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APHRODITE'SPASSION-JULIEKENNER

Chapter Twenty

“Really? I can’t imagine that. But good riddance.”
At that, she had to grin. “Yeah, well, even if you don’t believe me, I’ve never exactly been a male-magnet.”
“You don’t need to be a magnet, Tracy. All you need to find is that one guy.”
“Sometimes that’s harder than it sounds.”
The waitress arrived and poured them each a glass of champagne. Hale held his up in a toast, his eyes soft and warm. “To the successful conclusion of your search.”
Although she managed to stay calm and sip her champagne after they clinked glasses, Tracy’s mind was going a million miles an hour.
Did he mean good luck concluding her manhunt in the future? Or did he mean now? Him. Hale. That he was the conclusion of her search?
She didn’t know, and she tried not to let her eager little brain latch onto the second possibility. She had such lousy luck with men. Always jumping to conclusions and getting hurt. First Walter. Then Leon. She stifled a shudder. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Hale. This was a fling, and that’s all it was.
And with a fling she was more than justified in making the first, bold move.
Leaning across the table, she took his free hand. “Thank you for the champagne. And for rescuing me. And for inviting me out tonight. It’s been a truly adventurous day.”
Above the table, he squeezed her hand. Below the table, his fingers urged the thin material of her dress up, leaving her knee and the top of her thigh exposed. She stifled a gasp as his fingers slipped down, softly grazing the sensitive spot beneath her knee.
“What if I told you the adventure wasn’t quite over?” he asked, his voice low and inviting. “Would that be good? Or bad?”
She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. He hadn’t said so in words, but she knew exactly what kind of adventures he was talking about. And at the moment, she couldn’t think of one single thing she wanted more.
“It would be good,” she whispered, willing her voice to work. “It would be very, very good.”

Hale breathed a sigh of relief.
So far so good. The only question now was how did he parlay seduction into Tracy’s agreement to give him the belt? So far, he’d just assumed that getting close to Tracy would be sufficient. Certainly he’d never had any trouble in the past getting what he wanted from women he seduced. Yet, somehow, this was different. Tracy Tannin had a core that he liked, even respected. And that was something new.
He still wanted to sleep with her, sure. He wanted that desperately. But the mission wasn’t a factor at all. There was a desire he felt, born of more than sexual attraction or devotion to duty. And that realization left him reeling.
On top of that little problem, he also felt a twinge of guilt. The belt meant the world to Tracy, and his job was to take it away. Essentially, to hurt her. His mission called for it, and so he had to do it. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
And there was still work to do. He’d thought they’d made some sort of connection. The way she looked at him, the kiss at the mall—all those things had suggested to him that there was something between them. A bond, as Zephron would call it. But when he’d asked for the belt, she’d turned him down flat. She’d almost given it to him—he’d seen the decision in her eyes—but then she’d said no. Which meant he hadn’t yet done what he needed to do. He still had to get closer. Which meant it was time to ramp up his seduction efforts.
Tracy took another sip of champagne and leaned closer to him, almost conspiratorially. “So, what kind of adventure? Are you going to take me on some sort of superhero journey?”
“The thought had occurred to me.” But, no. He didn’t want to perform for Tracy, like he had for other women; didn’t want to do tricks. He just wanted her. Her skin against his. Her lips touching his. Their bodies, mingling until he wasn’t sure where he ended and she began.
Standing up, he took her hand. He needed to get her in private. And soon. “Come on.”
Her eyes widened, but she followed him outside to the valet stand. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Someplace I think you’ll like.” He gave the bellman his valet ticket, then ushered Tracy into his Ferrari as soon as it pulled up into the circular drive.
Fortunately, he’d kept his room at the Malibu hotel. Since he hadn’t known how long the mission would last— and he was still in California—it had seemed silly to cancel it. And though he was now staying at the ritzier and more conveniently located Century Park East hotel, he’d harbored hopes of finishing his mission and returning to enjoy a vacation there.
