Secret Agent Groom (The Bridal Circle #2) Read online

  “Who needs a night-light?” she asked with a laugh. After putting down the lemonade mix and pitcher on the kitchen table, she went over and opened the pantry. Dishes. Linens. Boxes of supplies.

  “There must be some form of light here,” she said. “A lantern. Candles, I have a little flashlight in my purse but I doubt the batteries will last all weekend.”

  “Even if there’s something there, it might not work. And we can’t stay here in the dark,” he said. “We’ll use your flashlight to put the fuses back in—”

  “Aha! Candles,” Heather cried and pulled a box out of a kitchen cabinet.

  “Yeah, but—”

  “And matches!” She held a little box in the air triumphantly. Ha. Had he really thought she would give in so quickly? She had tamed wilder beasts than he.

  She fit a candle in a holder on the shelf, then lit it. A soft warm glow washed over them, a faint flickering that seemed to bring new life to Alex’s eyes. Or was it in her eyes, in the way she was looking at everything?

  She felt a little quickening of her heartbeat. The room seemed smaller suddenly and Alex so near. It was almost as if the candle had cast a net out and was pulling them in closer and closer. She was no longer just her but part of this warmth, this radiance that was reaching out and pulling Alex in, too.

  Whoa, she’d better be careful. Lemonade and cookies was the intended reward. She stepped back and broke the spell.

  “This is so nice,” she said brightly. “I’ve always dreamed of making lemonade by candlelight.”

  Gracious, was that as inane as it sounded? But she just kept a bright smile on her face and walked around him to the sink... where she found a pump instead of a faucet. A long-handled, old-fashioned pump that people had out as decoration in their garden, not in their kitchen.

  “Well, this is another surprise,” she said.

  Her spirits sagged though as she stared at it. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. But nothing she couldn’t handle, she assured herself. And helping Alex was worth putting up with minor little inconveniences. She took the pump handle and worked it up and down. Nothing happened, unless you counted the screeching noise it made.

  “Even if you get it to work, that water won’t be drinkable,” he pointed out.

  “Oh, it has to be.” A little trickle came out and ran into the sink. It was visible. Was water supposed to be a dark color? “And we can boil it if we need to.”

  “I doubt that boiling will remove the rust.”

  “That’ll go away the more we pump,” she assured him.

  But she did pump some more and so did Alex and the water got only slightly better. If she had been making iced tea, the color might not have been noticeable, but it would never do for lemonade. Rats.

  Finally Alex stopped pumping and frowned at her. “Don’t you think this has gone on long enough?” he said. “This just isn’t going to work. We aren’t rustic people. We’re used to some basic niceties like lights and indoor plumbing.”

  “Indoor plumbing?” Her stomach really sunk to her toes this time. “What do you mean, indoor plumbing?”

  “I mean, the bathroom’s an outhouse in back.”

  For one long horrible second Heather saw a whole parade of snakes and spiders and rabid raccoons lined up outside waiting to attack her. She glanced toward the window over the sink. It was dark outside. Really dark. It wouldn’t be snakes and spiders and raccoons, it would be wolves and coyotes and hungry bears. Real fear drained every ounce of energy from her. She could cope with no electricity and with having to pump her water, but an outhouse?

  “Look, Heather, enough is enough,” Alex said, his voice softer and more persuasive. “It’s time to stop this silly game and leave. Get the fuses off Junior.” At the mention of his name, Junior started his low growl, but Alex didn’t seem to care. “I bet we can find a place to stay in Watton or back in Marquette.”

  I bet! She shook off her lethargy like a dog shaking off the rain. Nothing was stopping her from helping Alex. Not his attitude. Not her fears. Not even an outhouse.

  She looked up at him with a wide grin. “You poor boy,” she said, and tucking her arm into his, pulled it close. “We need to show you how to have fun.”

  “I know how to have fun and this isn’t it.”

