Rendezvous at Midnight (7 page)

“If I had anything to do with it, we would.” He turned his head slightly to kiss her fingers. “But I did die, for a few moments. No, I didn’t see a bright light or anything like that. I had a deep burn right down to my heart. Mr. Smith is a remarkable man, and he healed me.”

“How in hell did he do that?”

He nibbled on her forefinger before answering. “My gift is to speak with ghosts. Mr. Smith has many gifts, not least of which is the gift of healing burns. He’s a powerful man, a natural leader.”

“I thought you didn’t take orders well. You said that when you bought in to the TV network.”

He smiled gently. “So I did. And you’re right. I don’t take orders from just anyone. I wouldn’t take them from Rostov, for example, even though he’s a—” He broke off, biting off his words, but just for an instant, she saw a vision of something in her head. Something she’d rather not think about. Ever.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Never mind. In time, love, in time. For this weekend, all you need to know is there’s an anti-sensitive on board, and he or she knows who I am, or rather,
what
I am.”

Her fears for him rose in a powerful swell. “Then shouldn’t you leave? Michael, if you’re in danger, you shouldn’t be here!”

“It’s okay. We’re going to catch him. That’s why Gareth Fuller was here, to tell me about the danger. Mr. Smith is setting up a support team. They can be here at a moment’s notice. But we need to behave like normal, to draw this bas—this person out.”

“You can call him a bastard,” she said. “Anyone who tries to kill you is more than that. Worse.”

He took her mouth in a sweet, possessive kiss. “Thank you. One more thing. Since you’re with me, you’re in danger, too. You might want to think about it. I’d prefer it if you left. Mr. Smith will take care of you until after the weekend. Then I’ll come to you.”

“Not in a million years,” she said. “I’m staying. Besides, I want to talk to my mother.”

He gazed at her as though he was seeing something else and then blinked. “You look like her. So much so I thought she was you. I talked to her outside the pool tonight, and I didn’t realize it wasn’t you until she walked into my arms and dissolved.”

“What!” To her disgust, Lisa felt herself trembling. She knew he could feel it, too, when he drew her closer, pressing her against the length of his body. He was erect, his cock pulsing hotly against her belly.

“Hush, love. Relax. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone near you, if you don’t want it.”

She couldn’t speak above a whisper. “What did she say? My mother, what did she tell you?”

“She wants revenge. She says her killer is aboard the ship, but she doesn’t believe she’s dead. Remember I told you sometimes if a person passes quickly, they get confused?” Lisa nodded against the warmth of his chest. “I think she’s one of those. I need to help her to move on, to accept what has happened to her. And her killer, too. I haven’t felt his presence, but we’d only just started tonight. Perhaps Ayesha will make contact.”

“Will it be dangerous for her?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

She shifted in his arms, pushing away so she could look up into his face, miss nothing in his reaction to what she was about to say. “Then shouldn’t we leave her to it? Get the hell out of Dodge and let her do the work?”

“If it weren’t for the anti-sensitive complication, I’d probably agree with you. But you need to move on, too, love. You didn’t know your mother, but her fate has haunted you since you learned about it.”

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement of fact, and of course, he was right. If Rosanna’s murderer had been brought to trial, perhaps she would have felt differently. Although the prime suspect, her lover Cory Selhurst, was dead, and Rosanna’s death had proved to be the beginning of his slide into disgrace, it wasn’t the same as an acceptance of guilt and his punishment for the deed. He’d lasted for another ten years, and the police were never able to gather enough hard evidence to make a case. He’d had enough money then to buy alibis, perhaps pay for silence. But it wasn’t essential to her happiness. Not now.

Michael Scott was.

“Sweetheart!” Michael dragged her close and kissed her, twisting his head to get better access, thrusting his tongue deep. His kiss ravaged her, cleansed her, and she pressed her body against his, trying to touch all of him with all of her.

He left her mouth to kiss her neck, nipping and licking until she moaned with the pleasure of his caresses. His hands swept down her body, savoring the curve of hip and thigh, returning to stroke her breasts.

