He took the item of apparel she held out to him and dropped it to the floor without even looking at it. Then he bent to kiss her. His eyes were lambent when he raised his head again, and Jessica realized through a hot haze of arousal that he'd backed her up until the hollows of her knees brushed the side of the bed.
"I bet fifteen minutes one way or the other won't make a huge difference," he said. And with all ten fingers planted gently on her chest, he gave a little push. He was already reaching for his belt buckle as she tumbled backward onto the bed. "Whataya say we test that theory?"
She squeezed her eyes shut and hung on for dear life when he lowered himself over her. Whatever else happened, she thought dazedly, for now she at least had this.
Chapter 16
OUT ON THE VERANDA LATE FRIDAY AFTERnoon, Lily found a sunny corner sheltered from the wind and stretched out on a lounge chair to admire the view. It managed to stun her with pleasure every time she saw it. Spring flowers bloomed in profusion at the base of the veranda, and the emerald lawn swept in faultlessly groomed perfection to the rugged promontory. Water crashed upon the rocks at the foot of the cliffs and clouds chased across the sky, sending shadows racing along the channel. The ever-changing colors and the scattering of small tree-covered islands dotting the narrow passage held her enthralled as they had done ever since the mist lifted Tuesday afternoon and she'd caught her first glimpse of it.
Recalling that day took a little of the shine off her enjoyment. Tuesday was the night she'd acknowledged she was falling in love with Zach, and she wasn't proud of the fact that she still hadn't really dealt with the issue. Every night since then had found the two of them in either his bed or hers, wrapped around each other and making love that was sometimes wild and intense, sometimes slow and languid. He couldn't seem to stay away from her any more than she could from him, nor did he appear to be dealing with his emotions any better than she was hers. And if he harbored feelings anything like her own, he hadn't voiced them. For a couple of outspoken people, they were certainly being tight-lipped, and knowing she was in no burning hurry to rectify the situation left her feeling fickle, immature, and antsy. She appreciated the scenery all the more, therefore, because something about watching the capriciousness of nature, of seeing its elements blending in harmony one moment, then competing for supremacy the next, helped soothe some of her own plaguing indecisiveness.
"I thought I might find you here."
Lily looked up to see Jessica approach and smiled as her new friend swung a long leg over the chaise next to hers and collapsed onto its cushioned surface. "Yes, what can I say?" Her smile turned wry. "The sun feels so nice, and I adore this view."
"It is pretty, isn't it?"
"Um-hmm."
Falling into a companionable silence, they lounged side by side, exchanging only a minimum of desultory conversation over the next half hour. Eventually, though, Lily glanced at her watch and regretfully sat up. For several moments she simply perched on the edge of the chaise; then, with a sigh over the need to drag herself away from the drugging warmth of her protected little corner, she rose to her feet. "I'd better go get dinner started."
Jessica glanced at her watch. "This a little earlier than usual, isn't it?"
"Yes, butI'll need the extra time." She grinned down at the other woman, who shaded her eyes to gaze back at her. "You have any interest in learning to make risotto?"
"Oh, yes. Absolutely." Jessica joined her as Lily made her way down the terrace steps. The wind they'd been protected from in the lee of the mansion caught them as they rounded the corner, and Jessica's thick hair rose up and writhed like Medusa's snaky locks around her face.
With a frustrated sound, she attempted to anchor it down with her hands, but vagrant pieces caught in the wind and whipped across her cheeks. "That haircut appointment can't come soon enough for me."
Lily grinned at her as they dashed for the kitchen door. "It's not for another week yet?"
"Not unless they get a cancellation, in which case I'm on the list. Please" she implored humorously as they barreled through the door and banged it closed against the wind chasing them into the room. "Let somebody cancel soon."
The risotto garnered compliments when it was dished up a short while later, but dinner itself turned out to be a strained affair. Zach attempted once again to convince Mrs. Beaumont to call in the FBI to handle the ransom, but she remained stubbornly resistant. Although his manner remained courteous, Lily could tell he was frustrated and angry, and the moment she finished cleaning up the kitchen she headed for his room.
"Are you okay?" she asked as soon as he answered the door in response to her knock.
"She makes me crazy, Lily." He hauled her into the room, but once the door closed behind her he turned her loose and began to pace. "Not that we wouldn't have had to think twice about contacting the FBI anyway, since Rocket discovered the closest special agent in charge is a known glory seeker, but—"
"Then I don't get it," she interrupted, but found herself speaking to his back as he stalked toward the desk on the other side of the room. "If that's the case, why do you still keep trying to convince Mrs. B. to call them?"
He about-faced and strode back in her direction, his eyebrows lowered. "Because she doesn't know that, and I wanted to see her reaction. Usually leaving the authorities out of the loop is a huge mistake, and for all she knows, refusing to contact them could seriously endanger Glynnie and David." His stiff-set shoulders twitched restlessly. "I can't figure out if she truly believes the kidnapper will harm them if the feds are called in—or if that's exactly what she's counting on."
Lily recalled lying in his arms the other night while he'd told her what his friend Rocket had dug up. The idea of having to suspect anyone, let alone that sweet, dithery woman… "Oh, man, I hate this."
"Tell me about it. And just to make our day really special, I got a call from Coop earlier. He and Rocket are over on the dock at Anacortes."
"That's good news, right?"
"Well, it would be, except one of the ferries is out of commission, and it's Friday—which is a big travel day for the islands—so the schedule is backed up for hours. They'll be lucky to make the last boat." Agitated energy radiated off him in almost palpable waves as he paced back and forth, and the look he shot her was black. "Which means if the kidnapper follows the plan he laid out, that only leaves part of tomorrow to get together with Coop and John and plan the op. And that means I could lose whatever advantage having them in reserve will give me."
She walked over and grasped his hand, holding on with both of hers to halt his restless prowling. His skin felt hot beneath her fingers as she led him to the bed and pushed him down onto it. Climbing onto the mattress as well, she kneeled behind where he sat and began to rub his shoulders. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm sure everything will be all right. You'll feel better once your friends get here."
Zach felt some of the tension leave his shoulders, and he pushed back into her massaging hands. "Yeah, well. Not much I can do about it anyhow." He didn't know what it was about her, but she had a way of defusing the worst of his frustration. "Tell me about this dream restaurant of yours."
Her voice lulled him, and her enthusiasm made him smile. But the feel of her body heat shimmering between them soon distracted him, and he reached over his shoulder and snagged her hand. Pulling her around to his side, he flipped her onto his lap.
She batted her eyes at him. "Why, Master Sergeant Taylor."