Slow Hands (6 page)

"Why did it have to be you?" she said instead. "Of all the people they could have sent."

"I grew up here. I was a logical choice."

A logical choice. What had she expected him to say? That he'd jumped at the chance to return? He'd had ten years to come back. The fact he hadn't said it all.

"You hated Freedom," she said.

He sighed, wished he had a legitimate rejoinder. 'It wasn't Freedom, per se. It was the lack of opportunity." How could he explain something that was more
feeling
than
reason!
"I think 90 percent of the males I graduated with felt the same."

His answer, while disappointing, didn't surprise Keira. Each spring, the male high school seniors flocked out of town, even those not headed to college.

She knew all the reasons: They had to see if the world was round... follow their wanderlust... prove the girl next door wasn't enough.

Metropolis was a powerful lure. She remembered being tempted herself.

She grabbed for a blasé response, sorry she'd brought the subject up. "Yeah. Well, in spite of the exodus, the town's still grown."

"I was wrong to leave the way I did."

His words caught her off guard. And made her mad.

She didn't want to hear excuses. Not now.
I
was wrong to leave the way I did.
What did he mean? That he should have found a better way to leave? Or that he should have stayed?

"I got over it a long time ago, Alec. It doesn't matter anymore."

"It should. Once we couldn't stand to be apart. Now you can't bear to be in the same room." "And this surprises you?"

His words tore at her reserve of ill will. Every terrible thought she ever had about Alec Dempsey was stored in one place. And she didn't want to go there. Not now, not when she didn't feel totally in control.

She bit her lip, silently counting, determined not to let him get to her.

But it was too late. Her heart had waited ten years for its chance to tell him off.

"I told everyone in town I was leaving with you, Alec," she blurted. "That we were getting married. I waited forever for you to return."

The moment came screaming back as if it were yesterday. She had agreed to elope with Alec the morning after her senior prom. She had gone home to pack and tell her grandfather.

But Alec didn't return the next day. Or the next. Or the next.

Quite simply, she never saw or heard from him again. Until today.

Oh, she'd heard
about
him. Had sent a message to him through his mother. But then nothing.

Keira closed her eyes, drew on the internal strength that had gotten her through the difficult moments of her life.

"At first I was certain something tragic had happened," she whispered. "That you were comatose in a hospital and couldn't reach me. Then I heard you joined the army. Heard you married. For a long time I hated you. But mostly, I wished I'd never met you." She cleared her throat. "Then I got over it."

"I didn't mean to hurt you—"

Keira rose, cutting him off with a faltering wave of her hand.

She didn't want to hear she'd been a mistake. Or they'd been too young. She knew all the reasons, could even agree with all the logic. And until that day, she'd believed she had no feelings left for him. Good or bad.

Damn him for proving otherwise. For proving she still hated him.

"Look, I've got to be up early. You need to go."

Alec stood. She'd gone from ordering him to leave to telling him to leave. The difference was monumental. They had a lot of unfinished business between them, but at least it was out in the open.

He turned to say good-bye, but found her robe had parted.

Even in the dim light, the glitter sparkled invitingly along the lush curve of her breasts. The enticingly low cut of her bra skimmed the edge of her aureoles. He could see the sharp indent of hard nipples restrained by black satin.

His eyes dropped, caught the lacy tops of the sexy nylons, wondered how she'd look in a garter belt and G-string.
Perilous thought.

Keira followed his gaze, found the whole front of her robe gaping open. Cursing, she refastened the tie. The gown was one she never wore for that reason: It wouldn't stay closed. He would pick
this
one.

"What are you staring at now?" she snapped. "Show's over."

"Hell of a show, babe." Already the fabric gaped wide again. He liked this robe. He ran a finger lightly down her sternum, then tugged her lapels closed. "What kind of bra is that anyway?"

A wonder-shelf bra, she almost answered. Or so Franny dubbed it. Strapless black lace over nuclearpowered spandex and satin. With a matching French-cut bikini that left little to the imagination.

