Guarding Light (9 page)

   Her eyes widen at his teasing remarks. She went still and their gazes connected. Her eyes went to half-mast when she felt his erection against her. Of its own volition his free hand went to her face. His finger stroked her cheek. "My God, Catlyn, you are still so beautiful. You've barely aged. You really could pass for twenty-something." But not in his city!

   She turned her face away. He brought it back gently. "These deep brown eyes I used to drown in, these ridiculously long, thick eyelashes. And, heaven help me these lips and this mouth." His finger lightly stroked each of her attributes as he mentioned them. His finger glided slowly back and forth her bottom lip before tracing both over and over. "This mouth and these lips used to drive me crazy, especially after I got a taste of them, so perfectly shaped, bow top lip, full bottom lip." He moaned and lowered his mouth to hers.

   He just barely touched his mouth to hers then pulling back. He waited to see her reaction. When she relaxed completely and her eyes fluttered closed, Jack moaned again and took her mouth in a real kiss. He rubbed their lips together building that old familiar heat. It ignited. He slid the tip of his tongue across her lip seam. She gasped and opened for him. Jack shot his tongue home. And it did feel like coming home. He tasted her like a starving man. And when she greedily tasted him back, and groaned, Jack's cock pushed against his fly.

   Catlyn moved her leg, positioning it against his erection, rubbing it with her thigh, easing some of his ache. Jack quickly opened the buttons on her shirt pulling one side open, exposing her lace bra. He made quick work of the front fastener. His desire to see how she changed was the only thing that could have ended their kiss for him.

   Her breasts were even bigger, but still sexily shaped and wonderfully up-tilted. Her nipple was larger and seemed darker than he remembered. But, it was still so responsive. He watched in amazement as it grew hard and pebbled at his teasing manipulation.

   Catlyn's back arched off the table. Her sexy sighs had him grinding his dick insistently against her leg as he took the nipple in his mouth, sucking hard in time with his thrusts against her.

   Catlyn moaned. "J-jack, Jack. Oh, Jack!" Gone was the formal address of 'chief' in that dead tone. "Jack?" Her voice held a question.

   Reluctantly he left the feast of her breast. He lifted and looked into her face. "Yes, Kitten?" He whispered. She gave him an angelic smile. Jack smiled back.

   His world exploded in pain. Her forehead rammed into his nose. Bright light flashed behind his eyelids. Releasing her wrists he grabbed his nose. Before he could even register that pain fully, she followed with a well-placed knee to his balls, aimed for maximum effect. The dual pain sent him reeling. She shoved him off her. Hard! He rolled to the floor and automatically went into a fetal position.

   Catlyn jumped off the table, snatched his hand from the protective cup he had formed around his sac. She bent his wrist back, twisting his arm until he went on his stomach. Keeping his arm hyper-extended, she planted her foot in the small of his back and then spoke in a furious voice. "If you ever pull that macho b.s. on me again, I will do more than bust your balls." She twisted his arm harder. He gave a shout of pain. "And, if you ever touch me in that manner again when I am not willing, I will take your badge and throw your ass in prison. Got it, chief?" When he didn't answer right away she twisted his arm again.

   Through clenched teeth he said, "Got it, agent."

   From his position on the floor Jack heard Catlyn slam out of the conference room. As he slowly stood and the hot pain ebbed, one thought went through his head: would there ever be a time when Catlyn was willing?

Chapter 4

   Catlyn rushed into the ladies' room. She was shaking so fiercely she could barely fix her clothes. She looked at herself in the tri-mirror above the row of sinks. God, she looked like someone who had been ravaged, well loved. It took two tries to re-snap her bra. Her fingers felt like clumsy shaking sticks. She re-buttoned her blouse, tucking it neatly in her dress pants.

   She fixed her weapon holster clip, straightened her badge and phone that had gone askew. With trembling hands she brushed the front of her shirt, trying to rid the worst of the wrinkles. Then she put her attention to her hair. It flew in all directions, her part no longer distinguishable, bangs standing on end.

   The door opened and Tasha walked in. Silently she handed Catlyn a brush, comb, hair sheen spray and lip gloss. "The gloss is new. You can keep it." She remembered Catlyn hated lipstick.