She wasn’t idle, either. Lisa put her hands around him, and when he rose over her, put her hands around his waist, sliding them down to caress his buttocks. He groaned, low in his throat. “Lisa, say you want me. I want to hear the words.”

“You should rest.” It was her last effort at protest. She was almost too far gone to think of anything but the joy of having him inside her body.

“I will, I promise. With you. Let me in, darling.”

“Yes. I want you, Michael. Very much.”

He took her mouth with a savage, possessing kiss.

She opened her legs and he slid down, caressing her clit with the smooth, hot head of his cock, driving her wild. He didn’t enter her immediately, but stretched up, over her head. She heard the nightstand drawer open and realized what he was doing.

Lisa had never, ever forgotten protection before. But this time she didn’t want it. She wanted him inside her, nothing between them. She caught his wrist and waited until he looked down at her. “Lisa?”

“No condom. Nothing. I’m on the pill, Michael.”

He swallowed. “You trust me?”

She nodded and then smiled. “With my life. I leave the decision up to you.”

“Darling, I swear—” He broke off, and finished his sentence in her head.
I never, ever want you to suffer because of me. I love you
.

She answered him in the same way.
I love you
.

The burning need in his eyes seared her with its intensity. He moved down once more and she gasped when his cock entered her, firmly taking possession of what had always been his. She just hadn’t realized it before. He briefly closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he gazed into hers, hiding nothing of his need and desire.

Fulfilled just with the sense of him inside her, she could have stayed motionless, savoring the moment.

I think we can do better than that
.

With a feral grin, he lifted and plunged down again, touching the sweet spot inside her as his cock slid past. She arched up to him, unable to prevent her reaction even had she wanted to, rapture blossoming inside her.

“Good,” he purred. “Let it go, darling, forget everything except me, except
this
!”

He gave a sharp “Ah!” but she hardly heard him, so lost was she with her body surrounding his, his needy invasion of her. He seemed made for her, unerringly discovering all the most sensitive parts of her body, relentlessly stimulating them into ecstasy.

Flailing her arms, she came into contact with his waist and hung on. Her knees hugged his hips, gripping with the desperation of a woman close to her peak. When it arrived, it was with an intensity that took her breath away, making her gasp in short pants. He didn’t stop, but drove hard inside her, never pausing, until her orgasm began to fade. When Lisa opened her eyes, it was to see him gazing down at her.

“I’ve never seen anything half so beautiful.” He bent to kiss her again, invading with tongue and cock, driving her up again to a perfect, shimmering climax.

The waves of completion went on and on, and then she heard his hoarse, wordless cry. Pushing up to grind her crotch against his, she took all of him, feeling him throb and pulse deep inside her body. She watched, helpless from her own climax, as he threw his head up, the sinews on his neck tautly corded. A growl welled up from deep inside his throat, erupting in a wild cry, and then every muscle in his body seemed to collapse and he slumped forward, his head buried in the pillow next to her.

Had it been too much for him? Should she have waited? Only when she felt his breathing, heavy as though he’d been for a long run, was she at all reassured. She closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling of him on top of her, still inside her, his body slumped to one side above the waist so she could breathe.

He mumbled something she didn’t catch but at least it meant he was still conscious. Or as conscious as she was, which wasn’t saying an awful lot. She’d just begun to drift into sleep when he moved, rolling off her and drawing her into his arms. She lifted her leg over his and her arm around his waist, as though they’d been sleeping together this way for years.

Perhaps they would.

Chapter Six

With the sweet body of Lisa curled up against him, Michael heard the bedroom door open and sat up, curving over her to protect her from attack. He cursed long and low in his mind. Why the fuck hadn’t he locked the door? The movement was instinctive, to protect his woman from danger. Lisa groaned and he felt her begin to come awake.

The fully dressed figure of Brant McManus stood in the doorway. Michael felt the belligerent air fade away when Brant saw the woman at his side.

“Shit.” McManus showed no desire to leave but took in the mussed bed and its occupants in a shocked stare.

