Chapter 8

Leena waved her off the floor the next day. Kasey checked the machine and then walked over, taking her safety glasses off. Grabbing her hand, Leena smiled. “She made it through the night. Steven just called. She’s not out of intensive care yet, they had to operate again late last night, but she’s holding on.”

Kasey hugged her quickly and let out a breath. “Oh, I hope she holds on. That’s good, though, that she has so far.”

“I’ve got to get back and get this order sorted before Cora hurts someone. Tell Rachel when she goes flying by the next time.”

Kasey nodded and walked back to the air knife that had spent most of the day jamming up.

Kasey couldn’t wait to get home. When Leena dropped her off, she ran in the house. She had been thinking about some of the revisions Owen had suggested to use in her story, and a solution had hit her just after lunch.

Dropping her stuff at the door, she kicked it shut and ran into her bedroom. She grabbed her laptop off the dresser and opened it quickly. While it booted up, she sat there bouncing, trying to keep the idea clear in her mind. There was nothing worse than thinking of the perfect dialogue or scene and not having anywhere to write it down. Of course, then, by the time you did, half of it was lost and you never quite got it back.

Ha! She raced to find the part she was looking for and started typing quickly. Oh, this was it. It just all fit together now. Grinning to herself, she continued typing.

When she got uncomfortable where she was, she just pulled the computer onto her lap and continued.

It took her an hour to get it all out the way she wanted, but she was so happy she’d gotten it written before she forgot the details. Congratulating herself, she closed the lid and went out to get something to eat.

Now she was definitely starving. She had just stepped into the kitchen when someone knocked on the door. With a puzzled look, she walked over and opened it.

“Chris?”

He grinned. “I was going by, and that’s not a line, by the way, and I thought I’d pop in and see if you had gotten the news from Steven today.” Chris stood there, his eyes moving over her.

Kasey suddenly wished she’d changed when she’d come home. She was wearing stained work jeans. Her T-shirt was much the same. At some point it had been a dark blue, but it was now faded to a washed-out almost blue. She wore a baseball cap, backwards. “Oh, come in. I got distracted when I got home tonight and haven’t even changed yet.” She was mortified she looked like this and he saw.

Chris stood there in a dark gray suit, an expensive one if the fit was any indication. He’d undone his tie, and it rested loosely against the very white pressed shirt. Was it possible he was even sexier this way than half naked in a sarong, she wondered.

He smiled down at her. “Am I interrupting then?”

Kasey shook her head and then took off her hat, running her hands quickly through her hair to fluff it.

“No. I’m finished.” She looked up at him for a moment. “I was going to have a drink of wine while I decided on food. Would you like one?” She fidgeted with her hat as she spoke to him.

Stepping in farther, he took off his jacket and laid it on the chair. “I would love one. It’s been one of those days. And I couldn’t sleep last night.” He sat on the arm of the couch as she went into her little kitchen area. “Steven reached everyone?”

Kasey stretched up on her toes to reach the wine glasses. “Yes, he called Lee at work, and she came out and told us.” She poured one glass and then looked over at him. “Is she still the same?”

“As far as I know.”

She walked over and handed him a glass, then sat in the chair. “Well, that’s good, I guess. At least she’s holding on.” She ran her finger around the rim of the glass. “I didn’t even ask anyone her name. I wanted her to remain nameless until we know if she’ll be all right.” He came over, in his expensive suit she noted to herself, and sat on the floor in front of her.

“I haven’t asked yet either so don’t think of yourself as a coward.”

“You always say the right things. Did you know that?”

“That’s good. It really helps with being a lawyer, that I can say the right things.”

She laughed. “I think I’ll heat up some stew Cora made. Would you like some?”

“I would.” Chris started to get up so she could stand, but then he stopped in front of her on his knees. “Are you going to make me beg for a kiss?”

“I didn’t want to get too close and get your nice clothes all dirty.”

Chris laughed and pulled her forward in the chair by her legs. “They’ll wash, or I could just take them off.” Her eyes widened. “I was kidding. Come here and kiss me.”

Kasey leaned forward, careful to keep her glass away from his shirt, and placed her hand against his cheek. Brushing her mouth slowly over his mouth, she tasted the wine on his lips. Leaning back, she whispered, “I’ll go put the stew on.

He watched her as she stood and walked quickly to the fridge. Shaking his head at his own weakness, he stood up and walked quietly over to her. “If you want to go change, I’ll start this.”

Kasey turned. “Oh. Okay, thanks.” She set the pot on the counter and smiled at him before walking to her room.