She raised her chin, batted his hands away, refusing to fall for his charm or his easy smile that melted a woman's defenses. "It's a none-of-your-bees-wax bra. And I'm not your babe."

He watched as she swayed sideways, off-balance. He grabbed her, wondered if she even realized how drunk she was.

For a moment, she leaned into him and looked up, eyes wide. Guileless. Then she licked her lips. His control crumbled. No way in hell he could resist that kind of temptation.

His hand moved to her nape and drew her in. Caught off guard, she tumbled fully against him. Alec didn't waste time with gentle kisses, afraid they'd be rebuffed.

His fingers splayed against her scalp, pressing her close as his other hand cupped her cheek, holding her immobile, as his tongue swept between her parted lips.

He knew her mouth wasn't open in invitation. It was open in shock. The kiss caught her unaware, and he pressed the advantage, unable to stop himself.

Over the years he'd told himself time had embellished his memory. That the reality of kissing her, holding her, loving her, hadn't been as powerful as he thought.

He'd been dead wrong.

His tongue swept deeper, as he caught her bottom lip lightly between his teeth, his senses overloaded. Then he felt it. The single tear. Good God, he was an idiot.

He pulled back, her head still cradled in his hands. The torment in her eyes tore at him.

He apologized. "I'll leave."

"Damn you, Alec Dempsey! Don't ever do that again."

He caught her just as she passed out.

Alec searched her drawers and found a large T-shirt. He coaxed her into semiconsciousness long enough to slip the shirt over her head. She fussed with the bra, briefly exposing her tits before managing to unsnap it. Then she passed out again.

Shaking his head, Alec tucked her into bed, then sat beside her, watched her sleep. How often had he done that ten years ago? Watch her sleep.

Keira had lived with her grandfather in a cabin near the top of Fire Mountain. How many nights had he taken her home only to sneak back through her bedroom window later?

Even after she'd fallen asleep he'd lie there and find peace in the light rise and fall of her chest. In just being close. It was as if he couldn't bear to be apart from her.

Funny. He and Keira had been lovers in high school, but they'd never
slept
together an entire night, never wakened in each other's arms.

He fingered a long strand of rich hair. The color was deeper, a more vibrant red than he remembered. Just as long though, a tumble of thick curls that fell almost to her trim little butt.

He needed to watch his step with this woman.

That afternoon, when she'd been in dirty work gear, he'd been so turned on he could scarcely think. And she'd been determined to ignore him, which only inflamed his desire.

Why had he never come back?

Afraid to face her?
Yes.
Afraid she'd gone on and built a better life without him?
Yes.
Too satisfied with his comfortable, no-commitment life?
Yes.

A heaviness settled in his chest. Ten years ago, he'd had nothing to offer her. And he'd desperately wanted to leave Freedom. For good.

Aside from Keira, he had no ties to Freedom. His mother had left shortly after he graduated, swore never to return. Louise Dempsey had lived under a mantle of disapproval. A single mother who'd never been married, who worked nights at a rough-and-tumble bar to make ends meet. She had warned her son against getting involved so young, against ruining his life before even having a chance to live.

But Alec hadn't listened. At least not at first.

While Keira had agreed to leave, he knew a part of her would forever be tied to Freedom. They'd talked of having babies. Children he knew she wanted to raise on Fire Mountain.

She would have wanted to return eventually. While he wanted to burn bridges.

On the morning they were supposed to leave, Alec panicked, wondered if they were doing the right thing. Hell, Keira hadn't even graduated yet. She had six more weeks of school.

It had been so easy to talk himself out of it—to listen to his self-doubts, convince himself he was doing the right thing for both of them by not going back. Decision made, he'd joined the army and shipped out the next day.

Sacrificing Keira had nearly killed him. The harsh reality of boot camp made him realize what he'd given up.