His Ferrari zipped through traffic and took the curves to Malibu like a dream. Through the entire drive, Tracy just sat there, a grin on her face, as she tried to guess their destination.
“The ocean!” she said as they came over a curve, the deep blue waters of the Pacific coming into view. From the look on her face, he knew he’d made the right decision. “You brought me to the ocean!”
“You said you liked it.”
“And you remembered.” She reached over, resting her hand on his as he worked the gear shift. “Thank you.”
A knot rose in his throat and he told himself that he was doing this for the mission, not for her. But somehow, he didn’t quite believe it. Something was building in him—a desire, a happiness, something he couldn’t explain.
He pulled up in front of the Malibu hotel and turned the car over to the valet, then led her through the lobby and into the elevator. He hit the button to make the doors close, then he pulled her into his arms.
“Dammit, Tracy. You’re driving me crazy.” It was a desire he’d never felt so strongly. He wasn’t sure what reaction he’d been expecting, but the sound of her delighted laughter wasn’t it.
“Really?” she asked, He couldn’t manage a response. Especially when she stepped up next to him, so close she could tell for herself just how crazy she was making him. Her hand slipped down between their bodies, stroking him until Hale thought he’d have to strangle any person who dared join them on the elevator.
“Well, well,” she said. “Maybe you are a little crazy.”
“I’ll show you crazy.” In one bold movement, he pressed her back against the paneled wall. She moaned, low in her throat. He moved closer, longing to feel her skin against his. He closed his mouth over hers, the sweetness making him dizzy. “Tracy.” He whispered her name, rejoicing when she snuggled closer. The elevator door dinged and opened again.
“What floor are you on?”
His mind went blank. He’d forgotten to hit that button.
Laughing, she pushed him away with the palm of her hands. “We need to get you some oxygen so you can think better.”
Normal thought returned as their distance increased. “Fifteen,” he said. Then more firmly, “Yeah. Room fifteen-ten.”
“So press the button, mister.”
He did, stretching his arm around her to reach the control panel. But instead of standing back upright again, he shifted closer and, with the tip of his finger, slipped her hair behind her ear. “Maybe I should just hit the stop button.”
“Why?” Her question came out on a single breath, tickling the skin on his neck.
“Elevators can be so very erotic, don’t you think?”
Her back was against the paneling, her head tilted up. “I... I guess I never thought about it.”
Her lips, soft and perfect, were only inches from his, and Hale bent over, wanting to taste perfection.
“Well, you don’t need to think,” he murmured. “Just let me show you.”
Her lips parted in sweet compliance with his silent demand. The palm of his hand caught her waist, pulling her close. Though he was several inches taller, they fit together perfectly.
She squirmed against him, the physical manifestation of her need delighting him, and he cupped her rear, reveling in her excitement even as he silently cursed the fact that they were fully dressed and in a public place.
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes closed.
“Yes, what?”
“Very erotic.” She opened her eyes, passion burning in her green irises. “But please, can’t we get to your room now?”
He seconded that desire and, fortunately for both of them, the elevator slid to a stop; the doors opened to reveal an empty hallway. Good, since considering how intertwined their bodies were, they’d be giving quite a show to any innocent bystanders.
They stumbled out, and it was all he could do to keep his fingers off the buttons of her sundress.
“Where?” Tracy gasped. The word was more demand than question.
Her eyes met his, and they both started laughing.
“We’re pathetic,” Tracy said after she caught her breath. “It’s like we’re in high school or something. Just two completely horny little kids.”
“I’d say that about sums it up.” Except it was so much more than just lust—at least on Hale’s part. He wanted to cherish this woman by making love to her. Oh, he wanted to satisfy himself in the process—that was a given—but when the night was over, he wanted Tracy to realize just how special she was.
“You’d think we could make it to the door before attacking each other,” she was saying. There was laughter behind her words, but also a trace of nervousness. Suddenly, he understood. She did feel like a girl on a first date. Awkward and unsure. Afraid the guy didn’t really like her.