  “Don’t be such a spoilsport,” she teased. “So what if we have no electricity and the bathroom’s outside? We can still relax and enjoy ourselves.”

  “We’d enjoy ourselves more back in civilization.”

  Geez, he was an old stick-in-the-mud! “Boy, you need to loosen up,” she said and slid her arms around him. “Come on, relax.”

  “Heather, I don’t think—”

  She tickled him. Not a lot, just a little tweak at his waist. And he jumped! Staid, somber, professorial old Alex was ticklish.

  “Heather!” he scolded and tried to move away. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Why not? Are you afraid to laugh?”

  She tickled him again, a little more this time. Her fingers dug into his sides, dancing and pinching and making his squirm. Her hands liked being on him; she liked feeling his muscles tense beneath her touch. She liked the feeling of control, too.

  “Heather!” he protested and managed to catch hold of her hands.

  “Hey, no fair!” she cried.

  But when she looked up to argue, he was closer than she expected. His face was so near to hers and his lips were just begging to be kissed. She forgot all about tickling him and teasing him and making him laugh. She had a sudden craving that only he could satisfy, a sudden urgency that only he could fulfill.

  She reached up and met his lips with hers. It was an earth-shattering collision that rocked her very soul. They’d kissed before, but this time her heart was lost. This time there was nothing else in existence but the two of them. This time her whole body exploded into a driving need she’d never felt before.

  His arms pulled her closer, tighter, as if there would be no letting go. Which was just what her heart wanted, and just how her arms were holding him. What was this wondrous feeling of lightness and magic that was curling up her insides and turning them to fire? How could this be happening to her?

  Alex’s lips moved against hers with a persistence that her mouth answered. It was as if there were a hunger in them that was too strong, too raging to be confined to soft and gentle ways. His lips moved again, harder and more demanding. Touch was not enough.

  His lips parted and his tongue danced along her lips, teasing and prodding, then sliding inside her mouth. A shiver ran down her spine as raw hunger and desire raced through her. His tongue played with hers, touching her and knowing her in an intimacy that was as scary as it was enthralling.

  His hands moved across her back as if they could somehow mold her to him, as if there were ways they could hold each other tighter. Her arms knew the hunger and pulled him close, as she breathed in his scent and the desire-charged air. She could feel his body tremble as her hands ran over his back and his hips. What power she possessed, what magic he gave.

  Then suddenly they pulled apart. She didn’t know if it was lack of breath or the return of sanity, but they moved slowly away from each other. His eyes mirrored the stunned feel of her heart. Her hands fell from him, his arms let her go, and she took a step back.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  Short of breath certainly, and not too sure what her name was anymore, but who needed air or a name? The kiss’s only lacking was that it was too short. It had given her just a fleeting taste of passion, just a teasing glimpse of paradise, leaving her wanting more and more.

  “I hadn’t planned for that to happen,” he said. His voice was stiff and awkward. “Another reason why we shouldn’t stay.”

  She just looked at him, her heart doing flip-flops. There was such a softness in his eyes, such a stunned look of wonder that she knew she had won a small victory. It hadn’t been the reward she had planned on, but
it had worked nonetheless.

  “Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t go anywhere tonight,” she said. “That road was bad enough in the daylight. It would be impassable at night.”

  “I’m willing to try.”

  “I’m not.”

  He gave her a look, not a happy one, but she couldn’t exactly put her finger on what he was thinking. Until he turned to the sink.

  “Well, I think I’m going to work on this pump,” he said. “See if we can get some decent water.”

  He was going from kissing her to working on the pump? She just watched as he pumped furiously for a moment, peered at the water coming out, then pumped some more. And after a moment, she understood.

  He was retreating, just like Bonnie had that first night. She’d eaten her reward of tuna, then had turned away to give herself a bath. Heather would allow him a little retreat, and would not get discouraged. She’d tamed cats that were far more difficult. She would get through to Alex, too.

