, this connection, it is more than a momentary thrill for me. My job has its excitement, and yes, dangers, but I don't need or want such things at home. I want a partner who is vital and alive, who leads her own life but makes room for me. You keep my attention by being the woman you are."
He searched her eyes and noticed the bruising the makeup she wore didn't quite conceal. As if drawn to a magnet he lowered his lips to hers. Her softness yielded to his sensuous assault, and he carefully moved her into his arms as he explored her mouth, jaw, and chin, in a trail of small kisses.
"Please. I want you." She extended her arm and brushed his hair from his eyes.
"You've got me." He picked her up from the couch, stepped into the bedroom, and carefully laid her down on the bed. He toed off his boots, shucked his jeans and boxers and whipped his shirt over his head. Her eyes traveled down his nude body and back up. She smiled and crooked a finger at him. He smiled in return as he crawled up her body.
"You have too many clothes on, my lady." He pushed up the silk tee and waited as she lifted her arms above her head to