Fallen Angels: Beguiled\Wanton\Uncovered (25 page)

“I'll…I'll do anything you want if you'll help me save Hannah.”

His hands stilled. His gaze shot from her foot to her face and narrowed there. He didn't say anything, not trusting himself to speak.

Celia appeared to be holding her breath, her eyes round, the pulse in the hollow of her throat fluttering anxiously. When he only watched her, doing his best to keep his anger under wraps, she burst out in nervous explanation. “I know you think I'm not fit to do this work. You've done nothing but harp on me about quitting, about going back to the family business.” She paused, drew a deep breath. “Well, I'll do it.”

“It?” He couldn't get his jaw to work, so the one-word question was whispered through clenched teeth.

She nodded. “I'll…I'll go back. But only if you help me to help Hannah first.”

The tension eased out of him by slow degrees. She wasn't bartering her body as he'd first assumed. She'd agree to quit, to return to her old job where she'd be safe. It was what he'd wanted, what he knew would be best for her. Angel's words echoed in his mind, making his muscles tense with guilt.
She'll need someone who understands and supports her.
Very slowly, he released her foot and put both hands on her knees. Still holding her gaze, he gently urged her legs apart. Whatever Celia needed, he wanted to give it to her.

Her eyes widened again, but he was already there, already moving up over her, gently easing her down onto the mattress while wedging himself firmly between her soft, spread thighs. He closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her beneath him, the gentle cradle of her open body. Pressing his hips down and in, he moved against her, torturing himself with the pleasure of it.

“Alec?” Her voice was high and thin.

“What if that's not what I want the most, Celia?” He felt his heart drumming, his stomach twisting with need. “What then?”

She swallowed hard, the sound audible in the quiet room. She blinked twice before squarely meeting his gaze. “I can't give up on Hannah.”

His senses ignited, heat rushing over him in waves. All he could think was that she was giving in to him, she wanted him to make love to her.

He leaned down to kiss her, already breathless with anticipation—and a knock sounded on the door.

His head jerked up and his entire body went rigid as he instinctively prepared for the possible threat.

“Room service!”

Several curses came to mind, but it was Celia scrambling out from beneath him, her panic almost tangible as she leapt from the bed and rushed back into the bathroom, that helped him maintain control. Once again, that door was slammed.

Alec flopped down on the bed and flung one arm over his eyes. Tonight wasn't going at all as planned.

And given what had just almost happened, he had a feeling it was going to get a lot worse before it got better. Typical, whenever he dealt with Celia.

 

C
ELIA SLOWLY CHEWED
on her sandwich. She didn't really want it, not when nothing had been settled between them. She felt like an idiot for fleeing to the bathroom again. At least this time Alec hadn't abused the door to get her out. He'd merely asked her if she was ready to eat, and she'd calmly walked out as if she hadn't been hiding. Dumb. She had to get a grip if she wanted to talk him into helping her.

The noisy air conditioner in her room barely took the edge off the heat. The air felt heavy, thick. The food tasted bland to her nervous tongue. Alec sat across from her at the small, scarred table wedged into the corner of the room. There was barely space to move between it and the edge of the bed. He'd sat so that he faced the door, a conscious decision on his part because Alec was always alert, always prepared. With him, she had no doubt she could save Hannah.

But Alec kept looking at her with his narrow-eyed gaze, speculating, just waiting to start grilling her and putting her on the spot. She decided to beat him to the punch. The key to dealing with Alec was to stay in control.

She cleared her throat, took a large swallow of the coffee, then looked him dead in the eye.

Sheesh, he was gorgeous.

“Come on, honey, out with it.” Alec grinned slightly, one eyebrow lifted. “I can see you have something to say, so say it.”

Celia scowled. “How do you do that?”

“Read your mind?” He tugged at his earring absently. “I don't know, except that we've got some kind of chemistry going, whether you want to admit it or not.”

She lowered her eyes. “Actually, that's part of my…um, problem.”

“Your
sexual
problem?”

Heat rushed into her cheeks. She hated the way he just blurted that out, but she knew he was deliberately rattling her, so she lifted her chin and again forced herself to meet his gaze. “Yes.”

Alec took a healthy bite of his own sandwich, taking his time while he chewed and swallowed. “Didn't seem to me like you had a problem.” His attention dropped to her breasts and her nipples immediately peaked. His eyes narrowed. “Everything appears to be working just fine.”

She had to lock her knees to keep from running away again. She was so ashamed of herself, it was all she could do to sit there and face him. “That's part of the problem.”

Now he looked surprised, and a tad annoyed. He swallowed the last of his food and glared. “Come again?”

Fiddling with the spoon for her coffee just to give her fingers something to do, Celia admitted, “I'm not very discriminating. I suppose I'm what's called a loose woman.” She felt his gaze like a laser burn and this time she couldn't look up.

“A loose woman?”

Something in his tone sounded lethal and she braced herself. “After the way I let Raymond use me, putting so many people in danger, I decided I would never again get involved with a man who didn't really care about me. I thought I had learned my lesson, that my pride was enough to keep me from being foolish. But…” She swallowed hard, searching for the right words. “You…you look at me, and I forget all my convictions.”

“This is all because you
want
me?” He sounded irritated and a little disbelieving.

“I want you. But not for the right reasons.”

Alec shot out of his chair and she braced herself, watching him wide-eyed. Rather than come to her, he stalked away, his hands on his hips, his shoulders rigid. Through the tight T-shirt, she could clearly see every muscle of his back.

