Guilty as Sin
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Synopsis
For over a decade, a killer has been waiting, silent as death and . . . GUILTY AS SIN Fourteen years ago, Kate Beckett was a teenager more interested in summer romance than babysitting. Then the unthinkable happened: her younger brother was kidnapped and murdered on her watch. Now she is an advocate for missing children, and her newest case brings her back to the small town where she lost her brother-and where she left behind the first boy she ever loved. Tommy Ibarra's world fell apart after Kate broke his heart, and he's spent his adult life making sure that he'll never be vulnerable again. When a teenage girl vanishes, he offers his expertise as a high tech security expert to help find her. Although he's determined to keep his distance from Kate, it isn't long before he's falling under her spell all over again. As they race against the clock, their investigation leads to a brutal killer with a shocking connection to Kate's tragic past. And this time, the killer has Kate firmly in his sights.
Release date: July 30, 2013
Publisher: Forever
Print pages: 453
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Guilty as Sin
Jami Alden
“Alden’s each and every well-placed word demonstrates to readers what a superior storyteller of suspense she is. Her latest has a solid plot, a strong battle-tested heroine, and tension to the extreme. This is one story that will have readers turning pages well into the night.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A tense suspense and a captivating romance make Run from Fear an exciting read.”
—RomRevToday.com
“Alden has written another gripping romantic suspense in Run from Fear. The storyline is intriguing and fast-paced.”
—BookLoons.com
“A pulse-pumping, taut thriller that grips readers from the first threat to the final confrontation. The lead couple is an interesting pairing as both have survived the baptism of fire. The support cast augments a terrific, tense tale.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“4½ stars! Anyone who says that romantic suspense is no longer a hot commodity hasn’t read Jami Alden. She’s quickly making a name for herself as one of the top writers in the genre. Her latest novel continues her streak of excellent, gripping stories and brings captivating recurring characters along for the ride.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Sexual chemistry engulfs these two and spills from the pages with the force of a tsunami… The best way I can describe this story is an emotional adrenaline rush… Alden’s portrayal of Sean is brilliant, and pairing him with the hard-nosed, determined prosecutor was risky but proved to be perfect. I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel for months, and Jami Alden didn’t disappoint.”
—USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog
“The sexual tension and chemistry between them was absolutely delicious, especially when compounded by their previous bad history together. Overall, I adored this one.”
—Romanceaholic.com
“Brilliant, simply and utterly brilliant!… This book moves Ms. Alden into the big leagues and most definitely onto my ‘Must Read’ author’s list… Hide from Evil is a flat-out scorcher… The dramatic finish to this book leaves me absolutely rabid for Talia and Jack’s book. If it’s better than this one, it’ll have to be written in gold.”
—YouGottaRead.com
“4½ stars! Top Pick! Alden’s emotionally gripping Beg for Mercy makes readers beg for mercy, too… this is a high-caliber romantic suspense—exactly what the genre should be!”
—RT Book Reviews
“An exhilarating investigative thriller… never slowed down… Filled with action, but character driven by the heroine, sub-genre fans will appreciate this taut suspense… and look forward to Slater’s follow-up case.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“The chemistry between Megan and Cole was absolutely mouth-watering. You could feel the sizzle when they were in the same room… I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.”
—Romanceaholic.com
“The sexy, heated love scenes leave the reader eagerly awaiting more, as they were well placed and a great catalyst for the ultimate showdown. I am waiting most impatiently for the next book in this series.”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“Five stars! Flawless! This novel was nothing like anything I have read to date… The twists are crazy good! Not only that but the sexual tension and encounters were phenomenal!… [Cole Williams] is sex personified!… What a rush!”
—ShamelessRomanceReviews.blogspot.com
Sandpoint, ID
Fourteen years ago
You understand what a big responsibility this is, don’t you, Kate?” her father said. “You understand that this is your chance to prove we can still trust you?”
Up until three weeks ago, there had been no reason for Senator Beckett and his wife not to. Sixteen-year-old Kate had always been the good twin, the sensible twin. The twin who kept her head on straight and never, ever threatened the senator’s image as an upstanding citizen who fully embraced so-called family values.
But that was before he’d caught her making out in the sunroom with Tommy Ibarra. While her parents had never fully embraced Kate’s unlikely friendship with the local rancher’s son three years her senior, they’d tolerated it. Mostly because Kate’s mother thought it was good for her kids to be exposed to people who existed outside their exclusive circle of Washington, D.C.’s elite. And because as far as they knew, Kate and Tommy’s relationship hadn’t seemed to go beyond a big brother/little sister dynamic.
