Part 42 (1/2)
”I ... heard Richardson tell you they'd have the autopsy results in themorning. Then they'll release her body?”
”Yes.”
Faith felt a dull ache. Well, what else had she expected? He'd said himself that no one would ever be able to take Dinah's place. And now that it was over, now that he had his puzzle virtually put together and she had the satisfaction of knowing the murderer of her mother and sister was dead, they would go on with their lives.
Their separate lives.
Faith looked down at the floor. Why had she even gotten dressed after her shower and come in here?
Why hadn't she just gone to bed and left him alone?
He obviously wanted to be alone. ”I guess ... now that the danger is
past, I can go ... home. Back to my apartment.” ”I don't want you to
go,” he said.
She felt her heart skip a beat, but kept her gaze determinedly down. ”I know I just moved into your life for a week, and I want you to know I'm grateful.
I would have been so frightened on my own, and probably dead by now-”
”I don't want you to go,” he repeated slowly.
She had to look up then, and met his gaze with a sensation of being
stripped naked of more than her clothing.
Even more slowly, In a tone of realization and reluctance and acceptance, he said, ”I ... don't ... want you to go.”
Don't question. Not yet. Not now.
Faith was on her feet before she realized she was going to move, and he
was turning toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
”I didn't plan this,” she said.
”I know. Neither did I. ”
”I ... I'm not ... I couldn't stay if it was only because-”
”It isn't.”
Faith pulled breath into lungs starving for air. ”Are you sure? It's
only her red polish, her earrings, but I'm not-”
Kane lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.
She heard a broken sound, and realized it came from her, from deep
'inside where something had let go. She felt the hardness of his bodyagainst hers, felt her fingers slide into his hair and her mouth comealive beneath his, and there was something so familiar and intimate andwildly arousing in his touch, his kiss, the strength of his arms around her, that she wanted to cling to him with all her might, all her will.
”You'll stay,” he muttered against her lips.
”Yes.”
He raised his head and stared down at her, gray eyes molten. He framedher face with his hands, and she could feel them shaking.
Fierce, he said, ”I won't be so careful this time, do you understand? Iwon't bite back what I want to say because I'm afraid it isn't what youwant to hear. I won't stop myself from touching you because I'm not sureyou want to be touched. And most of all, I won't let you shut me out ofthe parts of your life that matter to you.”
Faith reached up to touch his face. ”I love you.”
He caught his breath, then kissed her again, his mouth hard now,insistent. He lifted her, carried her from the living room to thebedroom.
She was hardly aware of being set on her feet beside the bed, of helpinghim pull off her sweater and slide the pants down her legs. She wasunb.u.t.toning his s.h.i.+rt, tugging it from his pants, and gasped when hishands pushed aside her bra and held her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Her hands fumbled, but she managed to push his s.h.i.+rt off his shoulders,unfasten his pants. She touched him and heard his indrawn breath,felt the ' spiraling tension inside both of them wind even tighter.
Touching him was necessary; it fed the starving need inside her.
”Ali, G.o.d,” he muttered, hoa.r.s.e and desperate.
They were on the bed somehow, the covers thrown clothes scattered. Thelamp let them see, but their hands saw more, movingeverywhere, shaping and fondling and caressing. Lips never more than awhisper apart. Bodies straining to be closer, to merge, to meld.
He felt so right to Faith. So right touching her. So right inside her,filling an emptiness she hadn't known was there, claiming that part ofher for himself.
”I love you,” she whispered, and knew she always had.