Tender Touch (25 page)

“Not Knight.” Bill spoke in a low voice with
a frown on his face. Mike snorted.

“Believe me, when the going gets tough, they
all try to protect their little pet programs. Just tighten the
purse strings like we’ve done before.”

“You don’t know him like I do. He’s a man of
principle,” Bill snarled. He got up and poured himself a scotch and
soda.

“Then we’ll just have to deal with him,
too,” Mike said in a flat, grim voice.

“What do you have in mind?” Bill turned to
him with a look of anticipation.

“Everybody has skeletons, right? It just
takes knowing where to dig.” Mike raised his glass in a silent
toast.

“Damon Knight with something to hide? I
don’t think so.” Bill lost his animated expression and scowled
again.

“I’ve heard a few rumblings about his old
man and deals he cut to get state bids. You might even want to ask
Tavis about it.” Mike wore a leer.

“Tavis? What would he know?”

“Tavis uses all his assets to improve his
standard of living.” Mike threw back his head with a loud guffaw
that eventually trailed off into a hoarse chuckle. “I’ve booked a
flight out tomorrow afternoon, earliest I could get on short
notice. But I’ll get started by making some phone calls in the
morning. By the time I get back to Baton Rouge, I’ll have a solid
lead.”

Bill raised an eyebrow at him. “I don’t want
all the details, just fill me in if there are any concerns that
others might be interested in.”

Mike wore a look of shrewd satisfaction.
“Sure. I’ll take care of things my way. Count on it.”

Thinking of Damon, Bill paid little
attention to the tone of Mike’s last statement. “I want Knight out
of my way, out of my business.”

“Sounds very personal.” Mike let the unasked
question hang in the air between them.

“Knight and I go back aways. He has an
annoying habit of popping up to give me trouble.” Bill’s face was
stiff with anger. He stared ahead as though seeing his adversary.
“Thinks he’s better than me. The mighty Knight family.”

“Hmm. Jade seems to be fond of the guy. She
won’t be happy.”

“Jade won’t give him the time of day once
he’s exposed as a phony. He’s just a carpet salesman with an
inflated opinion of himself. Besides, her interests lie with me.”
Bill gazed at Mike. “Her name is on some of those bulletins and
policies.”

“I’m sure she’ll soon realize how much you
two have in common.” Mike chuckled again.

Bill raised his glass to take sip of his
drink. “Yes. When we get back to Baton Rouge, I’ll make sure of
it.”

Chapter 10

The cool night was beautiful. Jade savored
the view of Washington Harbor from Tony and Joe’s Restaurant. To
her delight the music of the Neville Brothers began to play from
the sound system. “This is fantastic, Damon.”

“Glad you like it. Tomorrow I have a special
treat. We can leave the conference at two and visit Africa.” Damon
watched with pleasure as her eyes lit up.

“The gallery that has traditional African
art? Cool! And somehow we’ve got to get over to the Smithsonian,
the Bethune Museum and Archives, the—”

Laughing, Damon held up a palm. “Hold on, we
won’t be spending the rest of the year in this town.”

Jade sighed. “I know. Four days isn’t nearly
enough time.” “Maybe we can stretch it out.” Damon placed an arm
around her. “The galleries stay open only until five or six. I
don’t see how we can do everything we want in just a few days.”

“We can if we stay longer,” Damon said in a
quiet voice. He wrapped a tendril of her hair around one finger.
“The conference ends Thursday at noon. We could stay over until the
following Wednesday.”

“Oh, that’s not possible. Not after that
meeting with Bill.” “Not another project,” Damon said. “We promised
not to be so driven, remember?”

“Hey, don’t blame me. I’ve got a new task
now thanks to Charles Dumaine. Bill said I didn’t need to handle
gathering all the materials. But no-oo, I had to insist.”

Damon tensed at the mention of the inspector
general. “Dumaine is asking questions about Lang?”

“The department’s handling of certain
programs, not just Bill. It’s no big deal, but a lot more work.”
Jade wore a look of regret. “And it means staying here a few extra
days is out of the question.”

“What exactly is Dumaine asking about?”
Damon’s brows came together.

“Some of the Medicaid services. Look, it’s
all dry and boring. We’ll give him piles of paper to sift through.
That’ll make him happy.”

