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***
Kendra came out of the shower forty minutes later and Lynch was sitting on the couch again drinking a cup of coffee. He got to his feet and gestured to the couch. “Sit down. I’ll get you a coffee. Because I do think we need to talk about that call and why you didn’t tell me about it.”
“I’ve said all I wanted to say.” She wearily rubbed the back of her neck. “And I’ve told you why I didn’t tell anyone. It was ugly and I didn’t want anyone else to have to dip into Milo’s foul mind. He would have enjoyed the attention too much.”
“I’m not anyone.” He handed her the coffee, then dropped down on the couch beside her. “And I wouldn’t mind dipping into Milo’s mind. I’ve been storing up all the ugly things he’s been doing and spewing out of that gutter mouth. I figured there would be a time I could return it all in triplicate.” He reached out and took her hand. “Along with a few additional torments I could invent and carry out on the bastard myself.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Kendra shuddered. “When I remember what he did to Jackie.”
“And we have no idea what he’s done to other victims.” His hand tightened on hers. “Now tell me why you didn’t tell anybody about this damn call.”
Her voice was stilted. “It was something Milo said about how I’d be looking at all those people I cared about and wondering which one he’d choose to kill next. When I walked into Olivia’s condo, all of a sudden, I found I was doing it.” She closed her eyes for an instant. “Maybe it was foolish, but I couldn’t stop.” She looked him in the eye. “Even you, Lynch. I kept telling myself that you were always too on guard to let it happen to you. But then I remembered what happened at that construction site. He almost killed you then. No one is really safe from him.”
His lips tightened. “And that was the purpose of his call. He deals in terror, it’s a form of power. He wanted to keep the tension high, because he hadn’t been able to make a move on either you or Tricia since the rifle episode.”
“I could tell myself that, but it didn’t stop my mind from remembering how I felt when I thought you were dead.” She looked down into the coffee in her cup. “He was so smart to go down that path. Memories are such an important part of how we feel about the people we care about. Everything always comes streaming back to us when they’re threatened.” Her voice was trembling. “And we can’t stop it. I have so many memories connected with you. Repeat cases. And Milo wants to destroy those memories.” Her hand turned white as it clenched the cup. “He wants to destroyyou.”
“And he won’t.” Lynch took the cup from her hand and put it on the coffee table. Then he grasped her two hands and held tight. “Stop insulting me. Because somewhere in those memories you know that it took a hell of a lot for anyone to get even close to killing me. Milo isn’t that good.”
“Stop joking. He’s damn good. Ican’tlet him kill you.”
“Joking?” He was looking down into her eyes as he added roughly, “Don’t you dare cry, Kendra. I’ve been so blasted controlled and civilized and now you’re going to blow it.”
“I’m not going to cry. I’m just telling you that I—”
He was kissing her, hard. He lifted his head. “I know what you’re telling me,” he said thickly. “You’re saying that I’m not stable and you’d prefer to have someone around who is steadier and normal and won’t go off to Johannesburg at the drop of a hat. But you’re also telling me that I have a chance of convincing you that what we have is Fourth of July explosive and worth keeping me around. I’ve known that all along. You’re not stringing me along. What you feel for me is about more than just sex.” He kissed her again. “I’m willing to go the distance. I just have to make sure, whatever we turn out to be together, that you see that it’s worth your while.”
He felt sogood. She pressed closer so that she could feel the hardness, the muscles, theheatof him. It had been too long. She was on fire. “You’re talking too much,” she whispered. “I don’t want talk. I don’t want explanations. I’m tired of being careful and reasonable. There are only two things I want from you now.” She rubbed back and forth on his body as she untied her robe. “I want you naked.” She shrugged out of the robe and lay back and opened her legs. “And then I want you to do what you promised and go the distance.”
***
Kendra tried to catch her breath as Lynch lifted her off him onto the bed, then lost it again as his teeth began to pull at her nipple. She bit down on her lower lip to keep from groaning at what his fingers were now doing inside her.
He lifted his head. “I should really call Olivia,” he said as his tongue moved teasingly on her breast. “I promised I’d call her after I talked to you.”
“Don’t you dare. Besides, that had to be over three hours ago. She’ll realize you’re—” She threw her head back to keep from screaming as he went still deeper. “—occupied.”
“But it’s you who are occupied,” he murmured. “Beautifully occupied. But maybe not quite enough…” He moved over her. “Let’s see how much more you can take.”
“You’ve already explored that—” But he was doing it again and going still deeper.Fantastic…Don’t stop. Don’t stop.
He wasn’t stopping, and every word increased the depth and rhythm. “Why would Olivia…think…we were occupied?”
“Olivia might be blind, but she knows we were lovers. Tricia thinks…the same thing.”
“Arelovers,” he corrected. “Present tense. No doubt. Very present and so tense. Say it.” He was going faster, deeper, so deep, and he was incredibly intense, looking down at her. “Say it.”
Her head went back as that tension built. Heat. Fullness. Lynch. “Are lovers,” she gasped. “Are lovers, dammit. Satisfied?”
“No, not nearly. But close, Kendra. Very close. Now let’s take it all the way…”
***
6:15A.M.
Next Day
“I’ve got to go.” Lynch’s lips moved across the hollow of her throat. “Time to get Tricia to the center.” He pulled down the cover and kissed Kendra’s breasts. “And probably have to put up with a few smirks and sly glances judging from what you told me.”
