Guarding Raine Part 56

"Should it?"

She turned to look at him.

"Is that why you brought me here?"

It was important all of a sudden for her to know.

"Did you just want to get me out of the house so you could talk sense

into me? Talk me into running away?"

His chest grew tight at the hurt that flickered across her face.

It didn't seem as if he could do anything right around her, and he

cursed himself for his clumsiness.

"It's an option,"

he said evenly.

"You wanted to be apprised of all aspects of the case. You wanted to

make the decisions. Well, this is a choice."

She stared hard at him and then slowly relaxed.

He was telling her the truth.

And he was making it incredibly easy for her.

All she had to say was yes.

It was that simple.

And he would see to it that whoever was hara.s.sing her wouldn't even

know where she was.

No one could get to her, and she wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.

It would be so easy to agree.

"I can't,"

she said softly, looking hway.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I just can't. Try to

understand, Macauley. I stopped running a long time ago, and it wasn't

an easy habit to break. I can't let myself begin again."

She knew she couldn't adequately explain her determination to stand up to the threats in her own way.

Certainly it wasn't bravery on her part.

It was more a need to fight against being overtaken by a fear that could be as crippling as any disease.

He was quiet for several minutes.

His voice, when it came, was low.

"All right. But if the time comes when I don't believe I can protect you adequately in your own home, I won't ask."

She looked at him wordlessly.

"I'll pack you up and take you somewhere else, argument or no."

And she knew he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

She appreciated the fact that he'd allowed her to make this decision.

Not long ago, he would have faced her with a fait accompli.

She wondered if he realized the significance of giving her this

choice.

After a time she murmured, "I love the sound of the ocean."

turned to look at Mac.

"Sarah and I have been to Cancun three times. It's great. Beautiful

white beaches and rowdy bars down; town."

She smiled in remembrance.

Every time we go to the ~ marketplace she tries to talk me into a

tattoo.

" At his swift look down her body, she laughed. " She convinced me yet.

I'm not quite that adventurous.

But I turn there.

My idea of a perfect vacation would be to be out in the ocean on a

seaworthy boat.

I'd like to just drift, putting when I felt like it.

" Her tone was almost wistful, and her description appealing,: was d.a.m.n

close to what he'd had in mind for himself, agreed to take on anotherjob. Before Raine. They drowsed in the sun for the next couple ofhours. on sungla.s.ses against the glare of the sun, and to her gazewandered, again and again, to Mac's bare chest. sprawled out on hisback, looking like a sun G.o.d chest was already brown, and sheremembered suddenly the mark he had made once about an all-over tan.Her eyes down his torso to where his waist narrowed in the black trunlbody would be firm, smooth and warm. Her hand was touch him, but shecouldn't quite work up the courage, Sensing her gaze on him, he turnedon his side to face took his gla.s.ses off and surveyed her soberly.Reaching one finger, he traced the line where her suit met the top ofb.r.e.a.s.t.s. She caught her breath at the action. " Did you know all of those people at K!

as sen night?

" His question came out of the blue. And the me finger made it

difficult to formulate an answer.

I.

no.

That is, Andr~ introduced me to most of them.

A few"-- Her voice broke off when his finger dipped into the valley of

her cleavage. " A few I'd met.

before.

" " There was an older man last night you were talking to.

" His voice was expressionless, completely at odds with the liberty his

errant finger was taking. " He had his hand planted on your arm the

whole time.

" He paused a heartbeat before adding almost soundlessly, " I didn't like it.

" She remembered. She hadn't enjoyed the feel of his hand on her bareskin, and had moved away as quickly as possible. " I've had to learn to handle myself in a crowd like that.

" Mac's gaze was on the journey his finger was taking as it trailedinside her suit and skated over one nipple. Then his eyes returned to hers." I didn't like it," he repeated flatly. Nor did he like the accompanying sensation of jealousy. It had been an emotion so unfamiliar ~hat it had taken him a while to identify it. Jealousy wasan unproductive emotion, a dangerous one. Jealous men acted rashly;they made mistakes. He couldn't afford to make a mistake with Raine. He hoped he wasn't making one now, by allowing her to stay in her home.He'd weighed all the risks as he'd lain awake last night, and againthis morning. He thought it would be fairly safe. After all, Rainewasn't alone out there--she had him. She wouldn't be hurt as long a.s.she followed his orders. It still would be a couple of weeks beforethe fence would be completed and the gates operational. But if this mess escalated, he'd remove her despite her protests. His thoughtsscattered when he felt her small hand on his chest. He reached over and removed her sungla.s.ses. She could never hide her emotions from him if he could see her eyes. His stomach clenched when he read the desire simmering there. Her nipples stood up under the thin material of theswimsuit. He touched them, and she shuddered. He smiled slowly. She was innocently responsive to him, and she couldn't disguise herreaction. The thought filled him with a purely male satisfaction. He bent over her and pulled the swimsuit off both shoulders. Then he stopped, caught indecisively between pleasurable choices.

He wanted to kiss her pretty b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but he tortured himself first byjust looking at her. When they'd made love last night it had been toofrantic, almost out of control. Today he wanted to take his time, tofind all the secret places on her body that responded to him.I-eisurely, he cupped one breast, enjoying the way it filled his palm.It was delicate, just as she was, and warmed by the sun. When he puthis lips to her nipple and rolled it with his tongue, she made thatlittle whimper in the back of her throat that had an immediate,electric effect on his groin.

Maybe this wasn't going to be as leisurely as he'd planned. He moved closer to her, and she wriggled her arms free of the swimsuit straps sothey could roam freely over his broad torso. The hair on his chest rasped her fingertips as she combed through it. She traced the muscles that defined his chest, then circled the nipples. She lost her breath as he raised his head and. removed her swimsuit. Her eyes flew open,and she watched him stare at her with frank appreciation. There was something a little pagan about being stripped bare in the sunlight fora man's enjoyment. No, not just a man, she corrected herself fuzzily.Macauley. His hand began sliding up one thigh, across her stomach anddown the other. Long, soothing strokes. But there was nothingsoothing in the wake of fire left in his path. Her hand went to the waistband of his trunks, and one finger dipped inside. Stroking hisbelly with that one finger, she asked huskily, " Aren't you forgettingsomething?

" His eyes were slitted with pleasure. " You do the honors.