Not until this summer, at least.
And to say her father wasn’t okay with it was the understatement of the century. Kate was afraid he was going to have an aneurysm when he caught them.
Yet not even his wrath could compel her to keep her promise to stay away from Tommy Ibarra for the rest of their annual vacation on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.
“Of course,” Kate replied with a smile.
Her father gave her a smile and bent to kiss her on the cheek. “That’s my good girl,” he said, patting her shoulder as he straightened up. “Even after what happened, I know we can still count on you.”
“Of course you can,” Kate replied. As she looked into her father’s eyes, full of warmth and love, she felt a flash of guilt for what she had planned.
“I know you think I’m too strict sometimes, but I just want what’s best for you and our family. And I know you can do a lot better than Tommy Ibarra.”
Her guilt dissolved in a flash of anger, and she fought to keep her hands from curling into fists. Her father had no idea who Tommy really was, had no idea that there was no such thing as doing better than Tommy Ibarra. All he saw was an older local boy trying to take advantage of his teenage daughter.
And while she knew her father loved her and was genuinely concerned for her welfare, he was equally concerned about the scandal that might erupt if the press got wind of her summer romance. As a U.S. Senator whose platform centered on conservative family values, he couldn’t have his daughter’s steamy make-out sessions with inappropriate suitors become public knowledge.
She pulled her mouth into a guileless smile. “Everything will be fine.”
Her father nodded and gave her another quick squeeze. “All right then, we’ll be home tomorrow around lunchtime.”
“Here’s the number where we can be reached.” Kate’s mother pressed the slip of paper into her hand as she was walking to the door.
“I know, you already taped it on the refrigerator,” Kate said impatiently.
Her mom leaned down to kiss her cheek, enveloping Kate in a cloud of perfume and hairspray.
“And your father has his cell phone, not that the darn thing ever seems to work when we need it.”
Kate closed the door behind them and practically danced a little jig. The situation couldn’t have fallen into her lap more perfectly. Her parents would be gone for the night attending a fundraiser in Boise. Her fraternal twin sister, Lauren, was spending the night at the Burkharts’ house with her friend Hailey. Kate knew that was code for she was going to stay out all night partying because everyone except for Kate’s parents knew the Burkharts let them do whatever they wanted as long as it didn’t end in an arrest.
Which left Kate to stay home with Michael, who had come down with a nasty summer flu and wasn’t going anywhere except the living room couch.
Normally Kate would have resented having to be on little-brother detail when there was so much going on, but not tonight. Tonight all she had to do was throw him a cup of soup and send him to bed, and the house would be all hers.
Hers and Tommy’s.
She went into the great room where Michael was sprawled in front of the TV, his attention focused on the Game Boy that seemed permanently grafted to his hand. An empty glass of melting ice and a box of Kleenex sat on the coffee table in front of him. He was surrounded by a dozen or so crumpled-up tissues.
“Can I get you anything?” Kate asked, wrinkling her nose as she picked up a tissue between her thumb and forefinger and threw it in the trash.
Michael’s eyes, blue to match hers, slanted in her direction. “Maybe a pizza?”
“You threw up all morning. I’m not getting you a pizza. How about some toast?”
He shrugged, which Kate took as yes. The phone rang just as she was putting some bread in the toaster.
Kate rushed to answer. She’d told Tommy her parents were leaving at five and to call any time after. “Hey,” she said breathlessly.
But it wasn’t Tommy’s voice on the other line. “Hey, Kate, it’s John.”
“Oh, hi,” she said, her brow wrinkling as she wondered why he might be calling her. She’d known John Burkhart almost her entire life—her father and his had been close since college, and they’d been vacationing here in Sandpoint together for the past six years.
“Is something wrong with Lauren?” She looked at her watch. It was only five thirty, presumably too early for her and his younger sister, Hailey, to have gotten themselves into trouble, but you never knew.
“Uh, no,” he said, clearing his throat uncomfortably. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just wondering, uh, I mean I know you’re home alone with Michael…”
“Yes,” she prompted as his voice trailed off. But the uneasiness in her belly made her unsure if she really wanted him to go on.
“I was thinking I could maybe come over with a pizza and a movie or something and keep you guys company.”