Well, that was one misconception Hale intended to dispense with. And pronto. As they reached his door, he fished in the back pocket of his jeans for his card key. The light came on red. He tried again. Still red.
“Let me try.” Her luck wasn’t any better.
“Here,” he said, taking the card. “Third time’s a charm.” Only it wasn’t. The light was still red. Just as red as his passion for Tracy, and if he didn’t get inside that hotel room, they’d both end up arrested for public indecency.
Time for some serious action.
“Should we go back and tell the front desk?” Tracy asked.
“Let me try one more time.” Telekinetic skills were standard for Protectors, but manipulating objects he couldn’t see was difficult. His only chance was that he’d done this sort of thing before. Slipping the card back in the slot, he let his mind picture the locking mechanism on the inside of the door. With intense concentration, he twisted it, hoping Tracy had no clue as to what he was doing.
“It’s still red,” she said. “Oh! Wait. It just turned green.”
He’d done it. And he pushed the door open before the lock had a chance to fall back into place. “We’re in.”
Barely had she entered the room when he caught her around the waist, pulling her close as the door shut behind them.
“All alone in your room.” Her tone was innocent, but she snuggled closer as she spoke, her hips writhing against his in a motion that was anything but demure. “What have you got in store for me now?”
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” he said. “But I can promise that you’ll enjoy it.”

APHRODITE'SPASSION-JULIEKENNER

Chapter Twenty

“Mmmm.” Even to her own ears, Tracy’s low murmur seemed dreamy. She was far gone, and she knew it. “If this is the appetizer, I’m not sure I’ll survive the main course.”
He pulled back just slightly, but from the look in his eyes, she knew Hale didn’t enjoy the increased distance between them any more than she did. “Maybe we should stop. I’d hate for you to fill up before we get to dessert.”
“I guess that depends what’s for dessert.”
“Pure, hot decadence,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss the side of her neck.
Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, giving him better access. “Decadence, huh? You certainly know the way to a woman’s heart.”
“Sweetheart, that dish is my specialty.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what Deena and Lane said.” She spoke the words with a chuckle in her voice, but he seemed to tense anyway, and she wondered if she’d struck a nerve. Presumably, he was afraid she wanted some sort of long-term commitment. An honest fear, she supposed, since that’s what most women wanted.
But right now, she didn’t. She was having too much fun exploring her growing newfound confidence. Plus, the thought of anything permanent with Hale ... well, really. She was just flattered he wanted her for now. Even if she had fantasies of something longer-lasting, she knew it wouldn’t really happen. Just because he did something nice for her by buying the car kit, didn’t mean they were establishing any sort of relationship. He was just being kind. Considering she was just Tracy and he was Hale—the object of desire for women all over the world—forever was pretty much out of the question. Wasn’t it?
“So, where are we going?”
He stroked her cheek. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”
Amused, she said, “I can wait. I’m patient.” Then, lifting herself on her tiptoes, she whispered in his ear, “How are we going to get there?”
“We’re walking.”
Walking? In Los Angeles? No one walked in Los Angeles. “We’re not near anything. Where are we walking to?”
“The Century Plaza Hotel.” He held out his arm for her. “I thought I’d buy you a drink.”
Oh, that sounded good. “I can handle a drink.”
“Can you handle a walk?”
“Sure.”
The hotel was just up the road from the mall, across the street from the twin towers that had housed the pretend offices of Remington Steele years ago. Tracy supposed that if the neighborhood was good enough for Pierce Brosnan, it was good enough for her.
She and Hale strolled in comfortable silence until they hit Century Park East. Feeling devilish, she took his hand.
Not exactly a wanton action, but it made her feel bold and provocative nonetheless. When he squeezed her fingers, it made her feel light-headed.
As they approached the hotel, a doorman opened the ornate glass door, and they walked through into a lobby of tasteful opulence. “You have a room here? I’m impressed.”