When she walked back out a few minutes later, he was placing dishes on the table. He grinned over at her. “It’s nice that you asked me to stay. Most of my nights end with me eating at my desk over paperwork.” He watched her walk over. She had put on a little black tank top and red shorts. He smiled at the fairy hanging at her waist. “You wore her to work?”

Kasey grinned and rested a hand against her belly. “I didn’t want to take her off. Of course, if anything ever happens to her, I’ll cry for a month...”

She stopped when he walked over to her. Her eyes widened when he dropped to his knees and placed a kiss on her belly button. Gripping her hips, he grinned up at her. “You’ve ruined me, you know. I’m standing in the courtroom today, in the middle of a hearing, and the image of you popped into my head, and all I could think of was kissing this fairy hanging on your soft, sexy body. I had to ask for a ten-minute break.” He dipped his head and ran his tongue slowly around the pendant.

Kasey ran her hands through his hair and held him against her. “Well, that’s only fair. Every time I touched my own waist today, and her, I’d be standing in the middle of a factory full of people and machines rubbing my tummy and blushing.”

He laughed against her stomach. Standing up slowly, he pulled her into his body. “I told myself five minutes. Stop for five minutes, behave myself, and then go home. I’m not doing a very good job of listening.”

Smiling, she ran her hands up his shirt. “You’re doing a fine job, and you have enough time to kiss me again before the stew is ready.”

He grinned and lowered his head, savoring the mouth he’d thought of all day. He ran his tongue along hers, taking the taste of her into his mouth. It was a struggle to keep his hands gentle and the kiss slow and lazy.

When he lifted his head, she smiled up at him with a dreamy smile. “Mmm. I like those as much as your hungry kisses.”

He straightened his arms and moved her away. “Behave, or the stew gets turned off and you get thrown over my shoulder.”

She bit her lip for a moment and then gave him a small smile. “Stew wins. I’m starving.”

Laughing, he sat down while she went over to the stove.

They sat on the couch with a third glass of wine after dinner. Kasey giggled to something he said, and he grinned at her. “I forgot you shouldn’t drink more than one glassful.”

“I am not driving or operating machinery, so I think it’s okay.” She gave him a wide-eyed look. “Unless you’d like to take advantage of me, and then I’m afraid I’ve had just enough that I might let you.”

Taking the glass out of her hand, Chris set it on the table. “You’re cut off before you say something that really gets you into trouble.”

She fidgeted with the collar on his shirt. “Like I want to sit here and make out with you?”

He studied her face. “If you mean that Kasey, prove to me you still have your wits about you and light us a few candles.”

Kasey just looked at him silently, watching the surprised expression he gave her when a large candle came across the room and sat on the table. She looked at the candle a moment, and the wicks became flames. “Is this one enough? It has three wicks.” She smiled sweetly.

He studied her a moment longer before motioning to the light above them. With a flick of his hand, it went off, leaving only the candle and a small light in the kitchen casting shadows over them. “Come here, you sexy witch.” He reached and pulled her onto his lap.

Supporting her back in his arm, he kissed her once softly. “Don’t let me take you further than you want, sweetheart,” he whispered against her lips. “My mind isn’t able to function when I have you in my arms.”

She ran her tongue over his bottom lip. “Kiss me, Chris.”

Lowering his mouth to hers again, he kissed her long and slow. He fought to keep it slow. Her tongue tasted of the wine, and she wiggled against him trying to get closer.

He deepened the kiss, sensing what she was looking for, and hissed out a breath against her mouth as she sucked gently on his tongue. Pulling his mouth from hers, he moved down and traveled over her throat softly. “That’s advanced making out, sweetie, and could get you more than you’re looking for.”

Kasey undid a few of the buttons on his shirt and ran her hand inside. “I’m a pretty good student, and I have an excellent teacher.” Before he could stop her, she leaned forward and kissed his throat tenderly.

His hand tightened on her hip as he pulled her closer. She slid her mouth to the side of his neck and pulled the shirt open to get to his skin. She nipped his neck tenderly before she ran her tongue over it as he’d done to her. He took a ragged breath and tilted his head, encouraging her to continue. She sucked gently on his neck, and a breath hissed out of him. Enjoying how she affected him, he let her continue, even when she ran her tongue around his ear and he growled.

Moving her mouth, she sucked harder on the side of his neck, then slowly ran her tongue over the part of his chest that was exposed.