“Aren’t your next-door neighbors hosting their big bonfire tonight? You never miss it.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been enough times, one summer isn’t going to matter. And I think this would be a good chance for us to hang out.”
“Since when do you want to hang out with me?” Kate asked with genuine confusion. John was twenty, a junior at the University of Colorado, and had always acted like he was way too old and way too cool to hang out with Kate and her sister.
He blew out a harsh breath. “Please, Kate, the fact that I’m interested in you can’t be a total surprise. Why do you think I’m always giving you and your sister rides and going to parties with you?”
Kate practically dropped the phone in shock. John Burkhart was interested in her? Since when? “Uh, I thought it was because you were giving Hailey a ride anyway and we were tagging along.”
He gave a forced-sounding laugh. “Okay, fine, you want me to lay it out there? I like you, Kate. I’ve been interested for a while, but I was waiting till you got a little older to make my move. So what do you say? Can we stop with the pretense that I’m nothing more than a family friend? Let me come over.”
Kate spared a moment to wonder what kind of pheromone she was putting out that suddenly made guys take interest. Kate was the quiet sister who stood around the edges of the crowd while the boys chased Lauren. In any case, though she truly did view John as little more than an acquaintance she never would have known had their parents not been friends, she wanted to let him down easy. “You know my father would go ballistic if he knew I was home alone and had someone over.”
“Kate, it’s me. Your father’s known me all my life. He trusts me.”
“And, more important, he trusts me,” she said, feeling a little pinch of guilt at the knowledge that he no longer had good reason too, “and I can’t risk violating that, even for you.”
“We don’t have to tell him.”
“Even if I don’t, Michael might, and even so, I’m not lying to my father.” Not for you, anyway.
“Tomorrow then. Let me take you to Mary’s for dinner,” he persisted.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kate said warily.
“Kate, do you have any idea how many girls in this town would kill to go out with me?” John snapped.
His arrogance brought an edge to her own voice. “Then ask one of them.”
“What’s the matter, Kate, am I not man enough for you? Do you only get turned on by guys who get dirty and work with their hands, like that gardener of yours? You ever wonder what he does when he’s on his ranch, all alone out there with his sheep—”
Kate’s grip around the phone tightened. Apparently news of her hookup had made it to the Burkhart house. “Good night, John,” she said, and hung up. She buttered Michael’s toast, put it on a plate, and poured herself a Diet Coke over ice. But the sweet fizziness wasn’t enough to chase away the bad taste the conversation had left in her mouth.
The awkwardness was going to be unavoidable—they’d be thrown together constantly for the rest of the summer. She could only hope John would let it go and they could just pretend the whole thing had never happened.
The phone rang again fifteen minutes later and Kate picked it up with no small trepidation, worried it was John going in for another round. But this time it was Tommy. Keeping her voice low, she said, “I think Michael’s going to zone out pretty soon, so I’ll call you after he goes to bed.”
Kate made herself a sandwich and settled on the couch to watch Dumb and Dumber with Michael, who, much to her consternation, didn’t seem in any hurry to head up to bed. When the movie ended and he asked her to put Jurassic Park into the VCR, she replied, “Aren’t you ready for bed?” unable to conceal the exasperation in her voice.
“What’s the difference to you? It’s not like you have anywhere to go.”
Kate gave a little huff of impatience and checked her watch. It was after nine. How long would Tommy wait by the phone before he gave up and came over on his own, revealing everything to her nosy little brother?
Or, worse, decided she wasn’t worth the wait and went out for the night?
“Or maybe,” Michael said idly, his gaze still glued to the television, “you’re waiting for someone to come over here.”
“What makes you think that?” she said, too quickly.
Michael, ever perceptive, slanted a look at her. “It’s Tommy, right?”
“Of course not,” she snapped. “I promised Dad I wouldn’t see him anymore.”
“Oh, come on, Kate, you think I don’t hear you and Lauren gossiping all night? I can totally hear you two from my room.”
“Only if you sit with your head glued to the air vent,” she snapped, and snatched up a throw pillow to clobber him over the head.
“Hey, what else am I supposed to do?” Michael threw down the Game Boy and flung his arms up to protect his face. “You guys are the ones with the TV and the VCR player in your room. I don’t have jack crap.”
“Promise you won’t say anything to Dad.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “What’s it worth to you?”
Kate glared right back. “My allowance for the next month?”
He shook his head. “Not good enough. I want a ride to and from school every morning. The bus blows.”
