Guarding Light (30 page)

   Finally convinced, he began to move his groin in counterpoint. "Mm, we can do it all again." He kissed her long and hard. "Kitten, refresh my memory."

   And with loving kisses she did.

****

   They were in the kitchen fixing breakfast. Catlyn looked at Jack. He didn't seem any worst for ware. But he was definitely bothered.

   "So, last night you said something about someone almost getting you, like Bob." Catlyn watched Jack carefully. He was placing the coffee pot back on the counter, at her statement his hand stopped in mid-air and held for several long seconds.

   He then shrugged and replaced the coffee pot, turning to face her, but not meet her eyes. "I was just rambling I am sure."

   "Don't! I can't take a lie from you, Jack." Placing her coffee cup on the counter, she finished in a whisper, "It hurts too much."

   He had her in his arms in two strides. "Baby, please don't be hurt."

   She looked into his eyes. "Then please don't lie to me. If your case is confidential, then say so. Don't lie. I am a federal agent. I do understand you will not be able to share everything with me. As long as the stuff you are keeping from me has to do with your job, I'll understand, sweetheart."

   A look came into his eyes, one she couldn't place. He smiled and kissed her. "Thank you for understanding, Kitten."

   "Now, I will only ask this once and then I will leave it alone. Is there anything I can do to help?"

   He shook his head, "No, thanks for offering."

   "I need one more thing from you. You said you were in trouble last night, like Bob. Bob was killed in the line of duty. Please be careful. I don't want to lose you. We just found one another again. Can you do that for me? Be very, very careful?"

   "Don't worry. I don't want to lose you either. Careful is my middle name."

   She laughed. "It's Anthony, silly." They kissed and slowly parted.

   "Were you able to get a later flight?"

   "Yes, one that leaves in 3 hours. Can you give me a ride to Stewart's? The rental I arranged to be dropped off here is already outside."

   "Of course."

   She took in his attire. He was already dressed for the funeral. "Will you go directly to the cemetery?"

   He looked at his watch. "Yes, I am very late. I will just barely have enough time to drop my bag in the hotel room."

   "When will I see you again?"

   He hugged her, smiling. "Why? Miss me already?"

   He was joking but Catlyn answered in all earnest. "Yes."

   He returned her serious look. "I will see you on the 13
^th
. The day before the dance off on the waterfront, I want you to sleep over my house. We can practice our dance moves."

   "Yes, that's right, Valentine's Day. I've never been to a Valentine's Day anything, never had a Valentine."

   With his arms around her waist and their pelvises touching, he pushed into her. "Kitten, will you be my Valentine?"

   Nodding she smiled and asked, "Jack, will you be mine?"

Lowering his head for a kiss, he whispered, "I already am."

   After sharing breakfast, Catlyn drove him the 15 minutes to the airport. They held hands in the waiting area like young lovers being separated for the first time.

   "I am going to miss you, Jack."

   "I am going to miss you more, Catlyn."

   They kissed one last time. "I have to get back and meet Mackenzie."

   "Leave your cell on. I will call every night."

   Waving, she smiled and left the airport before she started blubbering like a school girl.

Chapter 11

   Mackenzie was looking through a folder, one of the many spread out on her bed. Catlyn was sprawled on the second bed reading a forensic report and missing Jack. He had been gone for only a couple hours and she was having separation anxiety. If she wasn't careful she'd be experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

   Mackenzie sat up abruptly, looking intently at a piece of paper. Catlyn glanced over to see a lab report. "Hey, what is Gypsophila paniculata? It was on three of the victims, well traces of it anyway." Mackenzie passed the page to Catlyn.

   Catlyn quickly glanced at it. "It's a flower, specifically baby's breath. It doesn't mean anything. It's not like its super rare."

   "Still, it was on three of the victims it could mean something. I remember you telling me every piece of evidence is just that, evidence, which means something and leads to something."

   Catlyn stretched. "Yeah, that's true. It means that there is baby's breath in Newburgh."

   Shrugging Mackenzie took the report, picking up the remote she began to channel surf. She stopped on a station that showed a man in glasses talking with a petite brunette. "Hey, there is that actor you like so much."