“Well, tonight I have a room here.”
She cocked her head. “Tonight?”
“Tomorrow I’m in a house—your house. Remember?”
She laughed. “Right.” Then she swallowed as the situation hit home. She was alone with Hale in a four-star hotel. The situation was the ultimate in decadence ... and was delightful.
He nodded toward the lobby bar. “Why don’t you grab us some seats while I check my messages.”
She agreed, and quickly headed off in that direction.
Hale arrived at the table she’d procured at the same time the waitress returned. “Champagne, please,” he said. “Dom. Put it on my room tab.”
Tracy started to argue—a bottle of Dom wasn’t exactly cheap—but then she managed to keep her mouth shut. If this man wanted to buy her champagne, she was going to let him.
The small, round marble table provided almost no buffer between them, and when she scooted her chair closer, her breath caught as her knee bumped against his. Instinctively, she started to pull away, then felt his hand close over the thin cotton material of her sundress. For a fleeting moment, she wished she’d worn a miniskirt.
His fingers traced a circular pattern on her knee, and she lost herself to the sensation until somewhere in the back of her brain she realized he was talking.
Oh. Words. She squinted, trying to will her mind to listen.
“—about being an animal trainer.”
Work stuff. Small talk. That was good. She could talk about work on autopilot and still let part of her brain get lost in the wonder of his touch.
“I love it. I told you. I’ve always loved animals. And I’ve always loved Hollywood, too. My grandmother was an early film star—Tahlula Tannin.” Hale nodded in recognition, and she continued. “Anyway, when my grandmother was older, she starred in a sitcom that had an animal cast. Mel worked for the company that did the training, and I hung out on the set.”
“So that’s how you met Mel?”
His fingers were still stroking, and it took her a second to realize it had been a question. “What? Oh! Yes, in a roundabout way. I went and worked for a vet for a while, then for another local company that trained animals. Last year, when Mel bought Paws In Production from her boss, she hired me. We’d been friends, but once we started working together, we became even closer.”
Stroke, stroke. The man’s touch was driving her crazy. She gnawed on her lower lip, fighting the urge to leap over the table and demand more.
“She sounds like a good friend.”
“Oh, she is. Once my grandmother died, I pretty much just had Mel.”
“You and your grandmother were close?” The stroking stopped, and Tracy mentally breathed a sigh of relief. She tried to get her thoughts to return to a state of semi-normalcy.
“Oh, yeah.” She’d tried to describe her relationship with her grandmother before, but never managed to find words adequate. “She raised me, you know. She was Mom and Dad and best friend all rolled into one. She let me get away with murder in some ways even while keeping me on a strict leash in the important ones.” She blinked back fresh tears. “Sorry. The whole thing makes me sentimental.”
“Don’t apologize for loving your family.”
The smile she flashed him felt weak, but her whole heart was in it. “My grandmother was wonderful.” Leaning sideways from the table, she pointed to her belt, wanting to explain her grandmother’s odd gift to this man. “This was hers. I found it recently.” She shrugged. “That’s why I’ve been wearing it so much lately.”
Instead of looking bored, Hale seemed genuinely interested. “It’s beautiful. Antique?”
She nodded. “I should probably frame it. Maybe in a shadow box or something. I’m stupid to wear it; I couldn’t bear to lose it. And I guess it must be worth something, since that guy you saved me from wanted it. Maybe it’s real gold.”
“Your grandmother willed it to you? Interesting legacy.”
“Even more interesting since I just found it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was in a box in the attic. All the specific stuff mentioned in her will was inventoried by the lawyers. But this wasn’t in the will. I mean, it was, since I inherited everything that didn’t go to anyone else. But it wasn’t a specific bequest.” She frowned, remembering the engraving. “And there was a message, so she definitely meant for me to have it.”
Hale’s blue eyes were bright as he leaned closer. “A message?”