   Hesitatingly Catlyn took the items, lining them up on the counter. She washed and rinsed her hands. Cupped her hands and splashed water on her face. Tasha handed her some paper towels so she wouldn't drip on her blouse. Catlyn pat dried her face. Then she wet her hands again, using the excess water on her hair. Running her fingers through her hair until it was damp. Then she used first the comb, sheen and then the brush. Last but not least she opened the gloss, applying one coat. Jack had kissed off the first coat she had put on this morning.

   Tasha didn't say a single word. Catlyn checked her restored appearance. Nice and neat, very professional looking, Catlyn returned the items to Tasha. "Thank you, Ms. Williams."

   "Ahh, nah, I know you're not gonna try that official shit with me." Tasha set her items back on the counter. "I don't believe you even coming out your face like that. No wonder Jack lost it."

   Catlyn turned towards the door. "I don't know what you mean."

   "Bullshit!" Catlyn swung back around squaring off with Tasha. "You know exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout. Jack and I were your friends! Your best friends! We deserved better than you treated us. Jack went out of his mind, so nuts with worry for you he up and enlisted!"

   "I am sure Sara consoled him very nicely." Catlyn smirked.

   "Girl, that lasted about two months." Tasha waved her hand, showing its insignificance. "After graduation he just had to get away. He eventually ended up in Desert Storm. Before graduation he used to come over almost every day. We still did movie nights until he shipped out."

   "Why are you telling me this?" Catlyn wanted to know.

   "'Cause, wench, you should have called us!" Ignoring Tasha's scolding, Catlyn frowned.

   "Did he tell you what he and Sara did to me at the hospital?"

   "You mean, tell the cop you were mistaken about J.T. being the one to hurt you? Yes he did."

   "I was NOT mistaken. J.T. Dark raped me, Sara Dolson and Jack Gard covered it up for him."

   Tasha gave her a compassionate look, putting her hand on Catlyn's shoulder. "Kitty Cat you were always messed up and super emotional when it came to J.T." She hurriedly continued when she saw Catlyn about to erupt. "I'm not sayin' it wasn't justified, just sayin' he was an evil bastard and he affected you badly, your very own personal boogey-man."

   "I was never mistaken in my ID of the person who attacked me. My so called best friend defended my attacker over me." Catlyn nearly shouted.

   "Jack would NEVER do something like that, especially not to you. He loved you." At Catlyn's look of disbelief Tasha nodded. "Why do you think he enlisted? The pain he caused you was tearing him apart."

   Catlyn didn't need to hear how heartbroken Jack had been. Her heart had shattered that long ago day in the hospital. "If he had felt anything for me, he never would have lied to protect a piece of scum like Dark."

   "Jack didn't lie!" Tasha was very quick to defend.

   "Oh, so, what you're saying is that I was the one lying?"

   Tasha paused considering. "No sweetie, not lying, but, confused."

   When Catlyn remained silent Tasha pushed on. "Jack is an honorable man. One of the few I've ever met. And his respect for women knows no bounds. He stands by the women in his life and would defend them to the death."

   Catlyn crossed her arms totally unimpressed. Seeing her cold look Tasha went on, "You know I wish Jack wasn't so honorable. Because if he wasn't he would have fucked you way back when and fucked you right! And then your first time wouldn't have been so horrible and you wouldn't be such a cold bitch right now." Tasha looked her up and down with scathing contempt and then walked out of the bathroom with her head high.

   Catlyn uncrossed her arms, clenching her fists at her side. She was not a cold bitch. Jack's touch had left her feeling very hot. Enough so that she had allowed him to make love to her on a table-top! In a police station! She had been flabbergasted when her body had actually responded to Jack's kisses and caresses. It was because of the surprise that she allowed Jack to continue touching her. In twenty-five years her body had not reacted to any man. Well, except for that one celebrity from that one show. Catlyn never understood why just the image of the star on the screen stirred her. But it did. However, Jack was the only flesh and blood, real life man to affect her.

   It was as if her body had been in dormant stage. And then Jack touched her and it awoke. Her body had come alive just as it had all those years ago when he'd given her a first kiss, first hug, first make out session and her first sexual release. It was the one and only time she had come by the touch of a man. These days she used her trusty vibrator while images of the sexy celebrity doing equally sexy things to her body floated around in her head.

