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  "No." God, she needed to be as far away from him as she could get. Not closer to him under his protection!

  "I do want you to be careful for awhile. Try not to go anywhere alone. Make sure Preston is with you, especially if you and Lucas go out at night."

  Preston. Rhonda looked at Michael and knew Adrien hadn't told him. He didn't know she'd left her husband. She should leave it that way. A part of her knew that. But another part of her, the part that was both crazily lusting over this man and fearful of Phay's man coming after her and Lucas, made her say it. "Preston and I aren't together anymore." And the look in his exotic eyes was one she would never forget.

  * * * *

  Rayne felt spooked. It was stupid, really. She had no reason to be. At least she didn't think so. Still, everywhere she went, she felt as though someone watched her. Ford's reaction to the photos she'd taken had her on edge. She knew it. Couple that with what she knew of the incident that had gone down at the docks immediately following the hurricane involving Ryan Magee and the men from the drug lord's organization, and the hairs on the back of her neck simply refused to lay down.

  She opened the door to Max's apartment, bent to scoop up an overly excited Sunshine who greeted her with nips and jumps, made a quick pass through the rooms to discover Max wasn't home, and went straight back out the door. She couldn't be alone right now. She knew herself far too well to even attempt it. When she got this spooked for whatever reason, she tended to jump at the faintest sound. She’d be unable to concentrate on anything because she'd be too busy scanning for boogie men in what she would know to be an empty room.

  "Come on, sweetheart. Let's see if anyone's home across the hall." She knocked on Cory and Ford's door. The relief that washed through her when Ford opened the door was almost laughable.

  "There you are." His smile came instantly and positively gorgeous, but it faded far too soon. "Baby, are you all right?"

  So much for putting on a poker face. "Wow, am I really that transparent?" She laughed and winced when it came out as shaky as the hands she'd wrapped around Sunshine.

  "Something's wrong." He pulled her inside, shutting the door before taking the dog and placing her on the floor. Then he drew Rayne into his arms and everything in her world settled to calm. "What is it? What happened?"

  "Nothing. I'm just being stupid. That's all. I've been feeling a little spooked today. Well, since the other night, really."

  "The pictures," he concluded correctly.

  Rayne nodded. "Yeah. Have you found out anything?"

  Ford shook his head. "Not much. We're running a background on Deshan Minh, checking him against Interpol. Cosmos, he's with the DEA, he's got an agent in the bureau’s Waterston office looking into it, too." He eased back and gazed down at her. "Has he called you anymore?"

  She started to lie because already she could see the worry swirling with the whisky in his eyes. But she didn’t want any lies between them. Not about anything and especially not about this. "This morning. I didn't answer it. He left a message on my voicemail."

  As she expected, his eyes grew even more intense, harder. She knew it was the officer more than the man who looked back at her now. His arms became taut bands around her waist. "What did he say? Did you save the message?"

  "I didn't erase it. Let me get my phone and you can listen to it." He didn't let her go and a part of her was grateful for that. Instead, he continued to stand there, holding her close, gazing down at her as the man battled with the officer, as his love for her fought with his duty to his job. "I'm okay," she felt compelled to add, wanting to assure him. "I guess the call spooked me, too. You know, so soon after you recognized him in that picture. But that’s stupid because the guy is the adjuster in charge of my claim. He should be calling me."

  "I handled it wrong." Guilt laced his quiet voice. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry for that. I scared you. That was the last thing I wanted to do."

  "Your reaction was a bit unexpected." She cupped his cheek in her hand. He'd shaved recently, his skin silky smooth. Her pussy gave a little tingle of awareness at the memory of having his mouth on her and the idea of how it would feel again sans the whiskers to abrade her tender flesh.

  "Did he see you at the park? Did he even glance in your direction, wave at you, give you any indication then or in the message he left that he knew you were there?"

  Rayne shook her head. "None. I didn't notice him at the park, Ford." She'd only had eyes for Cory, then and even when she'd processed the pictures later. "I didn't realize he'd been there until you pointed him out."

