Tingle All the Way (4 page)

“Now you know that’s not true. I’m here,
therefore I exist.”

“No. It’s the drugs. They’re still in my
system. That’s it. It takes days, even months for some of them to work out of
the bloodstream.”

“Kayla, you’re blabbering.”

Maybe if she ignored him he would go away.
Grabbing a toothbrush out of the cabinet, she peeled the package off and
hurried to unscrew the top of the toothpaste. As she squeezed the tube, he
spoke again.

“Really? Do you think ignoring me will make
me disappear?”

Kayla pushed so hard a stream of paste flew
past her toothbrush and dropped with a
splat
in the sink.

She closed her eyes. “Go away.”

“But I’m here to help you.”

Turning a glare on the little man, she
frowned. “Do you think making me second-guess my sanity is helping?” She
slammed the cabinet shut, getting a glimpse of herself in the mirror. “Oh
Lord.”

If she didn’t know better, she would swear
she’d been struck hard with an ugly stick. The bun atop her head was skewed to
the side, hair poking out all over. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she must have
slept on a hand because the reddened print was still there.

“You’re not insane—just lonely.”

Kayla hated the sympathy in his voice.
Tears bloomed in her eyes. Yes. She was lonely, but it was her own fault. Her
abandonment issues made trusting people not one of her strong points, but
getting things done was. She had earned the Ice Queen title.

“I’m here to assist you with your charming
prosecutor.”

Kayla jerked her startled gaze to the
faery. “You have to be kidding me.” Of all the asinine things she had ever
heard. This imaginary pixie was playing matchmaker?

Hector leaped onto the soap pump again.
“Nope. As I see it, you can make the most of this day and the night.” He wagged
bushy brows.

Reaching out, she touched him. “You feel
real.” That’s when Kayla remembered the humiliating moment Barry had told her
nothing had happened between them. Like the expert with witnesses he was, he
skillfully had her spilling her guts about her fantasies. She had always
admired his tactics in court. Then she recalled the person responsible for this
entire misunderstanding.

“You sonofabitch.” She balled her hands
into fists. “I should squash you.”

Lickety-split, Hector streaked across the
small room, nothing but a trail of dark-green dust in his wake. When he landed
atop the shower door, he scowled down at her. “That was a payback for flicking
me against the booth at the pub.”

“Payback?” she screeched. “Do you have any
idea what you’ve done?”

Knock. Knock.

“Everything okay in there?” Barry’s muffled
voice seeped through the closed door.

“Fine. I’m fine.” But she wasn’t. Not if
standing in a strange man’s bathroom arguing with a faery counted as rational.
“I’ll be out in a bit.”

“You’re killing me, Kayla,” Hector groaned.
“Work with me here.”

She began to pluck at her hairpins. “You
don’t exist.” But even as she said those words, she knew there wasn’t any other
explanation. Faeries did exist.

He smirked again. “Then what do you have to
lose?”

“Nothing but my sanity.” The idea of things
that go bump in the night being real was earth-shattering.

After taking care of her morning needs, she
stepped barefoot from the bathroom, closing the door before Hector could
squeeze through it. As she fastened the drawstring on the large sweats, his
last words kept churning in her head.

“What do you have to lose believing in
me?”

It was better than believing she was crazy.
And what about Barry?

He already knew about her deep, dark
secrets. If he wanted to ruin her, he could do it with or without the truth.
Surely someone saw them leaving the pub together. People would believe him
before her.

So, what did she have to lose?

Nothing.

Barry had already shown himself to be
pleasant company. It was Christmas Eve and she really didn’t want to spend the
entire day watching television or going to the movies alone. Tonight she would
join him at his parents’ house and afterward who knew what would happen.

As a woodsy scent rose from the t-shirt she
wore, she smiled. Yes. A night with Barry Allred would be her Christmas present
to herself.

As she wandered down the hall of the
one-story house glancing at the frames on the wall, she realized they told a
story. From a dark-haired boy fishing with his father to Halloween where a
woman who Kayla guessed was his mother painted his face. The werewolf design
was creative and amazing. Kayla continued to stroll down memory lane. There
were a series of football and baseball pictures of a youthful, energetic and
extremely handsome Barry. High school and college graduation photographs and a
series of impressive awards were amongst snapshots of his parents and friends.
There was even a picture of him with Colin Powell and a senator from California.

As she entered his living room, she paused
to take in the sight. The biggest “real” Christmas tree she’d ever seen stood a
few feet from a marble fireplace, its hearth flickering with orange and red
flames. The scent of pine joined the warm, sensual aroma of cinnamon. In
addition to the tree, holiday decorations draped the mantel. In fact, the
entire room was dotted with festive colors. Kayla had never seen such
extravagance, such an expression of holiday spirit, except for the outside
decorations some people placed in their yards.

From out of nowhere, a knot formed in her
throat. Aunt Milly hadn’t had a lot of money. Kayla’s childish requests for a
tree or wreath had usually gone unanswered.

Instead of pondering the past, she moved
onward to where the smell of rich coffee brewing teased her nose.

When Barry heard the padding of Kayla’s
feet against the wood floor, he pivoted with a spatula in his hand. His breath
caught. He had no idea her hair was so light or long. The golden masses tumbled
over her shoulders, flowing down her back to almost stroke her ass.

There was a demure shyness to her smile as
she stepped farther into the kitchen. Barefoot and dressed in his too loose
clothing, this was another side of the woman that intrigued him. Of course her
fantasies had revealed a lot about her. This hard-ass attorney needed a man to
take control, to teach her how to let go and just feel. The thought sent blood
rushing to his groin. Barry spun around, facing the stove to mask the instant
hard-on that pushed against the zipper of his jeans. He flipped the egg cooking
in the skillet.