“Yeah. Like a riddle. Something like, Be careful what you wish for. And it was addressed to me.” She shook her head, not intending to get lost in that quagmire again. “Not like my grandmother at all. She was very up-front. Riddles weren’t exactly her thing.”
“Interesting.” He stroked her hand. “Why don’t you let me borrow it for a few days? I know some people in the antique business. Maybe they can give you some information about it.” He looked deep into her eyes. “And you know you can trust me. I’ll take good care of it.”
Tracy hesitated. She was curious about the belt. If Hale knew someone who could tell her its history, or even what it was worth, it might be a good idea to let him take it.
Her hand slipped to her waist, and her fingers closed over the clasp. But she couldn’t bring herself to unfasten the thing.
Odd
She tried once more. Again, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“Sorry,” she finally said, not quite sure why she was hesitating, but willing to trust her instincts. “I just can’t bear to part with it. Its value to me is sentimental, you know.” She grinned, feeling a little foolish. “That, and it seems to give me a jolt of confidence. Pop psychology, you know.” She shrugged. “Anyway, it’s nice of you, but no, thanks. I’d rather keep it close to me. I’d be devastated if it got lost.”
He nodded, though he looked a little disappointed he couldn’t help. “I understand.”
“What I really want is to know the story behind her message, and I don’t think you can help me there.”
“Probably not,” he admitted. “There must have been things about your grandmother’s life you weren’t aware of.”
“I suppose.” She munched on a pretzel as she considered the proposition. “When you get right down to it, I guess, everyone has secrets. Don’t you think?”
“I know they do.”
She leaned closer. “Yeah? Well, what are your secrets?”
“I already told you the biggest one.” He grinned. “I’m a superhero.”
A laugh escaped her. “Sorry. I forgot.”
“Forgot?” His face morphed into an expression of mock-offense. Then he held up an arm and flexed his muscles. “How could you forget?”
“Hard to believe, I know.”
They laughed together for a moment until his eyes turned serious again. “So, you lost your parents when you were young?”
She nodded. “I barely remember them.”
“Me, too.” One shoulder moved in a shrug. “My mom. My dad’s still around.” He took her hand. “It’s not easy.”
She blinked back a tear, surprising herself. “No, it’s not.” But she was glad he understood. Somehow it made her feel closer to him.
“It was just you and your grandmother for a while... then you and Mel?”
“Pretty much.”
“No boyfriends to turn to?”
She met his eyes, but couldn’t bear to hold the gaze and ended up looking down to where she was methodically shredding her cocktail napkin. “No. Nothing serious. Well, one. Walter. You know, from the coffee shop. But it didn’t last.”
“You dumped him.”
“Hardly. He quite unceremoniously walked out on me.”
“Really? I can’t imagine that. But good riddance.”
At that, she had to grin. “Yeah, well, even if you don’t believe me, I’ve never exactly been a male-magnet.”
“You don’t need to be a magnet, Tracy. All you need to find is that one guy.”
“Sometimes that’s harder than it sounds.”
The waitress arrived and poured them each a glass of champagne. Hale held his up in a toast, his eyes soft and warm. “To the successful conclusion of your search.”
Although she managed to stay calm and sip her champagne after they clinked glasses, Tracy’s mind was going a million miles an hour.
Did he mean good luck concluding her manhunt in the future? Or did he mean now? Him. Hale. That he was the conclusion of her search?
She didn’t know, and she tried not to let her eager little brain latch onto the second possibility. She had such lousy luck with men. Always jumping to conclusions and getting hurt. First Walter. Then Leon. She stifled a shudder. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Hale. This was a fling, and that’s all it was.
And with a fling she was more than justified in making the first, bold move.
Leaning across the table, she took his free hand. “Thank you for the champagne. And for rescuing me. And for inviting me out tonight. It’s been a truly adventurous day.”
Above the table, he squeezed her hand. Below the table, his fingers urged the thin material of her dress up, leaving her knee and the top of her thigh exposed. She stifled a gasp as his fingers slipped down, softly grazing the sensitive spot beneath her knee.