“I can promise rides in the morning but not afternoons. Lauren and I will start SAT prep soon and you’ve got soccer—”
“Fine,” Michael conceded. “Rides in the morning and two months of allowance.”
“Fine,” she bit out, and called him a jerk under her breath.
They were silent a few more minutes watching the movie, then Michael said, “Just so you know, I’ve known for about a week and probably wouldn’t have said anything. Tommy seems like a cool guy. I don’t know why Dad gets all up in his head about it.”
Even her father’s disapproval of Tommy couldn’t erase sixteen years of being a daddy’s girl. Kate automatically jumped to his defense. “Because of who he is, he has to worry about how everything will look, and he has very specific ideas about the kind of people Lauren and I date.”
Michael snorted. “He’d have a stroke if he knew what Lauren’s been up to.”
“How do you know what Lauren’s up to?”
“I know a lot more than you think.”
More silence, then Kate asked. “So if you weren’t going to tell, do I still have to give you my allowance?”
“Hell yeah,” he replied. “Between your two months and the six I already have from Lauren, I’ll finally be able to buy that Jet Ski Mom refuses to let me have.”
“You can buy it, but that doesn’t mean you can keep it.”
“Dad will have me covered.”
Kate rolled her eyes and didn’t argue. It was no secret that while their dad adored and was proud of all of them, he had a particular soft spot for Michael and always let him get away with more. Whether it was because he was the only boy or the youngest or a combination of both, Kate had learned a long time ago not to let the favoritism get to her.
Satisfied Michael wouldn’t narc on her any time soon, she dialed Tommy. Her heart squeezed as the phone got to its fourth ring.
It’s too late, she thought. He got tired of waiting…
“Hello?” he answered, a little breathless as though he’d been running.
“So, um, you can still come over if you want to,” she said.
“Of course I still want to!” he said, the unrestrained eagerness in his voice making her smile.
For the next twenty minutes or so Kate watched the front windows, starting at the sight of each pair of headlights going by.
“He lives outside of town,” Michael reminded her after the third time. “It’ll take him at least fifteen minutes to get here.”
“Aren’t you getting really tired and needing to go upstairs to bed?” she shot back.
He gave an exaggerated stretch. “I’ve been sleeping like, all day, so now I’m not even tired. I could probably stay up all night at this point,” he said with an innocent smile she didn’t buy for a second.
Just then there was a firm knock at the door. She rushed to answer, shooting Michael a glare over her shoulder.
“Hi,” she said, unable to hold back her grin at the sight of Tommy, the harsh planes of his face illuminated by the overhead light. “You got here quicker than I expected.” She moved aside to let him in.
“I might have sped a little,” he said with a sheepish smile. He reached out and placed his hands on her hips as he bent his head to kiss her hello.
“Hey, Tommy.” His head snapped up at the sound of Michael’s call, and there was a flash of panic in his eyes.
“It’s okay,” Kate said, taking Tommy by the hand and leading him into the great room. “We worked out a deal.”
Tommy raised a hand in greeting. “Hey. Kate said you’ve been sick.”
“I’m better today,” Michael said, and turned his attention back to his Game Boy.
“But you really should get your rest,” Kate said. “Sleep is really the best thing for your body.”
“I’m getting plenty of rest right here on the couch,” Michael replied.
“Let’s go out on the deck,” Tommy said. Kate shot another glare at her brother as Tommy led her outside. He settled them onto a wicker love seat facing the lake.
He slipped his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled eagerly into his side.
“You sure we’re okay?” Tommy said.
Kate found it hard to focus with his fingers tracing up and down the sensitive skin of her inner arm. “Yeah,” she finally managed. “He named a price for his silence and I caved.”
Tommy gave a soft chuckle. “I hope it wasn’t too bad.”
“Just some money and having to put up with a smelly thirteen-year-old in my car every morning on the way to school.”
Tommy gave a soft laugh. “Remind me to keep him away from my sister Emilia. She’s only nine but she’s already figured out the blackmail thing.”
“I’m glad you could come over tonight,” Kate said, anticipation buzzing in her veins as she thought about what was going to happen.
“Me too,” Tommy whispered, and bent his head to kiss her. He smelled delicious, soapy and the fresh citrus smell of shaving cream. As always, the second his lips touched hers she went spinning out of control, her mouth hungry against his, her hands clutching at him as though she couldn’t get close enough.