  "Promise me." He stopped, tightened his arms around her waist until he held her so close, she felt welded to his body. Breathing even became difficult, he held her that tight. "Christ, I know I'll scare you even more if I say this, but promise me you won't meet with this guy, you won't even talk to him until this is all over."

  "What about my house? What about the insurance money? I won't know what is happening with the settlement if I don't talk to him." Maybe she could call the company and request a different adjuster. Before she could even make the suggestion, Ford shot it down as if he'd read her mind.

  "If you talk to anyone else, go around him or over his head in the company before we nail him, he'll know something is up. He might get suspicious even if he didn't see you at the park, or know about the picture. Give us some time to bring this guy down first. Okay, sweetheart? Will you do that for me?"

  Rayne nodded. How could she argue when all his concern for her, all his love, was painted clearly on his handsome face?

  "Promise me you won't talk to him until I say. Promise me you'll be careful. Promise me, fuck, I know I'm asking a lot, but promise me you won't go anywhere alone for awhile. Not until I know you're safe."

  Not go anywhere alone? She couldn't promise that! She had the calendar to think about, all the photos she still had to take and the promotion. She figured she could more easily talk business owners into stocking something for charity than a fellow business owner. It had worked with Veronica today. Okay, Veronica had a personal interest in seeing the calendar succeed. But so did Rayne. She was far more a victim of the cause they were trying to help with the calendar than the magazine owners producing it.

  "I'll make you a deal. I'll promise not to talk with him or anyone at Beachfront Chattels until you say it's okay. I'll also promise to be careful, extremely careful. I'll watch my back." She'd been doing that all day, anyway. As spooked as she'd been, she'd glanced over her shoulder to scan behind her enough times that her neck ached. And all the times her gaze flicked to the rearview and side mirrors when she drove became too numerous to count. "I can't promise not to go anywhere alone. I have too much to do, too many things going on."

  He nodded, but he didn't look too happy about that. "I know. I had to try, though. I'm likely overreacting, but if something happened to you," he rested his forehead on hers, his eyes growing suspiciously moist. "I don't know what I would do, Rayne. I can't lose you, too. I can't go through that again."

  Oh, dear God. Her heart was in her throat. She couldn't speak, wouldn't have known what to say even if she could find her voice. So she kissed him. It had worked the last time this big, tough man came close to cracking with emotion and it worked this time, too. He folded his body around her and immediately responded with a tonsil-licking kiss that swept all thoughts, worries, and fears from her mind.

  "Can you stay for awhile?" He pulled back to ask against her lips and then he plunged again, ravishing her mouth with a need so fierce, it brought tears to her eyes.

  She answered him by pushing her hands beneath his shirt to run her palms up his muscular back. His lower body arched and she felt his cock hard and ready against her. She was the one to pull back this time, only long enough to tug both their shirts off before resuming the kiss.

  Ah, yes, his warm, rock-hard chest was a welcome wall to her soft breasts even through the material of her bra. She pressed into him as her hands pushed between th
eir bodies to make quick work of unfastening his pants. His hands were busy, too, first freeing her breasts of the bra, so she could feel more of the fantastic skin-to-skin contact and then working her pants lose and down her hips.

  He started to bend as he pushed her pants lower, but she caught his hands, stopping him as she broke the kiss yet again, this time to lick her way over his jaw. His head tipped back and she continued to lick a path down his throat, his chest, stopping to circle both nipples then drawing them between her teeth for a bite that made him suck in a breath and expel a moan before she moved on. His hands moved to her hair, fisting and holding her head to his body as she tasted his abs, his stomach, the sensitized skin just above his pubic hair.

  She shucked his pants and briefs down to his ankles and let her lips graze along his thigh. His cock was stiff and gloriously long and she stopped for a moment, loving the way the anticipation built inside her simply from looking at him. His fingers fisted tighter in her hair. Before she could get his delicious cock in her mouth, he pulled her up by the hair. His other hand tugged at her arm. Despite the cavemanness of the act, it didn't hurt. Still, she growled like a cavewoman as she straightened in front of him.

  Her protesting growl made him grin, a sexy as hell tilt to his lips that was full of arrogance and amusement. Damn, but she loved that about him. He spoke and for a moment, his question left her brain scrambling for sense.

