Touching the Past (11 page)

A smile tilted Mallory’s lips. “That moment when everyone else’s dinner looks better.”

“We could always—” Zac speared a piece of the pulled pork and held it out to her. “Share.” He waited, his heart skipping into an irregular beat.

And just like that the air surrounding them was heavy with awareness and charged with expectation. The sounds of the band and the other diners receded into the distance. They were the only two people in the world.

Mallory hesitated for a moment, then, pushing her hair behind her ears, leaned forward, opening her lips. Her even white teeth caught the meat. She pulled back, chewing, her eyes meeting Zac’s before she hid them behind lowered lashes.

“Is it—” Zac stopped to clear his throat and get his voice under control. Who would have thought a simple movement like that could seem so…so…
sexy
. “Is it good?” He watched her swallow, holding his breath.

“Ummm-hmmm.” Mallory’s lashes swept up, then down, then up again as she held out a bite of her meal. She held his gaze. “Would you like to taste…mine?” Even in the restaurant’s dim light, he could see her cheeks were flushed.

Zac nodded, never taking his eyes off hers. It wasn’t her meal he wanted to taste. It was her. Right now he was so hungry for the woman across the table from him that it was driving him crazy.

Something of his feelings must have communicated itself to her. The hand holding the fork trembled. Her empty hand tightened, then slid into her lap, but her eyes stayed fixed on his face.

Zac leaned across the table. What was she thinking?

Chapter 12

Mallory thought her heart was going to stop as Zac’s lips closed around the bite of lobster mac and cheese. Instead it started to beat double-time when he sat back and chewed, his eyes closing as he made murmuring sounds of approval that made her nerve endings tingle. She swallowed.

She hadn’t meant to come to dinner with Zac, but she hadn’t been able to stop herself. This could be the last time she saw him. Now that he had what he wanted.

She’d watched him at the computer in his apartment. He’d been so intent on finding out more about Jerry Herkel that he’d forgotten she was there.

Sighing inwardly, Mallory looked out over the busy restaurant, not seeing it.

She didn’t understand herself. She was glad for him. Proud that she’d been able to help him. And she wished he could go get Danny and Kim and Beth and bring them back to their families right now. But some part of her also wished the investigation could go on just a little bit longer. She wanted to spend more time with Zac, but she wasn’t sure if the normal Mallory Woods was enough to interest him. Or if it was only Mallory the woman who could touch the past that he wanted.

The memory of his kiss heated her face. Her blood. Yes, he was attracted to her. But which her?

“Hey.” The touch of Zac’s hand on hers brought her gaze and attention back to him. Even though the light was low, she could see the strained look that had been in his eyes ever since he’d come back into her life had disappeared. Instead, they held a bright, eagerness. “What were you thinking about?”

“Oh.” Mallory waved her hand at the band. They’d switched up to something loud and heavy on the guitar. “They’re good, aren’t they?”

Was that a flash of disappointment she saw cross his face? She couldn’t be sure. It was gone too quickly.

“They’re no Led Zeppelin.” He picked up his glass.

“Ooh. Old school,” she teased, hoping to turn the conversation away from the too personal. “You like the old stuff.”

“It’s classic for a reason,” he answered, without heat. “And what’s on your Ipod?” His smile flashed. “If you say Michael Bublé, you might be walking home.” He sipped the water.

“Lawrence Welk.” She gave the answer with a straight face.

Zac choked, sputtering. Grabbing a napkin, he glared at her. “You are
definitely
walking home.”

“Okay. Okay.” She held up her hands in surrender. “In the interest of saving myself from the hike, I’ll confess that Keiko Matsui has my top spot.” When he looked blankly at her, she added, “Jazz pianist. Composer. Won an Oasis award.” She sniffed in mock indignation when he continued to stare at her without recognition. “You have
got
to broaden your musical horizons past the seventies.”

He shook his head, unfazed. “Sorry, if they’re not rocking the heavy guitars, I don’t know ’em.”

Mallory released an exaggerated sigh. “Some people just don’t appreciate good music.”