He pulled her head back and leaned her back over his arm. “Your turn,” he gasped against her throat. He nipped along her skin as she had done to him and ran his tongue around to the side of her neck. Pushing her top aside so his mouth could continue to taste across her shoulder.

When he returned to her mouth, he held her head to kiss her deeply. His mind said slowly, but he ignored it as his mouth ravaged hers, stabbing his tongue in quickly. She moaned against his lips as he ran his hand over her waist and up under the edge of her top. His thumb brushing over the thin material she wore underneath made her gasp into his mouth.

Pulling his mouth from hers, he pushed her top up and looked down at her. The material covering her was sheer enough he could see the hard, pink nipples pushing out against it. He dipped his head down and pinched one between his lips. She whimpered and grabbed his head.

For one brief moment, he wanted to tear off her bra and taste her. But he leaned back, reasoning with himself. “Kassandra...sweetheart. We stop here or we don’t stop at all.” He kissed his way gently up her throat while pulling her shirt back into place. “I can’t continue this right now. I want you so much, if we go further, I won’t have enough control to stop. I don’t want to hurt or scare you.”

She looked up at him with eyes of lust, her body still draped over his arm, and his throat dried up. “Sweetheart, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted another, but if you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m going to start begging.”

Kasey smiled at him and ran her fingers over his mouth. “You are the sweetest man.”

He kissed her hand. “If you could read my thoughts, you wouldn’t think that.”

“I don’t care what you say.” She sat up until she was face to face with him again. “I know this isn’t easy for you. I mean, how many men encounter a twenty-six-year-old virgin? Not many, I’m sure.” She searched his eyes. “I know you’re experienced, and not used to having to stop.” He went to speak, but she shook her head. “But you do. You could have any woman you want, and here you are with me, patiently trying to give me the time I need.”

He kissed her softly. “I don’t want any other woman. I only want you.” He kissed her cheek and down to her jaw, his lips lingering slowly over her skin. “I don’t suppose you could give me a timeline on the completion of this future seduction, could you?” he asked against her throat with a grin.

She moved her head so he’d continue. “I just feel like I don’t understand any of it. I like it all, but it’s a little overwhelming.” He nuzzled her throat softly. “Then sometimes I think, Oh, now!”

He stopped and lifted his head. “Get up.” He lifted his hands and held them up.

“But I like sitting on your lap.” She bit her lip. “I like feeling how much you want me.”

He clasped his hands behind his head and looked at her. “Kasey,” he said with exasperation, “please, have mercy on me. I am one step from being a bloody angel, and you tease me endlessly.” He put his head back and closed his eyes letting out a slow breath. He jumped when he felt her warm lips move over his throat. He growled, “I have to go home. Get off me, you sexy little witch, before I give you what you keep asking for without even realizing it.”

She laughed softly against his throat. “If that’s what you want, I’ll get up.”

Chris scooped her up quickly and stood holding her. “It’s not. But I do have to go. I’m tired, and my restraint is fading quickly.”

He set her on her feet and picked up his jacket and tie. “Oh, the other reason I came by is that I’ve been invited to the birthday dinner of a rather influential judge. I’d like you to go with me.”

Her eyes widened. “You do?”

“Yes. It will be pretty dressy, so you’ll need a cocktail dress.”

She stood there looking at him without saying anything.

“Kasey, will you go with me?”

She nodded.

“Don’t get all nervous. You’ll be with me.” He kissed her softly. “At least if we get bored out of our minds, we can zap people and sit back and laugh as they try to figure out what happened.”

She grinned.

“I’ll pick you up Saturday at six, and I’ll see you at the Wednesday meeting. I think I’m going to have a Sunday brunch again this week too.”

“Okay.”

He pulled her close for a soft, lingering kiss. “Good night, Kassandra.”

“Good night, Christopher.” As he stepped through the door, she stopped him. “Were you really driving by?”

He grinned at her as he backed up a few steps. “If I drive around long enough, yes.” With that, he walked to his car.

As soon as she closed the door, Kasey flew over to the phone and called Cora. Where did you buy a cocktail dress? Why did they call them that, she wondered as she dialed.

A few moments later, she hung up the phone and flopped down into the chair. Cora agreed to save her life and go shopping with her Friday night.

Had he chosen the wrong one?

She still lived. Her soul wasn’t cleansed.

She had fought him, unlike the rest.

The evil flowing through her had been strong.

He had failed to save her.

Wiping his hand over the blade of the knife again, he closed his eyes against the pain in his head.

He wouldn’t fail the next one.