And tonight they would be as close as two people could be—
The sharp sound of shattering glass startled them apart. Kate surged to her feet and started for the kitchen where Michael stood, bathed in light from the overhead fixture. He wore a guilty look on his face, and there was a puddle of lemonade and shards of glass surrounding his bare feet.
“You’re such a klutz,” Kate fumed as she marched into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, I was just thirsty.”
“More like nosy,” Kate muttered. “You know damn well the mini fridge under the bar is totally stocked. Don’t move!” she ordered when Michael would have stepped forward.
Tension knotted in her shoulders as she and Tommy mopped up the sticky liquid and swept up the glass. Way to set the romantic scene, she thought, spending an evening trying to dodge her thirteen-year-old brother.
“I’m sorry, Kate,” Michael said as she threw away the last of the mess.
“Can you just go to bed?” She sighed tiredly. “Tommy and I really want to be alone.”
Her gave her an exaggerated leer. “What are you going to do?”
She punched him in the arm hard enough to make him wince. “None of your business. Go upstairs.”
His mouth set in a petulant line. “I’m not tired. You can be alone in your bedroom. You go upstairs.”
Kate’s cheeks flooded with heat at the memory of Tommy in her bedroom three days ago, his rangy body stretched out on the twin bed across from Lauren’s. But there was no way she was taking him up there now—not with Michael still awake and tracking their every move.
It was one thing to flirt with her inner bad girl and sneak a guy in her bedroom when the house was empty, but she wasn’t brazen enough yet to do it under her nosy brother’s ever-watchful eye. Knowing Michael, he’d either be at the door with a glass to his ear or hunkered next to that damn air vent.
“Fine. You can hang out in our room,” Kate said, grateful Lauren wasn’t there to punch her in the face. “You can watch movies as late as you want. Just don’t come back down.”
“Awesome.” He tucked the Game Boy under his arm and rushed to the great room to retrieve a stack of cassettes. A few seconds later he was pounding up the stairs.
“And stay out of our stuff!” Kate called after him, knowing full well their room would be ransacked inside of ten minutes.
But it would be worth it, she thought, turning with a little shiver of anticipation back to Tommy, who was watching her from the doorway that led from the kitchen to the great room.
His thick dark hair shone under the lights, picking up the faint gold streaks from all the time he spent in the sun. His deep-set eyes watched her carefully, and as he looked in her face she wondered if he sensed her plans for tonight.
She was suddenly nervous, not sure how to proceed. She couldn’t exactly blurt out that she planned to let him take her virginity that night. Deciding that the best course of action was to let things unfold naturally, she let him lead her to the big leather couch and watched as he made a show of picking out a movie they had no intention of watching.
He had her stretched out under him before the opening credits had rolled, and soon after his shirt was on the floor and hers was tugged from the waistband of her skirt.
Tommy’s hand was making slow, careful progress up her stomach when they heard a large crash and roar. It took her a few seconds to register that the noise came from the TV upstairs, turned up obnoxiously loud, no doubt for their benefit.
But that did nothing to calm the adrenaline spiking in her system and the realization that there was no way she could do this with her little brother in the house.
As though he read her thoughts, Tommy said, “It’s weird having Michael here. I’m afraid he’ll bust in any second.”
“I’m sorry.” She sighed, frustrated. “I totally thought he’d be asleep and wouldn’t even know…”
“I know someplace we can go,” Tommy said, tugging her up from the couch. She followed, hesitating as he reached for the handle of the front door.
“I can’t leave.” She shook her head. “I know he’s a pain in the ass, but I can’t leave him alone.”
“We won’t go far, I promise. Close enough for us to hear if he calls for you, but nowhere he can bust in on us. Come on.”
Kate’s eyes flicked involuntarily up the stairs. She could hear the roar of the television, hoped Michael would stay occupied or fall asleep soon.
“Okay.” She followed Tommy, first to his truck, where he retrieved a sleeping bag and a pillow he’d stashed in the back. Then he led her down the beach, past the last house where the lake was still bordered by forest. Kate smiled in delight as he stopped at a bare patch of sand sheltered on either side by bushes. He spread the sleeping bag out and knelt down and reached out his hand for her to join him.
Though this was not exactly what she’d imagined for her first time, she didn’t hesitate to follow him down when he stretched out on his back.
Kate couldn’t stifle a moan as strong hands slid under the hem of her shirt and slid up the bare skin of her back. Her own hands swept hungrily over the muscular swells of his chest and shoulders.