“So true,” Zac agreed with a grin.

As they finished the main course, they moved from music to movies and TV shows. They disagreed about
Community
. Zac thought it was hilarious. Mallory, stupid. But they both made sure to TiVo
Castle
. Zac admitted to buying one of the Nikki Heat books that had spun out of the series. “It was all right. The show’s better, though. Would you like dessert?”

Mallory didn’t hesitate this time. Though the sensible part of her brain warned her that spending more time with Zac would just make it harder to see him go later, her heart wanted the night to go on. She was greedy for more talk and shared laughter with this man. She’d deal with the inevitable parting later. “Yes, please. A few more calories won’t matter.”

Zac’s gaze met hers. “Definitely. I mean not. I mean—” His cheeks darkened as he looked away. “You look—” He cleared his throat and grabbed at the dessert menu card. “The strawberry wonton looks goods. Want to give it a try?”

Remembering a similar conversation in her kitchen, only with her at the flustered end, Mallory smiled and agreed.

The strawberry wonton
was
good. They lingered over it, Zac seeming as reluctant as Mallory to have the evening end. The conversation wandered from personal tastes to what they did in their spare time.

“You’re a mentor?” Mallory looked at the man across the table. “Zac, that’s wonderful.”

Zac ducked his head and shifted in his chair. In anyone else she would have called it squirming with embarrassment. But he didn’t need to be embarrassed.

He looked up, a deprecating smile on his face, and shrugged. “Just trying to make sure they don’t end up like I was.”

“You didn’t turn out so bad.” Mallory reached across the table and laid her hand on his. Their eyes met.

Mallory’s breath caught in her throat. The air grew taut between them, vibrating with unvoiced desires. She couldn’t look away from him, suddenly,
achingly
aware that not only was he Zac, but also a man. A very male man. Her fingers trembled against the back of his hand before she could control them.

Without taking his eyes from hers, Zac lifted his hand for the check.

They didn’t speak as they left the restaurant or in the car on the way to Mallory’s house. She tried. But each time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t seem to find any words. Her brain had deserted her.

She was a mass of quivering nerves, half excited, half fearful. Her earlier confidence had evaporated. If Zac gave any indication. Made the slightest move. She’d—

She didn’t know what she’d do.

She wanted—

She didn’t know what she wanted, either. And what did Zac want? That would make all the difference.

The expectant tension between them coiled tighter and tighter as Zac silently drove down the darkened streets. Mallory wanted to scream. What was he thinking?

As the car pulled into the driveway she was fumbling with her seatbelt. Almost before it stopped, she was out of the vehicle. She gulped at the cool night air, feeling her heart pound inside her chest.

Zac behind her, she stepped up to the door, her legs shaking. She clutched her keys in her hand to keep them from clattering and prayed she wouldn’t do something stupid like drop them or try to use the car key on the house lock.

She didn’t. The key slipped in and the door opened. Breathing a small sigh of relief that one small hurdle had been passed, she reached in to flick on the lights, then turned back to Zac, not knowing what she was going to say. “Well—”

Zac pulled her into his arms, crushing her mouth against his.

Yes!

Surrendering to the desire that had been building since their last kiss, since the first time she’d seen him again, Mallory pushed her hand into Zac’s thick hair. The soft strands caressed her fingers. Her reward for her action was to have Zac pull her closer and deepen the kiss. His hands roved over her back.

When he pulled back for a breath, Mallory whimpered. His mouth came back to hers. Her lips clung to his. She didn’t want this moment to end.

Zac seemed to agree with her. Their lips would part, only to come together again. When Zac finally did pull away from her, his face was flushed and his dark eyes glittered. Somehow his shirt had come free of his jeans. It hung, half open, revealing his hair-covered chest rising and falling as he drew in harsh breaths. Mallory flushed, remembering how firm he’d felt beneath her exploring fingers.

“I’d better leave.”

It seemed to Mallory that Zac’s ragged statement was more of a question. That he wanted her to ask him to stay.

She wanted him to. She wanted him to stay and take her upstairs to her bedroom and make love with her.