   The rape had left her damaged. She couldn't bring herself to be intimate with any man. She had truly tried over the years. But no man had been able to break through her wall of fear and revolution of being touched.

   It had taken several months to heal physically from the rape. And she had had three years of therapy until she couldn't take it anymore. She found physical exertion helped with her emotional pain. She had turned to all things physically exhausting, jogging, running, climbing, martial arts training. It all satisfied a deep need to control her body. And it all worked to keep her in balance, controlled. That was until she met Jack Gard again. Her body had recognized its owner. That is what it felt like. As if, Jack owned a part of her. Catlyn refused to believe Jack Gard was the only man who could stir her passion. It was ludicrous!

   Taking deep breaths to soothe the turmoil in her mind, Catlyn opened the door, heading back to the conference room. It was just silly for her to be upset about something so normal. For twenty-five years she strove to be normal, just like any other gal. So there was no need for her to get all crazy over the fact that she found an absolutely GQ-gorgeous guy- built like the terminator, with bedroom sexy green eyes –sexually exciting. No big deal at all.

****

   "What were you thinking, Jack?" Tasha was doing her mother hen act now, removing the icepack held against Jack's nose, tilting his chin as she inspected the damage. "You could get into real trouble messin' with the FBI.

   Jack put his face in his hands then ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I know! I know. I am such an idiot. But, I saw Catlyn and my mind went bye-bye and my hormones said hello."

   "Boy, you better put that trophy-size piece a meat between your legs on lock down before you gets locked up." Tasha warned.

   Again with the blushing, Jack gritted his teeth. "Tasha! Really, must you?"

   "Huh, it seems I must. You'd have two FBI agents kicking your ass right now, if I didn't get in it."

   "I know. I'm sorry." Jack looked at Tasha with her hands on her hips still in lecture mode. "Where are they?"

   "The guy went to their car to get their tablets. I sent the info on the case to their IP addresses. Catlyn is in the ladies room." Tasha quirked an eyebrow at him, asking, "What'd you do to her? She looked like she had a real good romp."

   Jack bowed his head in shame, swearing under his breath and then aloud. "Damn it, Tasha, I am such an idiot. Catlyn is a rape-survivor and I practically raped her on the conference table."

   "What?" Seeing his shameful and worried expression, Tasha went to the fridge in the corner of the room, took out bottled water, opened it and handed it to him. "Here drink this. I am sure you are exaggerating."

   Jack took the bottle and stared at the blue label, thinking how Catlyn had responded and participated in their kisses. She had given him as good as she got. "Well, maybe a little, but I still was way out of line."

   "Glad you realize it!" Catlyn spoke from the doorway.

   Jack stood as Catlyn walked further into the room. "Tasha, would you please excuse us for another moment?"

   Tasha gave them both a look then said to Jack in a stage whisper, "Keep away from the conference table. I have my lunch there sometimes."

   "Tasha!" Jack warned.

   "Aight, I'mma goin'." With those words she left the room, making a showy gesture of locking the door before closing it quietly.

   "Sorry, she can be a bit in-your-face, but, I promise, she's harmless." Jack said. Then continued with curiosity, "But, you know that about her."

   He waited to see if Catlyn would respond to the personal note or ignore it as she did his offered hand earlier. "Yes, I do recall that about her."

   Sighing in relief, Jack indicated one of the chairs. "Please sit, I'd like to apologize for my behavior."

   Catlyn paused for only a few seconds before seating herself.

   Jack nervously sat next to her. C-catlyn, I uh, mean Agent Lyte…"

   Giving a sigh she interrupted with impatience. "Catlyn is fine."

   Jack smiled. "Thank you, Catlyn." She nodded for him to continue. "God, Catlyn, I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just wanted you to reconsider this undercover thing. And in my own, albeit bullheaded, way I wanted you to see how dangerous this could be for you."

   "My job is dangerous, Chief Gard." Catlyn said as though she were talking to a dimwitted child.

   "I know. But, it's just an old habit, wanting to protect females. It was pure reaction on my part. No thought process to speak of. Tasha calls it my alpha-male complex warp factor five."