She loved the way his breath sped up to match hers, the way his skin heated under her touch until she could smell the arousal coming off him in waves. His hand slid farther up her back until it met with the clasp of her bra. His fingers traced it for a second before sliding away.
Not tonight, she thought with a pulse of anticipation that was nearly as arousing as his touch. She pushed up so she was sitting next to him. She could hear the surprised hitch in his breath as she unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide off her shoulders. Then, before she could psych herself out, she reached behind her and unhooked her bra.
“Kate…”
Tommy’s hushed whisper, almost reverent, rushed through her and gave her that last bit of courage she needed to let her bra follow her shirt onto the ground.
Grateful that the nearly full moon was muted by the tree branches, she sank back down until they were chest to chest and felt his own gasp echo hers at the first touch of skin on skin. It shouldn’t be such a huge deal; he’d touched her under her clothes dozens of times. But the feeling of being naked—from the waist up anyway—the sensation of being completely bare against him—sent a wicked thrill that went straight to her core.
Taking her mouth hungrily with his, Tommy rolled her to her back, one big hand immediately swallowing up the curve of one breast. She pushed aside the fleeting moment of embarrassment that she was so small and gave herself up to the sensation of his strong fingers kneading her, the feel of his thumb and forefinger closing over her nipple in a gentle squeeze that startled a cry from her throat.
His mouth licked and sucked its way down her neck, across her bare chest. And before she could give in to the flutter of panic, his lips closed gently over one hard tip.
“Tommy!” she cried, her hands fisting in his hair.
He immediately lifted his head. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.” Her whisper dissolved into a sigh as his mouth closed over her again. Her body shifted restlessly under his, intense sensation wracking her.
Her legs came up to cradle his hips and her skirt shifted up her thighs. Tommy instinctively moved lower so she wouldn’t have direct contact with the rock-hard pillar she knew was straining against the fly of his shorts.
Kate slid her arms around his body and moved her hands down until they were resting on his hips. She tugged at him and rocked her hips until his body was perfectly aligned with hers. Pleasure hit her with the force of an electric shock, every fiber in her body pulling tight.
“Kate.” Tommy groaned, his hips rocking as though he couldn’t stop himself from moving against her. “We don’t have to—”
“I want to,” she said quickly before she lost her nerve. “I want to feel you against me. And in a little while, I want us both to get naked and feel you for real.”
Tommy groaned and kissed her again, hard, like he wanted to consume her.
“I want you to be my first,” she whispered against his lips.
He swore softly against her mouth. “We don’t have to rush it, Kate. There’s so much other stuff we can do to make each other feel good.”
Kate slid her hands down the back of Tommy’s shorts and dug her fingers into the firm muscles of his butt. “I don’t want to do other stuff,” she said, and gave his earlobe a little nip. “I want to have sex.”
“Kate.” The single word betrayed an agony of frustration.
Kate muffled his protests by covering his mouth with hers and reached one hand in between their bodies, feeling a hot thrill race through her as her hand closed over him through the fabric of his shorts. Two weeks ago, she would have thought herself incapable of such boldness.
But tonight, in the moonlight, her whole body quivered with anticipation as she explored every inch of him, so hard, so hot he seemed to burn her palm even through the heavy fabric of his shorts.
Tommy went stock still, every muscle locked and trembling as his breath heaved in his chest.
“Tommy, I know you’re worried I’m not experienced, but I’m sure about this. I’m sure I want you—”
Her words caught in her throat as his hand closed over her wrist in a grip that bordered on painful. “We can’t,” he ground out.
Kate sat up and jerked her hand from his grip as dread closed its fist in the pit of her stomach. “Don’t you want to? I thought—”
“Of course I want to!” Tommy said in a harsh whisper. “I’ve wanted to since the first time I touched you.”
“Then why can’t we?”
Tommy sat up, shoving away from her until he’d put a couple feet
—RT Book Reviews
“A tense suspense and a captivating romance make Run from Fear an exciting read.”
—RomRevToday.com
“Alden has written another gripping romantic suspense in Run from Fear. The storyline is intriguing and fast-paced.”