“Alec, when we first met you made it clear you didn't want a relationship. Every time we're together you make it clear that you don't trust me, that you don't even really like me.”

He whipped around to stare at her, incredulous.

She faltered just a bit, but her gut instincts toward Hannah couldn't be ignored. “You just want me for sex, and as much as my body might like the idea, my brain is disgusted and ashamed.”

“Your brain?” He started toward her, slowly stalking, his eyes narrowed and intent on her face.

She quickly slid out of her chair and stepped behind it. The crowded room gave her little enough space to navigate. “Stop trying to intimidate me! I hate it when you do that, especially when I'm only trying to give you the truth.”

“The truth being that you have some harebrained idea that sex without love everlasting is dirty?”

He stopped in front of her, towering, angry. Celia pushed the chair aside and pointed her finger at him, her own anger taking over. “Sex without some kind of emotional commitment is dirty! It's just sex.”

“Which can be damn satisfying!”

“Not for me!” She realized they were both screaming and tried to calm herself. Good grief, she didn't want to run him off, and she certainly didn't want everyone in the motel to know their personal business. She pushed a hand through her wet hair and took several deep breaths. “I'm sorry for sort of leading you on. You kiss me, and I forget what I'm doing and what it is I want to do. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't touch me anymore.”

“Like hell.”

Celia ignored that. “I have a lot to make up for, Alec, mostly because I was blinded by Raymond and who he was. And the reason I was so blinded—”

“I don't want to hear this, damn it.”

“Is because sex between us was—” She almost choked, then forced the words out. “It was great.”

“Goddammit.”
Alec's hand grabbed her arms and pulled her up on tiptoe. “Celia—”

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the loud beeping of her pager. They both froze for a moment, and Alec seemed to be vibrating with anger, struggling for control. Celia waited, practically hanging in his grip, though strangely not worried. For whatever reason, this time she didn't fear him. Alec would never hurt her, and she knew it.

He slowly released her until her feet touched flat on the floor. She rushed over to the dresser where her beeper lay. She hadn't taken it with her to the bar, too afraid it would go off and Jacobs would discover something that would give her away. She picked it up and read the number blinking at her with a distinct feeling of dread.

Biting her lip, she turned to face Alec.

“Who is it?” He had himself under control, but it was a tenuous hold. Everything he felt was still there in his glittering black eyes, plain for her to see. From the inside out, she felt the trembling start.

Watching him closely, she said, “It's…Mrs. Barrington.”

Alec turned away, but Celia was already rushing to him, personal reservations forgotten in the face of Hannah's need. “Alec?” When he didn't answer she shifted around so she was in front of him and he had no choice but to listen to her. “Please, I need your help with this case. Hannah needs your help.” She ignored his snort of disbelief and continued. “I have to call her back. Alec?
Please,
will you stay and help me?”

He stared at the ceiling for a good full minute, not answering. Celia could feel his indecision and she held herself still, allowing him to decide while at the same time hoping against hope that he wouldn't turn her down.

Finally he looked at her, and she'd never seen him harder, more determined. Her heartbeat shuddered, then began a rapid tattoo.

“Yeah, Celia, I'll stay. I'll help you save little Hannah Barrington, whether the girl wants saving or not.” He looked her over, his gaze more cold than hot now. “But there's a condition.”

Despite his cynical, detached attitude, a warmth spread through her, proof of what she'd already guessed, what she'd always known, exactly what he'd want in return. Her legs felt shaky, but she lifted her chin and returned his direct stare, bravado her only defense. “I'm listening.”

His eyelids drooped sensually, his thick lashes almost hiding his gaze as he stared at first her mouth, then her breasts, then lower. His tone was soft, a raw growl that made her every nerve ending tingle with awareness. “I want you. Whenever and wherever I decide. Any way I choose to take you—” His gaze lifted, meeting hers again. “—and I'll choose a hell of a lot of ways. You'll say yes. Until this is over, until Hannah is on her way home, you'll be mine.”

Celia rolled her lips in to contain a moan, unable to look away, unable to say a single word. Damn, but she was almost relieved. He was going to take the decision out of her hands, and her belly curled in anticipation even as she feared her own response.

Alec smirked, the gesture sensual and ripe with promise. “Oh no, honey,” he whispered, “I'm not going to let you play at being a martyr. I'm going to make damn sure you enjoy every little thing I do to you, with no holding back. Whatever the hell you did with Raymond won't be able to compare. And when I'm done, you'll know damn good and well that nothing between us is dirty.”

His hands cupped her hot cheeks and turned her face up to his. “You can call Mrs. Barrington and tell her not to worry, that everything will be taken care of.” His thumb brushed her bottom lip, hot and rough. “And then you can strip those jeans off and get into bed.”

She gasped.

“Or you can tell me to go to hell.” His eyes glittered, bright with intent. “The decision is yours.”

Celia licked her dry lips, trying to find words around the wild racing of her heart. He hadn't even really touched her yet and she felt ready to lose control. How would she ever survive? Did she have any choice?

“I'll…I'll call Mrs. Barrington.”

His eyes blazed with sudden heat at her acceptance, his nostrils flaring in excitement, like a wild animal sensing victory. For just a heartbeat his hands tightened and she thought her time of reckoning was at hand, that he'd lost control. Then he stepped away. “I have to get a few things out of my truck. I can stay with you tonight, because everyone expected it. But tomorrow I'll have to get my own room just in case anyone has the sense to check up on you.”

Celia stood mute, watching him.