At first, he'd missed her so fiercely he thought he'd die of loneliness. Of want. His mother told him Keira had contacted her. Relayed the message that she never wanted to see him again.

Actually, she'd wished him every evil short of death and promised to hate him forever. She did nothing lightly.

Alec had decided to go back to Freedom first chance he got. He knew the only way to make it right was in person. Besides, every time he tried calling, her grandfather hung up.

But as soon as Alec completed basic training, he went to Vegas on a two-day pass, drank his entire paycheck, and woke up married to a woman who swore he'd followed her to three different casinos, begging her to marry him. She'd had long red hair.

Divorcing her hadn't been nearly so easy.

While he regretted the rash marriage, he didn't regret his time spent in the army. Or the life he'd built since then.

If you could call it a life.

His undercover assignments usually entailed working round the clock for long stretches. Girlfriends either understood or they didn't.
Didn't
was less complicated. But sex without commitment was unsatisfying. Maybe that was part of the problem: He'd been celibate too long.

He tucked the blanket under her chin, ran a finger along her creamy cheek. She sighed in her sleep, made kittenish sounds.

Desire raged like wildfire.
Not good.

He stood. He wasn't going to push those buttons again with Keira; he wasn't going to get involved.

He needed to remember the reason why he was in Freedom, remember it was just a job. And temporary.

He started gathering the clothes strewn about the room. He didn't like the idea someone had been in her apartment, had gone through her underwear, even as a prank.

He also hadn't been happy not to report the incident to the authorities, but he'd go along with it to stay on her good side.

He picked up the strapless bra she'd worn earlier and scowled. Every guy at the dance had ogled her in that dress. Alec included. Somehow, he'd managed to maintain control... until he'd found her in the hall in that underwear.

Until he'd kissed her.
What the hell was he thinking? And whom was he kidding?

This assignment would be more difficult than he'd dreamed.

Chapter Four

Keira
awoke with a blistering headache. Whimpering, she rolled onto her side. Movement, however slight, was a big mistake.

"That bad, eh?" Alec's morning-rough voice surprised her.

Startled, she flipped over. Pain spiraled beneath her skull, intense and unbearable.

She groaned, feeling too rotten to ask him what he was doing in her bedroom. She had a vague recollection of asking him to stay, wanting him to stay. A frown grew as she tried to remember.

"How did you get in here?"

"Climbed through the
window."

"I've got to replace those locks," she hissed. "Did I pass out?"

"Yes."

"Did you spend the night?" "No."

Her eyes fluttered shut in relief. "Good."

Alec grinned in spite of her obvious discomfort. Probably three-quarters of the people from last night's dance were waking up with monster hangovers. He was only concerned about one.

"Take these." He pressed two tablets into her palm.

"What are they?"

"Aspirin." He helped her sit up, then held a glass to her mouth. "Drink this. It'll help."

This
turned out to be a warm mixture of tomato juice and a few other things she couldn't identify. It went down surprisingly easy.

"Good girl. I'm going to ease you back."

Very gently, he lowered her against the pillows. Keira gritted her teeth, fighting dizziness as the room spun, afraid she'd be sick. Then a cold cloth was draped across her forehead.

The cloth felt so good she would have granted him any wish. Was glad he didn't ask.

"Go back to sleep," he urged. "You'll feel better."

Three hours later she awoke again, the headache absent. So, too, the nausea. Her eyes drifted around the room, confirming she was alone. The heavenly scent of coffee wafted on the air, a warning.
He
was still around.

Moving cautiously, she rolled from bed and headed to the bathroom. That she felt this good was a minor miracle. Whatever Alec had concocted with the tomato juice needed to be patented.

By the time she climbed out of the shower, she felt remarkably human. Until she spotted the hot cup of coffee sitting on the bathroom counter.

Alec.

He'd obviously crept in and out. In stealth mode. A note was written across the steam-fogged mirror, the letters bold masculine slashes:
Later, babe.