—BookLoons.com
“A pulse-pumping, taut thriller that grips readers from the first threat to the final confrontation. The lead couple is an interesting pairing as both have survived the baptism of fire. The support cast augments a terrific, tense tale.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“4½ stars! Anyone who says that romantic suspense is no longer a hot commodity hasn’t read Jami Alden. She’s quickly making a name for herself as one of the top writers in the genre. Her latest novel continues her streak of excellent, gripping stories and brings captivating recurring characters along for the ride.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Sexual chemistry engulfs these two and spills from the pages with the force of a tsunami… The best way I can describe this story is an emotional adrenaline rush… Alden’s portrayal of Sean is brilliant, and pairing him with the hard-nosed, determined prosecutor was risky but proved to be perfect. I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel for months, and Jami Alden didn’t disappoint.”
—USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog
“The sexual tension and chemistry between them was absolutely delicious, especially when compounded by their previous bad history together. Overall, I adored this one.”
—Romanceaholic.com
“Brilliant, simply and utterly brilliant!… This book moves Ms. Alden into the big leagues and most definitely onto my ‘Must Read’ author’s list… Hide from Evil is a flat-out scorcher… The dramatic finish to this book leaves me absolutely rabid for Talia and Jack’s book. If it’s better than this one, it’ll have to be written in gold.”
—YouGottaRead.com
“4½ stars! Top Pick! Alden’s emotionally gripping Beg for Mercy makes readers beg for mercy, too… this is a high-caliber romantic suspense—exactly what the genre should be!”
—RT Book Reviews
“An exhilarating investigative thriller… never slowed down… Filled with action, but character driven by the heroine, sub-genre fans will appreciate this taut suspense… and look forward to Slater’s follow-up case.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“The chemistry between Megan and Cole was absolutely mouth-watering. You could feel the sizzle when they were in the same room… I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.”
—Romanceaholic.com
“The sexy, heated love scenes leave the reader eagerly awaiting more, as they were well placed and a great catalyst for the ultimate showdown. I am waiting most impatiently for the next book in this series.”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“Five stars! Flawless! This novel was nothing like anything I have read to date… The twists are crazy good! Not only that but the sexual tension and encounters were phenomenal!… [Cole Williams] is sex personified!… What a rush!”
—ShamelessRomanceReviews.blogspot.com
Sandpoint, ID
Fourteen years ago
You understand what a big responsibility this is, don’t you, Kate?” her father said. “You understand that this is your chance to prove we can still trust you?”
Up until three weeks ago, there had been no reason for Senator Beckett and his wife not to. Sixteen-year-old Kate had always been the good twin, the sensible twin. The twin who kept her head on straight and never, ever threatened the senator’s image as an upstanding citizen who fully embraced so-called family values.
But that was before he’d caught her making out in the sunroom with Tommy Ibarra. While her parents had never fully embraced Kate’s unlikely friendship with the local rancher’s son three years her senior, they’d tolerated it. Mostly because Kate’s mother thought it was good for her kids to be exposed to people who existed outside their exclusive circle of Washington, D.C.’s elite. And because as far as they knew, Kate and Tommy’s relationship hadn’t seemed to go beyond a big brother/little sister dynamic.
Not until this summer, at least.
And to say her father wasn’t okay with it was the understatement of the century. Kate was afraid he was going to have an aneurysm when he caught them.
Yet not even his wrath could compel her to keep her promise to stay away from Tommy Ibarra for the rest of their annual vacation on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.
“Of course,” Kate replied with a smile.
Her father gave her a smile and bent to kiss her on the cheek. “That’s my good girl,” he said, patting her shoulder as he straightened up. “Even after what happened, I know we can still count on you.”
“Of course you can,” Kate replied. As she looked into her father’s eyes, full of warmth and love, she felt a flash of guilt for what she had planned.
“I know you think I’m too strict sometimes, but I just want what’s best for you and our family. And I know you can do a lot better than Tommy Ibarra.”
Her guilt dissolved in a flash of anger, and she fought to keep her hands from curling into fists. Her father had no idea who Tommy really was, had no idea that there was no such thing as doing better than Tommy Ibarra. All he saw was an older local boy trying to take advantage of his teenage daughter.
And while she knew her father loved her and was genuinely concerned for her welfare, he was equally concerned about the scandal that might erupt if the press got wind of her summer romance. As a U.S. Senator whose platform centered on conservative family values, he couldn’t have his daughter’s steamy make-out sessions with inappropriate suitors become public knowledge.
She pulled her mouth into a guileless smile. “Everything will be fine.”
Her father nodded and gave her another quick squeeze. “All right then, we’ll be home tomorrow around lunchtime.”
“Here’s the number where we can be reached.” Kate’s mother pressed the slip of paper into her hand as she was walking to the door.