  Heather’s scream woke Alex out of a deep sleep. Grabbing up his gun from under the bag he was using as a pillow, he flew through the bedroom door. She was sitting up in bed, moonlight streaming in the window. No one else was around.

  Not quite. A low growl from nearby woke Alex up to reality. Damn.

  “What’s wrong?” Alex asked on a sigh, slipping the gun into the waist of his jeans. If the dog could growl, he certainly should be able to take care of an intruder Hell, big as Junior was he should be able to take on an army of intruders.

  “I heard someone outside,” she said and took a deep breath.

  They’d been followed. He thought he’d been watching but obviously not well enough. Senses on edge, he started toward the window, reaching again for his gun.

  “They were laughing,” she said.

  He stopped. “They were laughing?” That didn’t make sense.

  “Really loud.”

  Suddenly, it did make sense. He tucked his gun back into his pants and slowly walked over to the edge of the bed. Junior the Monster Dog could—and probably would—rip him to shreds, but he didn’t give a damn anymore. He was so tired that all he wanted to do was lie down. He settled for sitting.

  “It was a loon,” he told her. “A bird. Has a wild call that sounds like laughter.”

  “That was a bird?” She poked at a little sleeping bundle next to her pillow. “Hey, Bonnie, why didn’t you tell me what it was? Aren’t cats supposed to know about birds?”

  He had no idea what Bonnie’s reaction was, because he couldn’t take his eyes off Heather. In the pale moonlight, she looked damned delectable sitting there in her cat and dog pajamas. Why couldn’t she wear black negligees? Those he could handle. But those damn cat and dog and teddy bear pajamas drove him to the edge.

  He put his hands to his head. He was going to have to take a vacation after this assignment was over. No doubt about it.

  “I’m sorry I woke you,” Heather said.

  Alex shook his head. “It’s okay.”

  He hadn’t exactly been sleeping anyway. Not since his bed consisted of a rustic plank floor and a blanket that was moth-eaten and stinking from all kinds of little critters having used it for a nest. But he sure wasn’t going to mention that to Heather. They’d be back to arguing who got the bedroom and who got the living room.

  “Are you sure?” she pressed.

  “Positive.”

  “You know, there’s plenty of room for you here,” she said, patting the bed next to her.

  He stared at her. The moonlight was strong enough to tell him a lot of things, but not nearly bright enough to give him a clue what was in her mind.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said slowly.

  “I was fine out in the living room.”

  “Don’t be silly. How can sleeping on that short sofa be preferable to sleeping in a bed?”

  Was she just naive and innocent or was she being provocative? Not that it mattered. He wasn’t doing anything either way.

  “I think the living room is better,” he said. “I’m a restless sleeper. I’d keep you awake.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll get back to sleep,” she said with a short laugh. “I think I’ll be listening too hard for the laughter that isn’t the loon.”

  He heard the laughter in her voice, but something else was there with it. Worry. Fear. Heather was trying to be brave but she was scared.

  He knew that was to his advantage. He knew he should press and poke at her fears until she agreed to leave. But he couldn’t.

  With a deep sigh, he moved Bonnie into the middle of the bed, laid down himself, then stared up at the ceiling. He felt Junior put his front paws on the foot of the bed, growling as he did so.

  “That’s okay, Junior,” Heather told him. “Everything’s fine, boy. Get down.”

  The dog gave a little whine but he lay back down on the floor. The beast was probably sad because Heather wasn’t letting him rip Alex to shreds. And the only reason the dog was obeying was because he figured that he’d get Alex later.

  After Junior settled down, Heather did, too. He couldn’t quite see her, but he sure could sense her every movement. She was petting Bonnie, her hand moving in a slow, steady motion.

  He closed his eyes in agony, a fire ready to engulf him. It didn’t matter why Heather asked him to stay here, he would not touch her. He would not think about touching her or kissing her or making hot passionate love to her, even though his body was about ready to scream in agony. He was going to keep her safe. And that meant from everything, including himself.