   Catlyn glanced up and blushed. It was the actor that her body reacted to when she looked at him and was the subject of her fantasies when using her vibrator.

   Suddenly, Mackenzie started to laugh, very hard. "Oh, my God, I get why you like this guy so much now." Mackenzie looked from the television screen to Catlyn and back. "He is Jack Gard's twin with brown eyes. Hell, with the exception of the eye color he could
be
Jack Gard."

   Catlyn pretended an interest in the papers before her. "I don't know what you are talking about." She denied quickly, obviously too quickly because Mackenzie laughed harder.

   "It never made sense to me that someone as level headed as you and who wasn't a T.V. person, sometimes went out of her way to watch this show." Mackenzie recovered long enough to theorize.

   "I do not watch T.V." Catlyn said.

   Mackenzie just laughed some more. "What's this guy's name?"

   Catlyn shrugged her shoulders although she knew exactly what the actor's name was.

   Not to be thwarted, Mackenzie clicked on the guide. "Ah ha, here it is, Dean Cain."

   Catlyn ignored Mackenzie as they watched the scene play out between the two actors on the screen. "Wow, this guy really smolders sex appeal." The actor suddenly stepped back and spun into the well-known superhero in the red, blue and yellow suit. "Holy crap, he looks even
more
like Jack in this guise, doesn't even matter his eye color."

   Catlyn grabbed the remote from Mackenzie clicking the television off, "Back to work."

   Mackenzie gave a final chuckle before going back to the papers on her bed.

   Several hours later they broke to eat. Catlyn's cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she smiled. Stepping into the bathroom in Mackenzie's hotel room, Catlyn answered. "Hello Stud-muffin."

   There was a short pause and then she heard Jack's gravelly voice. "Be good, Kitten. I am next to a room full of mourners."

   "Sorry, honey. How is Bob's widow?"

   "As expected, totally devastated."

   "I am so sorry."

   "Thank you, sweetheart. I am too."

   "I miss you so much already."

   "Me too."

   "I wish I was there with you to show my support."

   "Do you, Kitten?"

   "Of course!"

   There was another small pause on Jack's end of the line. "Good. Baby, we need to talk when I get back. I need to tell you something and there's something important I want to ask you."

   His tone was very serious. "Ok, Jack."

   "I have to get back. Lisa, Bob's widow, wants to speak with me about something. She asked if I would stick around until everyone has left."

   Wanting Jack to know just how serious she was about their budding relationship and how much she wanted them to workout, Catlyn took a deep breath and all the courage she had within her and said, "Jack?"

   "Yes, Kitten?"

   "I love you." She spoke with sincerity and a bit of uncertainty.

   There was a lengthy pause this time. Then Catlyn heard his sexy voice very clearly, "I love you too, Catlyn, so very much."

   Catlyn started breathing again, not realizing she even held her breath. "See you soon."

   "Yes. Catlyn, stay out of trouble. I don't want you following any crazy leads or going off somewhere with Mackenzie. Kyle filled me in on her antics and totally insane stunts. And, he said when you two get together one or both of you end up in the hospital fighting for your life."

   "Jack, I am a trained—"

   "Kitten, I don't care how well trained you are. This is not Chief of Detectives Gard talking to S.S.A. Lyte. This is Jack Gard the man deeply and irrevocably in love with Catlyn Lyte, the woman, asking his woman to please don't do anything rash or foolhardy."

   It was Catlyn's turn to give pause. "All right, Jack." She finally answered.

   "Just like that, 'All right, Jack'?" Jack was shocked, thinking of the last time he asked her not to do something.

   Catlyn laughed. "Do you want it in writing, Stud-muffin? The man I love asked something of me. It's within my power to grant his wish, so I will."

   "Mmm, baby, something tells me I am gonna like being your man very much." He gave a wicked laugh.

   "Yeah, well, I know your request has nothing to do with me being a woman or you thinking I can't do my job because of my sex. It comes from your caring for and worrying about me."

   "Yes, it does. Thanks for understanding."

   "Not a problem."

   "Sweetheart I gotta go. Leave your cell on so I can call and say good night. When are you heading to the bar and grill?"