Michael breathed out slowly and twitched the sheet up to cover her.

McManus’s upper lip curled in a sneer. “Don’t bother, man, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

Michael wanted to kill him for talking about her like that. He felt her tense and knew McManus had upset her. But showing the bastard would give him the upper hand so he forced himself to relax.

“Just came to tell you we’re on set at one, if you’re feeling okay, though I can see for myself. Lisa can finish her introduction piece, and then we’ll decide where to hold the investigation. We can’t use the pool now.”

Michael knew where he wanted to hold the next night session, and he was in no mood to discuss anything. “Set up in the bedroom of suite number one. Now go.”

Brant shrugged and left the room, closing the door slowly behind him.

Michael ran his hands through his hair as Lisa rolled to her back to stare up at him. His anxious expression cleared and his eyes softened. “Good morning, my love.”

She smiled up at him, warming him to his very soul. “Good morning. How do you feel?”

“Fine. Better than fine.”

“No, I meant after last night. After your accident.”

He touched her jaw with the tip of one finger, drawing it around to her mouth and tracing her lips. Soft as satin. “You know it wasn’t an accident, Lisa. I’m okay. The guys got here in time.” Intent on tracing her cheekbones, he didn’t look in her eyes. “You know it was a killing jolt. The mix of you knocking me away and Mr. Smith and Rostov arriving brought me back.”

“I’m so glad we did.”

“So am I.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the tips of her fingers before moving on to her knuckles, needing to taste her. “Even more so, now. But I slept like a log. I don’t usually do that. Ghosts have a way of disturbing my sleep.”

“They do? Can’t you control it somehow?”

“I do.” He licked delicately between her fingers, caressing her nerve endings to hypersensitivity. “I’m a hybrid, a mix of psychics, and it resulted in my ability to talk to ghosts.”

“I’ll keep you safe.”

He stopped his gentle strokes and gazed at her, somberly studying her face. “I know you will.” Lisa would ground him, keep him sane. She was good for him in more ways than one.

They shared a moment out of time, drinking each other in, sharing something profound and he gently entered her mind. Delicately and politely, he came in.

Would you mind if I stayed here for the rest of the weekend? I want to stay in direct contact with you. I need to know you’re safe
.”

She shook her head. “I don’t mind.”

She showed none of the fear she’d exhibited before. It demonstrated acceptance and filled him with contentment and relief at her response. How would he feel if he hadn’t known about the world of psychics and then suddenly found himself in the middle of it? Loving one? He didn’t know, but her strength of character humbled him.

How about the rest of my life
?

“That might be a problem. Can we ease up a bit?”

He kissed her, softly.
As slowly as you need
. But not this. Need built in him but he wanted to make it good, as good as possible. This woman was his now, and he’d ensure she was as happy as he could make her. He licked the spot where her neck met her shoulder, curled his tongue into the little indentation there, hearing her gasp with satisfaction. She liked that.

With his mind embedded in hers, he explored her anew, discovered the spots on her body particularly sensitive, kissed her, enjoyed her taste, and the feel of her skin under his hands and mouth.

Before he could slide over her to enter her, she pushed him onto his back. “My turn,” she said with a wicked smile that turned his insides to Jell-O.

She wanted some control. He understood and welcomed her. She needed to feel wanted. He could do that.

Lifting her leg, she straddled him, pausing to examine his erection.

“I hope it suits you,” he said, feeling a twinge of anxiety.

She caressed him as he had done to her face, drawing her finger gently up its length, driving his body into a maelstrom of need. Then she circled it just under the cap and bent to taste him.

Oh God
! He forced himself to keep his mind open, let her know just what she was doing to him. Her tongue stroked him gently, explored his contours, entered the little opening at the top.

“Torture,” he managed to gasp. “Sweet torture.”

She sucked and he tensed, his whole being with her, urging her on, a litany of nonverbal compliments pouring into her. Warmth, comfort, stark need, all combined and with every swirl of her tongue as she brought him higher.

Just when he thought the end was inevitable, she pulled away from him and studied the wet, glistening tip, smiling.