  "What's in the bag?" His warm breath fanned her mouth as he nipped her lower lip before pulling back to gaze at her.

  The bag? What bag? She blinked at him, the wheels in her head grinding as they switched gears. Ah yes, the bag she'd been holding along with Sunshine when she'd entered the apartment. The one she'd obviously let go of at some point in the past five minutes.

  She shrugged and let a sly smile curve her lips. "A couple of things I picked up at Veronica Wolcott's store this morning."

  One sexy brow winged up. "You picked up a couple of things at Romantic Illusions? What sort of things and do you have time to stick around and put them to use?"

  Rayne's laugh sounded breathless even to her own ears. When he looked at her like that, as if he couldn't wait to be inside her, as if nothing else in the world mattered to him except her, it did something truly amazing to her mind, body, and soul. "Some edible creams, a toy or two, a set of fuzzy handcuffs."

  The whisky color of his eyes turned darker than she'd ever seen them. "Handcuffs?"

  "I thought they might come in handy. I remember thinking once or twice I could really use a pair to control those hands of yours."

  "I have handcuffs. I'm a cop, remember?"

  "I do. I also remember hearing stories of couples using the real thing and not being able to get them off for whatever reason or, I don't know, the metal being too rough. Besides, these have pink fuzzies for comfort. They're more my style than the macho cuffs you carry. And yes, I absolutely can stick around awhile to put them to use but," she hesitated and wrinkled her forehead, "didn't you want to hear that message? And shouldn't you be out doing your narcotics thing? You know, tracking down our favorite insurance agent and seeing exactly what his connection truly is to Phay?"

  "I'm in a hurry up and wait mode. The DEA and FBI are working on an angle to track down the connection. Until I hear word, I have a few minutes to spare. As for the message, I do want to hear it. Later. Did he say anything I need to hear now?"

  "It's pretty basic. Hi, Miss Jacobs, this is Deshan Minh with Beachfront Chattels, blah, blah, blah."

  "In that case, take off your clothes, Rayne."

  She stared at him as her stomach did a happy dance at the quiet, authoritative command. He stared back, obviously waiting to see what she would do. She remembered seeing that look, hearing that tone only once since she'd met him. It had been for a brief moment the day they met. It was what she thought of as his officer's voice, his officer's expression, one that took full control and brooked absolutely no argument.

  Rayne stepped back and took off the rest of her clothes.

  Ford removed his, too, kicking off his boots, pants, and briefs before walking away from her. He was back half a second later, his too sexy grin wide on his face and his eyes boiling with erotic promise. He held a bottle of edible cream in one hand, the handcuffs and a matching strip of pink satin in the other.

  “Did you have a little bondage on the brain, sweetheart?"

  Rayne blushed. Not just her cheeks this time, but her entire body.

  "Turn around." She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her. "Uh-uh, I didn't say speak. Turn around."

  Still, she didn't move. She stared at him, her heart hammering in her chest even as her pussy burned. It was, in a sense, the moment of truth. Would she let him take full control of her? Could she? She gulped, glanced at the items she had purchased, met his gaze once more, and turned.

  Her breath quivered out of her as he moved in at her back. She felt the heat radiating from him and knew he was close enough to invade her personal space, but not close enough to touch.

  "Put your hands behind your back." His voice was low and as hot as the air surging between them. It held a firmness and commanding lilt and, Jesus save her, she loved the arrogant confidence that flowed with his words. This was the dark side of him she'd wondered about. A thrill raced down her spine and she reached her arms behind her.

  The fuzzy cuffs closed around her wrists and she couldn't stop herself. "Hey, those were supposed to be mine." She tossed a glance over her shoulder to find him looking at her.

  "They are yours, and you were right, they do suit you better than mine would."

  "Are you going to read me my rights now, Officer?"

  "You bet." He gripped her shoulders and let his hands slide down her bound arms as he said, "You have the right to obey me." He leaned in and lightly bit her shoulder. "If you chose to disobey me, punishment may be provided."