She drew her hand across the words, erasing them. "I'm not your babe."

At least he was gone.

He was the last person she wanted to see just then. She'd behaved poorly the night before, and that morning when she woke she'd been wearing different clothes. Alec had obviously had a hand in that.

She had another hazy recollection of begging him to undress her, of being in his arms. Self-consciousness flooded her as her memory failed. Had anything happened last night after she passed out? Anything ... sexual?

She'd dreamed of him that way. Dreamed she'd sleep-walked out the fire escape and into his bed. He hadn't disappointed. He'd ravaged. Long-banished memories had haunted her sleep. Kept her feverish.

With the dawn came a return of reason.

She wiped the rest of the steam from the mirror, shook her head at her reflection.

Last night she learned a twofold lesson: one, she wasn't immune to Alec's charm. She should never have let him kiss her. And she'd known he was going to, had seen it in his eyes. She could have avoided it.

In the past, she had always known when Alec was going to kiss her. Had always melted in the heat of anticipation. And their kisses rarely ended with only lip contact. They'd usually gone all the way.

She'd wanted to go all the way last night. If Alec hadn't stopped ...

That one kiss had smoked her defenses instantaneously. The fuzzy effects of alcohol hadn't helped. She needed to watch how much she drank around Alec.

Lesson two: She still had urges. Nothing wrong with that. She just needed to find someone safe to explore those urges with. Maybe she'd rethink Franny's advice on dating.

It was painfully apparent she'd underestimated her reaction to seeing Alec again. Granted, she'd thought she still had a week or two before he showed up, thought she had plenty of time to work through any unresolved sensitivities.

But the old hurts surfacing had been a surprise. And the anger. Where had it all come from?

Alec Dempsey had left her ten years ago. She'd only been eighteen. A child. She'd gotten over it and moved on. Had never really considered seeing Alec again.

So why had her heart felt as if it would burst through her rib cage when she first saw him? Why the onslaught of mixed sentiment? Rage and excitement.

The last thing she wanted was strong feelings for Alec—good or bad. He was there for one reason only. Which was where she had to keep her thoughts focused.

It was nearly one o'clock when Keira reached her office. Even though it was Saturday, Tina, her office manager, sat at the desk, stuffing envelopes.

"What are you doing here?" Tina asked. "Isn't there a big reunion party at the pool?"

Keira nodded. Scarlet and Cissy had jammed a week's worth of events into the weekend. She'd obviously missed the pancake breakfast that morning, and that afternoon the reunionites were playing beach blanket bingo at the city pool, followed by a picnic and bowling.

"I'll meet them later," Keira said. "I've got a lot to catch up here. What are you working on?"

"Invoices and statements," Tina said. "There's a stack of checks on your desk that need signing."

Tina started a two-week vacation on Monday, and in her typical, extraordinary fashion, she was making certain all was in order before she left.

"I'd be lost without you," Keira said.

"Good. Don't want you getting too attached to Martha while I'm gone."

Martha, a part-time office assistant, had agreed to fill in during Tina's absence but had made it plain she didn't want Tina's job.

"I almost forgot." Tina handed Keira a phone message. "Walt Pelter's called twice. Wants to know if you'd be interested in taking on the Chevy dealership job. He pulled the bid from the Barry brothers and says he's hanging in the breeze."

"He pulled the bid?" That news surprised her, but not nearly as much as the fact Walt had called
her.

Walt Pelter was a prominent general contractor who routinely ignored Keira's bids. If he had called her, he must be desperate indeed.

In the five years since Keira had bought out Jack Carson's electrical business she'd quadrupled profits and doubled the number of employees. But the larger jobs— like the dealership—evaded her. She knew why. Few women had penetrated the good-old-boy network dominating construction.

Never mind that she'd started working as an electrician's apprentice at sixteen. Or that she had a degree in electrical engineering. She lacked a penis.