  “So, how do your parents like Arizona?” he asked briskly.

  “Fine.” Her voice sounded surprised.

  “Great.” He opened his eyes but kept them on the ceiling, concentrating on the pale shadows of the trees that the moonlight cast there. He wouldn’t notice the soft scent of her perfume wash over him. Okay, he couldn’t help but notice it, but he wouldn’t react to it “Climate’s great out there.”

  “Yes. It seems to be.”

  “Maybe that’s where I’ll move when I retire.” The perfume was like a magnet, drawing him closer and closer. Teasing his senses and testing his willpower. He licked his lips and remembered the taste of her mouth on his. The fire dove deeper into his soul.

  “Your retirement’s pretty far away,” she said.

  “I like to plan ahead.”

  If he liked to plan ahead so damn much, why was he here in this cabin with Heather? Why was he in the same bed as her? Why didn’t he have a whole slew of winter thoughts ready to browse through? A blizzard in Siberia. An ice storm in the Yukon. A whiteout in Antarctica.

  “I was thinking we could go on a picnic tomorrow,” she said.

  “Sure.” Whatever. Who was the first person to reach the North Pole?

  “We’ll have to leave Bonnie here of course, but Junior will like exploring with us.”

  “I bet.” He remembered a picture in his history book. Lots of snow blowing around and a frostbitten face staring out of a furred parka. Admiral Perry? Or was it Amundsen?

  “I wonder if we’ll see many animals around here.”

  “We might.” Okay, who was the first to the South Pole?

  “This is such fun,” Heather said and yawned. “Gracious. I feel so safe with you here.”

  “Good.” Hell, none of this was working. North Pole. South Pole. You couldn’t stop desire by thinking about geography.

  He just had to be strong. He could do it. Nothing fazed him. He was coolest under fire.

  He heard a soft sound and turned his head. Heather was sleeping. Lying on her side facing him, she had one hand under her pillow and one near Bonnie. She looked so beautiful, so desirable that he thought his heart would burst.

  He had to touch her. He had to kiss her. Just the softest of kisses. She would never know. Just the merest brushing of his lips on her hair. Then his fever would go away. Then he could sleep.

  Ha. With a mighty effort he rolled onto his side, his back t
o Heather and Bonnie. He stared at the window with the shadows dancing across the glass.

  He wanted to tell her everything. How he wasn’t a gambler, how he was just pretending. How he was afraid he had led her into danger. But he couldn’t.

  The only thing he could do was get her out of here and to safety. That’s what he had to concentrate on. Instead of breathing in her perfume, he had to plan on how to get the fuses from Junior. But how was he going to convince Heather to change her mind?

  Alex felt a soft movement at his back a for one long moment, his body surged with desire. But then he realized it wasn’t Heather, it was Bonnie. e kitten had moved slightly and was leaning agains his back as she slept.

  Her trust in him was touching. It was—

  Of course. It was the answer, that’s wha was. He had to act trusting. He had to be a new person, just like Bonnie was a new cat. Then Heather would decide they could go.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Wouldn’t this be a great way to start every day?” Heather asked, sipping at her coffee.

  They were sitting out on the steps of the cabin’s back porch, looking down a hill at a small lake. The sun was up just high enough to turn the surface of the water to shimmering diamonds. The woods were alive with the sound of birds singing but somehow it seemed like a magical stillness had come over the earth. The air had just a hint of last night’s chill. Enough to make her glad to be sitting so close to Alex.

  “I thought you’d like having breakfast out here,” Alex said.

  As usual, he seemed unaffected by her nearness. Her heart was racing and her cheeks felt flush but he was drinking his coffee as calm and relaxed as if he were by himself. But then, he had slept in the same bed as her last night and hadn’t so much as touched her. Good thing it didn’t matter to her.