“So you think it’ll probably be over once he
has the documents you send?” Damon rubbed his chin. He did not like
the sound of this at all. He was a fool to have believed Bill Lang
had changed. Charles Dumaine did not chase after smoke unless he
had good reason to know he’d find fire.

“Sure. No matter what folks say, Bill has
followed all the rules.” Jade noticed the frown he wore. “Damon,
you don’t trust him, do you?”

“We’ve got some history. The Bill Lang I
knew wasn’t above breaking the rules to get something he wanted.
And what he wants most is money, power and control over people. He
particularly likes having control over women. Be careful,” he said
in a deep, somber voice. Damon remembered the young women in
college who’d suffered at his hands. They were bright, attractive
and educated. But Bill Lang had a way of applying a psychological
noose that held them captive, frantic to keep him.

Seeing the grim set to his jaw and the note
of something shadowy in his voice, Jade shivered. “You make him
sound like an evil mastermind grabbing for everything he can get
his hands on.”

Damon snapped back from his dark thoughts.
He didn’t want to frighten her or spoil the evening. He tried to
push down that nagging doubt still stuck in his chest. “I’m sure
you’re right about this being no big deal.”

“Nah, it’ll be over in no time. I’m just
sorry I won’t get to spend more time at the Smithsonian.” Jade
propped her chin on one hand and looked forlorn.

“Hey, wait a minute. You mean the chief
attraction to staying was the exhibit on prehistoric art? Thanks a
lot.” Damon affected a look of wounded male ego. He sat back.

Jade draped an arm around his waist. “Hey, I
would have had some extra special attention for my own precious
find,” she murmured close to his ear.

“Don’t try to make it up to me now. I’m
playing second fiddle to million-year-old finger paintings.”

“Think of us strolling hand in hand in front
of breathtaking art, enjoying the feel of being close and thinking
of the evening to come.” Jade wiggled against him with a seductive
sigh.

Damon breathed a little faster with each
movement of her body. “Sure, I’m only an escort to the interesting
stuff.” He blinked at the feel of her hand on his thigh.

“No, indeed, you’re the main event. The art
museums are the warm-up acts.” Jade kneaded his firm muscles. “Feel
better?”

“Yeah,” Damon mumbled. He gazed into her
eyes. “Now let’s make this a private party.”

During the cab ride back to the hotel, Jade
savored the anticipation of finally being alone with Damon. They
sat together, enjoying the heat of being close in the dark.

“Hmm, I feel like a kid again.” Damon
planted a kiss on her neck.

“Really?” Jade closed her eyes. Her body
ached to be touched by his strong hands.

“Yeah, I finally got you in the back seat of
a car,” Damon whispered.

Jade laughed out loud, causing the cabdriver
to glance into the rearview mirror. Frank curiosity danced in the
eyes of the man.

“Stop it. The driver is watching.” Jade felt
a thrill of fire when Damon’s hand cupped her left breast. The feel
of it through her sweater made her squirm. “Wish he’d drive
faster.” She ignored the man as she pulled Damon to her for a deep
kiss.

Once in the hotel elevator alone, Damon
pressed her to the wall as soon as the doors closed. He murmured
endearments as he rubbed her thighs, lifting up the blue wool skirt
she wore. Damon lowered it again with reluctance when the elevator
bumped to a stop. An elderly couple stared with disapproval at
their rumpled clothing. It was clear they guessed the cause. Jade
giggled as they went down the hall to her room, feeling not the
least bit contrite. She marveled at her lack of decorum, but it was
no mystery. Damon Knight turned around all her old habits and ways
of thinking when it came to men. Where she had been restrained even
with Nick, just that certain look in Damon’s beautiful eyes caused
her to grope him shamelessly in public!

“You’re going to have my reputation in
shreds by the time we leave,” Jade said with a sigh once they were
in the room.

Damon shrugged off his overcoat and jacket
with quick motions. He took her coat off as well, too impatient to
wait for her to undo the buttons alone. He massaged her thighs and
buttocks with one hand while pulling her blouse out of her skirt
with another.

“So should I leave?”

Jade’s hands tightened their hold on his
biceps at just the thought of having him pull away now. “No—oh,
no,” she whispered between his steamy kisses that made it hard for
her to think straight.