She didn't lack balls, however, and she had feminine wiles in spades. If she could get her foot in the door, she'd kick it down. She'd show Walt.

"Did he leave a number?"

"Said he'll call back. Oh my!" Tina nodded toward the front door. "Hunk alert. Headed this way."

Keira spotted Alec walking across the parking lot. "Oh shit."

Tina's brow quirked up. "Was that a good
oh shit,
or a bad one?" "A bad one."

"Want me to tell him you're gone?"

"No." Yes, she wanted her to, but doing so would only postpone the inevitable. Sooner or later, she had to face him again, and her office was probably the best place. Private, but not intimate.

The door opened, sounding a small buzzer.

"Hello, Alec."

Alec nodded at Keira, then introduced himself to Tina.

Tina's smile grew as she shook Alec's hand. "I recognize the name. You used to work here, didn't you?"

"Long time ago. When the sign outside said
jack carson electric
." He looked back to Keira. "Of course, Morgan Electrical Contracting has a nice ring."

Keira shrugged, trying to hide her pride. In her secret heart of hearts, she admitted she might have wanted to see Alec again. Just to show him she had prospered without him, that she was a successful businesswoman.

Alec studied the office. "You've expanded."

"Added a warehouse. And a ladies' room."

He grinned. "Got a minute to talk?"

She glanced at her watch, then walked over to the coffeepot. "I've got a few minutes. Want a cup?"

Alec helped himself, then followed Keira down the hall to her office. He closed the door.

"Feeling better?"

Moving to her chair, she nodded. "I want to know what was in that tomato juice. By rights, I should still be sick."

"That punch should have been outlawed. I suspect it was pure alcohol, with a package of powdered drink mix thrown in for color. Quite honestly, I don't know how you made it home."

She recalled the long walk to her apartment, remembered finding someone inside. Remembered Alec
had
helped her. Ugh.

The next words nearly choked her. "Thanks for assisting me last night."

The grin returned as Alec sipped his coffee. "My pleasure. It's not every night I get to help a gorgeous, inebriated woman into bed."

Keira winced. That wasn't what she meant, and he knew it. Still, the fact she couldn't recall the entire evening bothered her. She fished for information.

"At least tell me I changed my own clothes."

"You took off your bra."

At her look of misery, Alec laughed out loud. "Relax, Keira. Nothing happened. You were already pretty much undressed to begin with. It wasn't difficult."

She frowned, recalling how Alec had found her in her underwear. "Yeah, well, believe me, it will
never
happen again."

"I wasn't complaining."

Suddenly his smile annoyed her. His presence, too. "What do you want, Alec?" She pointed to the stack of checks Tina had left. "I've got a lot of work to get through."

Alec set his coffee aside. He'd talked with Miles Ostman a short time ago. Ostman admitted telling Keira a lie—that her grandfather had been threatened—the only way Ostman felt he could induce her assistance.

"It's obvious she's not real fond of you," Ostman had said. "What exactly did you do to her?"

Alec had ignored the question. "What did you tell Keira about my cover?" he asked Ostman instead.

"We didn't get that far. I told her I'd get back to her," Ostman said. "And, since you showed up early, it's your problem. Just don't blow it."

Alec watched Keira shuffle papers, knew his being there unnerved her. He hadn't yet decided how to handle the misconception that Griggs threatened Keira's grandfather.

To reveal at this point that Ostman had lied would only increase her distrust. And he needed to assure his place in town. It was the only way to establish a watch on Griggs. To protect her.

"We need to discuss my role here," Alec began.

Keira agreed. "You can start by telling me how you plan to protect Willis."

"Initially, Griggs will be restricted to the halfway house when he's not working. I'll keep him under close surveillance, wait for him to make his move."

"Do you really think he'll get his money and run?"

"Wouldn't you? He has no reason to stick around."

Neither did Alec, Keira reminded herself. "Sounds like your plan's complete then."