“What if I told you the adventure wasn’t quite over?” he asked, his voice low and inviting. “Would that be good? Or bad?”
She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. He hadn’t said so in words, but she knew exactly what kind of adventures he was talking about. And at the moment, she couldn’t think of one single thing she wanted more.
“It would be good,” she whispered, willing her voice to work. “It would be very, very good.”

Hale breathed a sigh of relief.
So far so good. The only question now was how did he parlay seduction into Tracy’s agreement to give him the belt? So far, he’d just assumed that getting close to Tracy would be sufficient. Certainly he’d never had any trouble in the past getting what he wanted from women he seduced. Yet, somehow, this was different. Tracy Tannin had a core that he liked, even respected. And that was something new.
He still wanted to sleep with her, sure. He wanted that desperately. But the mission wasn’t a factor at all. There was a desire he felt, born of more than sexual attraction or devotion to duty. And that realization left him reeling.
On top of that little problem, he also felt a twinge of guilt. The belt meant the world to Tracy, and his job was to take it away. Essentially, to hurt her. His mission called for it, and so he had to do it. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
And there was still work to do. He’d thought they’d made some sort of connection. The way she looked at him, the kiss at the mall—all those things had suggested to him that there was something between them. A bond, as Zephron would call it. But when he’d asked for the belt, she’d turned him down flat. She’d almost given it to him—he’d seen the decision in her eyes—but then she’d said no. Which meant he hadn’t yet done what he needed to do. He still had to get closer. Which meant it was time to ramp up his seduction efforts.
Tracy took another sip of champagne and leaned closer to him, almost conspiratorially. “So, what kind of adventure? Are you going to take me on some sort of superhero journey?”
“The thought had occurred to me.” But, no. He didn’t want to perform for Tracy, like he had for other women; didn’t want to do tricks. He just wanted her. Her skin against his. Her lips touching his. Their bodies, mingling until he wasn’t sure where he ended and she began.
Standing up, he took her hand. He needed to get her in private. And soon. “Come on.”
Her eyes widened, but she followed him outside to the valet stand. “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Someplace I think you’ll like.” He gave the bellman his valet ticket, then ushered Tracy into his Ferrari as soon as it pulled up into the circular drive.
Fortunately, he’d kept his room at the Malibu hotel. Since he hadn’t known how long the mission would last— and he was still in California—it had seemed silly to cancel it. And though he was now staying at the ritzier and more conveniently located Century Park East hotel, he’d harbored hopes of finishing his mission and returning to enjoy a vacation there.
His Ferrari zipped through traffic and took the curves to Malibu like a dream. Through the entire drive, Tracy just sat there, a grin on her face, as she tried to guess their destination.
“The ocean!” she said as they came over a curve, the deep blue waters of the Pacific coming into view. From the look on her face, he knew he’d made the right decision. “You brought me to the ocean!”
“You said you liked it.”
“And you remembered.” She reached over, resting her hand on his as he worked the gear shift. “Thank you.”
A knot rose in his throat and he told himself that he was doing this for the mission, not for her. But somehow, he didn’t quite believe it. Something was building in him—a desire, a happiness, something he couldn’t explain.
He pulled up in front of the Malibu hotel and turned the car over to the valet, then led her through the lobby and into the elevator. He hit the button to make the doors close, then he pulled her into his arms.
“Dammit, Tracy. You’re driving me crazy.” It was a desire he’d never felt so strongly. He wasn’t sure what reaction he’d been expecting, but the sound of her delighted laughter wasn’t it.
“Really?” she asked, He couldn’t manage a response. Especially when she stepped up next to him, so close she could tell for herself just how crazy she was making him. Her hand slipped down between their bodies, stroking him until Hale thought he’d have to strangle any person who dared join them on the elevator.
“Well, well,” she said. “Maybe you are a little crazy.”