“I didn’t know what you’d prefer. There’s
toast, yogurt, granola, blueberries and strawberries, eggs, orange juice, milk
and some easy-on-the-stomach soda. I thought the smell of greasy bacon or
sausage might not agree with you this morning.”

“That was nice of you.”

Barry glanced over his shoulder to find her
staring hard at him. “Oh no. I’ve seen that eagle-eyed glare in court. You’re
looking for ulterior motives.” He scooped the egg up and placed it on a plate
before he handed it to her. “Just for today, could you lower your guard? Take
what I offer at face value? I just want to spend some time with you.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“No apology needed. Sit. Eat.” Cracking an
egg against the pan, he released it into the skillet before reaching for
another. He heard a chair scrape across the floor. “Nice job in court
yesterday.”

“Thank you.”

The hesitancy in her voice told him she
wasn’t sure whether his compliment was genuine or sarcastic, since she’d kicked
his ass in the process of winning. Truth was he didn’t have the strong,
airtight case he’d needed. Not only had he known his proof was based on
circumstantial evidence—Kayla had too.

Setting his plate of eggs and a pot of
coffee upon the table, he took a seat across from her. She raised those
crystal-blue eyes to meet his.

Kayla took a sip of her soda. “From the
pictures, it appears you are an only child.”

“Yep. I’m a mommy’s boy.”

Her soft laughter struck a chord inside
him. He saw beyond the baggy t-shirt she wore to the lacy bra he had discovered
when he had undressed her for bed. What he’d found beneath that tailored suit
had heated his blood. Her curves, dips and mounds had been even sexier than
what he had expected. Kayla’s body was made for a man’s touch.

“I doubt that. I saw the sports pictures
and the one where you’re with your father fishing.” She added a little fruit to
her yogurt. “The picture with Colin Powell was especially impressive.”

“He’s a friend of the family.”

“Oh?”

“My father is ex-military.” Barry kept it
simple, but in reality his dad had served beneath the four-star general.

“What does your mother do?”

“She keeps my dad from getting into
trouble.” He took a bite of toast, chewed and swallowed.

Kayla chuckled again. “Sounds like you have
a close-knit family.”

“I do. My parents are my biggest
supporters. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them or them for me. What
about you? Mother? Father? Siblings?”

Her features grew taut as her gaze dropped
to her plate. Her lips pulled into a thin line and she remained silent. The
tension in the room thickened, and then something crashed in the living room.

They both looked at each other before Barry
rose, quickly making his way to the other room. Skidding on the polished floor,
he barely missed the broken pieces of ornament lying at his feet.

As Kayla joined him, he held an
outstretched hand to stop her. “You’re barefoot. I don’t want you to get cut.”
A branch on the Christmas tree shook and another glass bulb fell to the floor,
shattering. “What the hell? Probably a mouse.”

“More like a rat,” she growled. “I’ll look
for the culprit while you go get a broom.”

Not gone long, he returned to hear Kayla
say, “Go away. Now.” Her firm voice left no room for argument. If he’d been a
mouse, he would have made hasty tracks in the other direction.

“Rodent?” he asked.

“No. I didn’t find a thing.”

It was a blatant lie, which surprised him.
Maybe she was one of those animal activists. Either way, after she was gone he
had full intentions of buying several mousetraps and setting them for their
furry friend.

Kayla reached for the broom. “Here. I’ll
clean it up.”

Their hands touched. Gazes met.

Electricity sparked between them. Her
tongue crept out to moisten her lower lip, taunting him whether she realized it
or not.

What got into him, he had no idea. All on
its own accord, his free hand rose and stroked her cheek before he cradled the
silky skin in his palm. She didn’t pull back, so he leaned in.

Lips, soft and pliable, met his. Immediately
he felt a fusion, a connection so profound there were no words to describe it.
He wanted—no needed—to touch her, but he didn’t dare, not yet. He sure as hell
could deepen the kiss, and he did. Angling his head, he went in for a more
thorough caress.

Kayla moaned as he invaded her moist
depths, tongue sliding over hers, searching and seeking to learn every secret
hidden. When she responded in kind, he felt a rumble begin in his chest and
rise up to a low moan. She tasted of strawberries, of toothpaste, and of
something uniquely feminine. The combination was intoxicating. Barry couldn’t
wait any longer to drag her into his arms.

When he stepped forward, they both must
have released the broom, because it fell to the ground. The abrupt sound didn’t
faze either of them. Their mouths remained locked together. He snaked his arms
around her waist, clasping her tight against him. Then something changed. She
went rigid, pulling back on a whisper.

“Barry?” Unease reflected in her eyes. “I
don’t think this is wise. We’re colleagues—on opposite ends of the table.
Ouch!
”

Her sudden yelp surprised him. She jerked
her hand up to the back of her head and gave it a rub. It hadn’t felt as if her
hair was tangled around his fingers, but evidently he was wrong.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s— I mean, I’m
fine.” Even as she said so, she reached up to feel the back of her head again,
threading her fingers through her hair as if she were looking to dislodge
something. When she lowered her arm, she placed it on his.

Damn.
Barry
prayed he didn’t mess this up. “I won’t lie, Kayla. I’m attracted to you. I
have been since the first time I saw you walk into a courtroom.” He hurried to
add, “I realize this thing between us is probably not smart, but I want this—I
want you. Here. Now.”

Kayla met his hungry look squarely. “What
goes on between us doesn’t go beyond these walls?”

“Lord, no. Never. I’m not a kiss-and-tell
kind of man—”

“Then shut up and fuck me.” Her fingers
speared his hair, drawing his lips down to hers.