  Rayne shivered at the delicious electric shock of fear those words sent sizzling through her.

  "You have the right to enjoy my commands." His hands moved around her to cup her breasts, his thumbs and forefingers catching her nipples. "If you find pleasure in what I tell you to do, you have my permission to come." He pinched her right nipple. "And come." He pinched her left. "And come." He pinched them both.

  Rayne collapsed against him. The pain and pleasure swirled in an erotic blur of pure ecstasy in her blood. It made her feel drunk, weak, exquisite, needy, and his. All his.

  "You liked that, didn't you?" His whispered question was husky with his own rising needs. "Remember, you have my permission to come, sweetheart."

  God, just hearing him say that was almost enough to make her come. Forget the delirious concoction of pleasurable pain ricocheting through her. "You have quite a few creative versions of the Miranda Rights."

  "Yeah, I bet I can come up with a few more, too. Do you trust me, Rayne?"

  She opened eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed at his question and rolled her head on his chest, tipping her chin up to meet his gaze. There was fire in his eyes so intense she felt the burn to her toes. She saw concern, too. That part surprised her. As if he feared she might say no. How could he think for a second she didn't trust him? She licked her dry lips, watched as the flames in his eyes soared, and then nodded. "Completely."

  He didn't smile as she expected him to. His expression didn't change at all, except for the relief. She saw the relief her single confidently spoken word instilled in his eyes. He released her breasts and stepped back from her about a half an inch.

  Rayne bit back the protest that sprang to her tongue. Even just that small amount of distance coupled with the absence of all touch left her feeling suddenly lonely and cold.

  "Look forward." He waited until she turned her head then brought the strip of satin up to cover her eyes.

  The heightened senses came instantly. With her vision cut off and her hands bound behind her back, she could only hear and feel. It was kinky, erotic, and absolutely maddening! Already, he
r pussy ached with needs, screaming to be touched and invaded. Her folds felt so slick with her juices, she wondered why streams weren't running down her thighs.

  "I thought we would finally make use of our favorite number, but with a bit of a twist," he told her, low and hot in her ear. His hands grazed her shoulder blades, her back, and down to her bound wrists. "Are you up for that?"

  Rayne nodded. "Yes." Though admittedly, she wasn't quite sure what she was saying yes to. Her mind had short circuited the moment he'd blindfolded her. Favorite number? They had a favorite number?

  "Follow my lead. Okay, baby? I won't let you fall." As he spoke, he turned her slightly, pushing a leg between hers and spreading her feet apart. Then he was guiding her down, her body skimming his until they reached the floor.

  Her concentration focused on his movements, on his hands, his guidance. He'd brought them down to their knees together and slid his lower body between her widespread legs. The position would've been perfect, except he was still behind her. Then her brain found a moment of clarity and she put two and two together. Except instead of two and two equaling four as she'd been taught in preschool, the adult calculation equaled sixty-nine. Oh, boy.

  His hand closed around her bound wrists, his other hand on her waist as he shifted between her legs, obviously making himself more comfortable. "Scoot back a little." He tugged on her hands, her waist, and she scooted on her knees, the insides of her legs brushing his sides. "Sit on my face, baby. I want to taste you." His hand on her waist guided her forward even as his grip on her wrists pulled her down. He bent her on top of him and closed his mouth over her pussy. It felt amazingly fantastic and she nearly came from the first sweetly rough swipe of his tongue.

  He had her exactly where he wanted her and she was powerless to move. The realization of that made the trickle of fear return, but in an exciting, completely aphrodisiacal sort of way. She was bound, her hands not only cuffed behind her back, but in one of his large hands, as well. She was blindfolded and bent over his body. She couldn't see him, couldn't see anything, couldn't do more than feel. His tongue swiped between her sodden folds, lingering on her clit as his lips closed around the swollen bud to suck and pull a pleasurable scream from her before moving on to delve inside her aching channel. Her breasts hung free, her sensitized and still lightly stinging nipples brushing the smooth and slightly hairy skin of his abdomen. Her face was down, lowered over him and when she dipped just a bit further, the tip of his cock brushed her lips.