“I’ll show you crazy.” In one bold movement, he pressed her back against the paneled wall. She moaned, low in her throat. He moved closer, longing to feel her skin against his. He closed his mouth over hers, the sweetness making him dizzy. “Tracy.” He whispered her name, rejoicing when she snuggled closer. The elevator door dinged and opened again.
“What floor are you on?”
His mind went blank. He’d forgotten to hit that button.
Laughing, she pushed him away with the palm of her hands. “We need to get you some oxygen so you can think better.”
Normal thought returned as their distance increased. “Fifteen,” he said. Then more firmly, “Yeah. Room fifteen-ten.”
“So press the button, mister.”
He did, stretching his arm around her to reach the control panel. But instead of standing back upright again, he shifted closer and, with the tip of his finger, slipped her hair behind her ear. “Maybe I should just hit the stop button.”
“Why?” Her question came out on a single breath, tickling the skin on his neck.
“Elevators can be so very erotic, don’t you think?”
Her back was against the paneling, her head tilted up. “I... I guess I never thought about it.”
Her lips, soft and perfect, were only inches from his, and Hale bent over, wanting to taste perfection.
“Well, you don’t need to think,” he murmured. “Just let me show you.”
Her lips parted in sweet compliance with his silent demand. The palm of his hand caught her waist, pulling her close. Though he was several inches taller, they fit together perfectly.
She squirmed against him, the physical manifestation of her need delighting him, and he cupped her rear, reveling in her excitement even as he silently cursed the fact that they were fully dressed and in a public place.
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes closed.
“Yes, what?”
“Very erotic.” She opened her eyes, passion burning in her green irises. “But please, can’t we get to your room now?”
He seconded that desire and, fortunately for both of them, the elevator slid to a stop; the doors opened to reveal an empty hallway. Good, since considering how intertwined their bodies were, they’d be giving quite a show to any innocent bystanders.
They stumbled out, and it was all he could do to keep his fingers off the buttons of her sundress.
“Where?” Tracy gasped. The word was more demand than question.
Her eyes met his, and they both started laughing.
“We’re pathetic,” Tracy said after she caught her breath. “It’s like we’re in high school or something. Just two completely horny little kids.”
“I’d say that about sums it up.” Except it was so much more than just lust—at least on Hale’s part. He wanted to cherish this woman by making love to her. Oh, he wanted to satisfy himself in the process—that was a given—but when the night was over, he wanted Tracy to realize just how special she was.
“You’d think we could make it to the door before attacking each other,” she was saying. There was laughter behind her words, but also a trace of nervousness. Suddenly, he understood. She did feel like a girl on a first date. Awkward and unsure. Afraid the guy didn’t really like her.
Well, that was one misconception Hale intended to dispense with. And pronto. As they reached his door, he fished in the back pocket of his jeans for his card key. The light came on red. He tried again. Still red.
“Let me try.” Her luck wasn’t any better.
“Here,” he said, taking the card. “Third time’s a charm.” Only it wasn’t. The light was still red. Just as red as his passion for Tracy, and if he didn’t get inside that hotel room, they’d both end up arrested for public indecency.
Time for some serious action.
“Should we go back and tell the front desk?” Tracy asked.
“Let me try one more time.” Telekinetic skills were standard for Protectors, but manipulating objects he couldn’t see was difficult. His only chance was that he’d done this sort of thing before. Slipping the card back in the slot, he let his mind picture the locking mechanism on the inside of the door. With intense concentration, he twisted it, hoping Tracy had no clue as to what he was doing.
“It’s still red,” she said. “Oh! Wait. It just turned green.”
He’d done it. And he pushed the door open before the lock had a chance to fall back into place. “We’re in.”
Barely had she entered the room when he caught her around the waist, pulling her close as the door shut behind them.
“All alone in your room.” Her tone was innocent, but she snuggled closer as she spoke, her hips writhing against his in a motion that was anything but demure. “What have you got in store for me now?”
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” he said. “But I can promise that you’ll enjoy it.”