The thought of what it would be like made her tremble. She grabbed the doorknob to steady herself.

She wanted to ask him to stay. The words were on her lips, but caution held them back. She couldn’t. Not yet. The man she’d met over dinner wasn’t the Zac she knew. He was much more than the boy she remembered. He was appealing and attracted her on multiple levels, but she wasn’t ready yet to follow up on it. She didn’t know if it was Mallory the woman who interested him or Mallory the woman with visions. And it mattered very much to her which one he wanted.

She gripped the edge of the door. “Call me when you get home?” She went still. Closed her eyes in embarrassment. Wished she could call back the words. Would he think she was clingy? Demanding? A couple of kisses—a couple of
fantastic
kisses—didn’t mean they were a…a couple.

A light weight traced down her cheek to her mouth. She opened her eyes. Zac was watching her, a smile on his lips and in his warm eyes. “I will.” His finger traced the curve of her swollen lips. She trembled.

Before she could pull herself together to reply, he was walking toward his car. She lifted her hand in farewell as he looked back after opening his car door. It seemed like he hesitated before sliding in.

He’d been gone for several minutes before she roused herself to close and lock the door and turn off the yard lights. She wandered into the living room and dropped down onto the couch. The same spot he’d fallen asleep on.

She scratched the arm cover lightly and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. He was attracted to her. No doubt about that. As much as she was attracted to him. But was there more to it than that? She wanted there to be. She wanted to have the kind of relationship her parents had had. Her father had once said Ryuuko had been his best friend first.
Then
his wife and lover.

Was Zac her friend? She wanted him to be. He was a good man. Dedicated. Hard working. Funny. And he cared. Cared about the people he was trying to help. Cared about her.

She lifted her head. He
did
care about her. He’d been upset at the psychic fair because she was upset. He—

The doorbell shrilled in the silence. Mallory jumped. Who could—Had Zac forgotten something?

She hurried across the room, heart pounding. Flipping on the outside lights, she threw open the door without looking to see who it was. “Za—”

Jerry Herkel stood outside, his face framed by the dark hood of his jacket. In that first quick glance Mallory saw that all his clothing was dark.

Surprise froze her in place. How had he found her? Zac hadn’t used her address.

Herkel took advantage of her surprise. He pushed into the room, grabbing Mallory’s arm. His fingers tightened their grip.

She came alive, pushing at him, struggling to get free. He was too strong for her. She opened her mouth to scream. Herkel slammed her into the wall. The impact jarred her. Her ears rang. Dazed, she felt Herkel push at the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Something jabbed into her arm.

He loosened his grip. Mallory pulled away from him, trying to run. She took a step. Stopped. Swayed. The room spun around her.

Zac. She had to get hold of Zac.

She tried to move, but she couldn’t control her muscles. Her legs went out from under her. She started to fall.

Something caught her, digging into her shoulder.

Her head was heavy, rolling on her neck. She forced it up. A bloated parody of Herkel’s face, like something in a funhouse mirror, leered at her. She closed her eyes.

She tried to speak, call for Zac, but her lips and tongue were numb and swollen-feeling. She couldn’t make them form words.

A strong, excessively-flowery scent overpowered her. She felt herself slipping into the waiting darkness.

Chapter 13

Why wasn’t she answering? Where was she?

Zac hit “End,” then “Redial.” No answer. Something was wrong.

He headed for the door. He’d feel like a fool if he got to Mallory’s and it was nothing more than a problem with the phone, but he couldn’t ignore the feeling in his gut. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. She’d told him to call.
So why wasn’t she answering?

The drive to Mallory’s seemed to take twice as long as it should have. Earlier, he hadn’t minded the detours and frequent stops for evening construction work. Every delay had allowed him to replay and linger over that last kiss and the promise it held. She couldn’t have kissed him like that and not felt something more than just attraction.

But now, heading back, the only thing on his mind was what could have happened to her? Had she fallen? Was she lying on the floor hurt? Was it a robbery? Had someone broken in or been hidden in the house while he stood at the door?