The urgency of desire sent them into a
mindless rush of undressing each other. Naked and breathless, they
clutched at each other hungrily. Their bodies rubbed together,
causing a friction that made them moan in a kind of passionate
harmony. Jade took great pleasure in feeling his erection against
her skin. Damon walked her backward to the bed and they sank onto
it. His mouth and tongue caressed every inch of her. When he began
to suck her nipples, Jade dissolved in a haze. Love washed over her
like a tidal wave. There were no other sensations except the touch
of his mouth and hands. Her whole being vibrated with longing for
him.

“I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want
you,” Damon murmured.

Jade could only reply with a strangled cry
of joy as he entered her. They hung suspended in ecstasy without
sensation of time or space. Their bodies moved with the smooth
rhythm born of a need for physical and emotional union. At first
they made love in slow motion, relishing the union of flesh. But
soon their hunger for each other raged, pushing them into frantic,
faster movements. They seemed to crash together with the force of a
powerful storm as though they were caught in a whirlwind. When
Damon stiffened inside her, he called her name over and over. Jade
wrapped her legs around him and held on with all her might. Her
orgasm began as an insistent pounding deep inside with each thrust,
then tore through her. Jade arched her back with such force, she
lifted them both clear of the bed for a few seconds. Every muscle
in her body went rigid. Damon moaned as he climaxed. His release
sent Jade back over the edge into an impossibly intense second
orgasm. After an eternity of gasping for air, they lay together
trembling.

“Damn.” Damon still clutched her tight to
his chest.

“My, my,” Jade panted.

“You keep this up, lady, and I won’t make it
to thirty-five.” Damon lifted himself from atop her with care and
settled next to her.

“Oh, yes you will. I’ll see to it.”

“That a fact?” Damon rested his head against
hers.

“Yes, indeed. I’m going to put you on an
exercise schedule and a heart-healthy diet.” Jade nodded.

“Wait just a minute—”

“I expect you to stay in shape so you can
keep on giving good love.” Jade laughed.

“I ought to spank you for that.” Damon gave
her arm a sharp squeeze.

Jade gave him a daring giggle.
“Promise?”

Damon grew serious when he looked into her
eyes. “I promise to always cherish you, baby. For once my head and
heart agree.”

Jade thought of her doubts. They seemed
silly when they were holding each other like this. Yet even the
glow of their potent love- making could not blot out the real world
that lay just outside her hotel door. “Are you sure your head isn’t
in the right place after all?”

“I have no doubts. If you do, then I plan to
love you long and hard until they’re all gone,” Damon said in a
voice strained with emotion.

It took all Jade’s strength to resist the
urge to let go and once again be swept into their private world of
love. “Damon, we don’t live in a vacuum. Your parents don’t even
want to meet me. I think they’d rather see you get back together
with Rachelle.”

“That’s not true.” Damon did not return her
gaze. “We just haven’t been able to coordinate. Both of them keep
pretty busy, and Dad is even threatening to start work again now
that his recovery is almost complete.”

“Nice try, honey. But I can tell from the
way you talk that your mother isn’t happy with us being together.”
Jade put a forefinger on his full lips to cut off his protest.
“Don’t bother to deny it, Damon.”

Damon let out a long breath. “Mother is
stubborn. She thinks I didn’t put forth enough effort to save my
marriage. But she didn’t have to live with Rachelle’s tantrums and
self-centered behavior.”

“Our mothers are alike. My mother can be
overbearing, even bossy. And your mother is...” Jade hesitated to
go further.

“I’ll say it. She’s a dictator in a designer
silk dress.” Damon laughed. “Oh she rarely raises her voice, but
Marlene Cormier Knight has a will of steel. Another reason we
understand each other.”

“Now that’s something we definitely have in
common.” Jade nodded and sighed. “It’s funny how our parents see
things.” She thought of her mother. Clarice was so sure she knew
what her daughters needed.

Damon shook his head. “Amazing that they
want to control us even as adults.”

Yet Jade wondered at his reaction to
Rachelle. Could he still have feelings for her?

“Sometimes the past is hard to leave
behind.” Jade gazed at him steadily. “What’s the song say? It’s
never as good as the first time.”