   "Mackenzie and I were just getting ready to pack it in because I have to be there in an hour,"

   "Ok, Kitten."

   "Jack, I know you believe Mackenzie to be impetuous and careless but she is very good at her job. If I were ever in serious trouble, other than you, I'd want Mackenzie running to the rescue."

   "Baby, I know you guys are friends and care for each other and want to protect each other. I mean, you're both females in a male dominated field, you're both black, and you're both accomplished. I really do understand you guys sticking together. But, I have heard about some of the crazy stunts Mackenzie has pulled which almost ended her life."

   "Jack, she was doing her job."

   "Catlyn, she jumped off an eight story balcony!"

   "Mackenzie is a very good gymnast, has been since she was a child. It was a controlled jumped aimed at the child that was thrown off the ninth story balcony by a psycho. It was a quickly calculated jump where she intercepted the falling child so she could control their decent and where they landed. They hit the deep end of the pool perfectly. Neither of them even had a scratch."

   "That is not the point, Catlyn. That woman is driven way beyond the norm. Whatever her demons, they cause her to make crazy decisions that totally disregard her own safety. I don't want her taking those kinds of chances with your life."

   Catlyn heard the worry in his voice even over the phone. "I hear you, Jack. I won't do anything crazy with Mackenzie." She assured him.

   "Thank you, Kitten. I miss you. I will talk to you later."

   "Miss you too."

   "Say it again, baby."

   Catlyn didn't need to ask what he meant, smiling she told him again, "I love you, Jack."

   "I love you back." The phone then clicked.

****

   "Since you've been wearing that silly ass smile since you came out of my bathroom I take it all is ok with Dean Cain?" Mackenzie laughed as she pulled the car to a stop in front of the bar and grill.

   "Oh, would you please not say that, especially around Jack." Catlyn was annoyed as she opened her door to get out.

   "Hey, Jack should be flattered. You've been pining after his doppelganger for years. And, the guy is not half bad looking."

   Catlyn rolled her eyes and was about to get out and slam the door when she heard her name. She looked up and saw Mr. Odly waving. Catlyn returned the wave and gave a little shudder.

   Mackenzie didn't miss a thing. "Why'd you turn up your face at that guy? Who is he?"

   Shaking her head, Catlyn waved it off. "That's my boss, Mr. Odly. It's nothing really. He just gives me the willies. I am sure he's not dangerous but he just gives me crawling flesh."

   Mackenzie turned her acute eye on Mr. Odly as he went up the stairs and inside the bar. Mackenzie shrugged. "Dean Cain he ain't! But, otherwise he looks harmless."

   This time Catlyn did get out and said a curt 'Bye' before slamming the door. The ring of Mackenzie's laugh followed her into the restaurant.

****

   Catlyn stared at the items on her bed. She couldn't believe she had actually purchased gifts for a male that wasn't related to her. She picked up the watch, inspecting the black leather band. Its face was black onyx with a diamond chip marking the 12:00 o'clock hour. The gold hour and second hands and trim glistened as she turned the watch in her hand.

   Catlyn was nervous. Would he like it? She touched the gold and diamond key resting in her cleavage. She wanted him to like it as much as she liked her gift. Putting the watch back in its intricate box, Catlyn picked up the jockey underwear, a combination of briefs and boxers, fitted like briefs but the length of shorts like boxers. She bought him black, red and navy blue. Catlyn admitted she couldn't wait to see the cotton snuggly fitted against his large cock. Just the thought stirred her insides.

   Catlyn looked at her watch checking the time, calculating the time difference between her and Jack. Just a couple more hours and Jack would be calling. He had turned their phone calls into a love fest.

   That first night he called to say good night he had said he missed touching her and then had brazenly asked her to touch herself for him. He gave her direction as she pleasured herself thinking of his sexy body and gorgeous eyes. He then told her how he was jerking off to her sounds of pleasures, wishing he was inside her and that it would be soon, very soon when his cock would be penetrating her just like his tongue and fingers had. Catlyn shivered thinking of their phone sex. It seemed they were an explosive combination no matter how they chose to make love.