“I know, you already taped it on the refrigerator,” Kate said impatiently.
Her mom leaned down to kiss her cheek, enveloping Kate in a cloud of perfume and hairspray.
“And your father has his cell phone, not that the darn thing ever seems to work when we need it.”
Kate closed the door behind them and practically danced a little jig. The situation couldn’t have fallen into her lap more perfectly. Her parents would be gone for the night attending a fundraiser in Boise. Her fraternal twin sister, Lauren, was spending the night at the Burkharts’ house with her friend Hailey. Kate knew that was code for she was going to stay out all night partying because everyone except for Kate’s parents knew the Burkharts let them do whatever they wanted as long as it didn’t end in an arrest.
Which left Kate to stay home with Michael, who had come down with a nasty summer flu and wasn’t going anywhere except the living room couch.
Normally Kate would have resented having to be on little-brother detail when there was so much going on, but not tonight. Tonight all she had to do was throw him a cup of soup and send him to bed, and the house would be all hers.
Hers and Tommy’s.
She went into the great room where Michael was sprawled in front of the TV, his attention focused on the Game Boy that seemed permanently grafted to his hand. An empty glass of melting ice and a box of Kleenex sat on the coffee table in front of him. He was surrounded by a dozen or so crumpled-up tissues.
“Can I get you anything?” Kate asked, wrinkling her nose as she picked up a tissue between her thumb and forefinger and threw it in the trash.
Michael’s eyes, blue to match hers, slanted in her direction. “Maybe a pizza?”
“You threw up all morning. I’m not getting you a pizza. How about some toast?”
He shrugged, which Kate took as yes. The phone rang just as she was putting some bread in the toaster.
Kate rushed to answer. She’d told Tommy her parents were leaving at five and to call any time after. “Hey,” she said breathlessly.
But it wasn’t Tommy’s voice on the other line. “Hey, Kate, it’s John.”
“Oh, hi,” she said, her brow wrinkling as she wondered why he might be calling her. She’d known John Burkhart almost her entire life—her father and his had been close since college, and they’d been vacationing here in Sandpoint together for the past six years.
“Is something wrong with Lauren?” She looked at her watch. It was only five thirty, presumably too early for her and his younger sister, Hailey, to have gotten themselves into trouble, but you never knew.
“Uh, no,” he said, clearing his throat uncomfortably. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just wondering, uh, I mean I know you’re home alone with Michael…”
“Yes,” she prompted as his voice trailed off. But the uneasiness in her belly made her unsure if she really wanted him to go on.
“I was thinking I could maybe come over with a pizza and a movie or something and keep you guys company.”
“Aren’t your next-door neighbors hosting their big bonfire tonight? You never miss it.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been enough times, one summer isn’t going to matter. And I think this would be a good chance for us to hang out.”
“Since when do you want to hang out with me?” Kate asked with genuine confusion. John was twenty, a junior at the University of Colorado, and had always acted like he was way too old and way too cool to hang out with Kate and her sister.
He blew out a harsh breath. “Please, Kate, the fact that I’m interested in you can’t be a total surprise. Why do you think I’m always giving you and your sister rides and going to parties with you?”
Kate practically dropped the phone in shock. John Burkhart was interested in her? Since when? “Uh, I thought it was because you were giving Hailey a ride anyway and we were tagging along.”
He gave a forced-sounding laugh. “Okay, fine, you want me to lay it out there? I like you, Kate. I’ve been interested for a while, but I was waiting till you got a little older to make my move. So what do you say? Can we stop with the pretense that I’m nothing more than a family friend? Let me come over.”
Kate spared a moment to wonder what kind of pheromone she was putting out that suddenly made guys take interest. Kate was the quiet sister who stood around the edges of the crowd while the boys chased Lauren. In any case, though she truly did view John as little more than an acquaintance she never would have known had their parents not been friends, she wanted to let him down easy. “You know my father would go ballistic if he knew I was home alone and had someone over.”
“Kate, it’s me. Your father’s known me all my life. He trusts me.”
“And, more important, he trusts me,” she said, feeling a little pinch of guilt at the knowledge that he no longer had good reason too, “and I can’t risk violating that, even for you.”
“We don’t have to tell him.”
“Even if I don’t, Michael might, and even so, I’m not lying to my father.” Not for you, anyway.
“Tomorrow then. Let me take you to Mary’s for dinner,” he persisted.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kate said warily.
“Kate, do you have any idea how many girls in this town would kill to go out with me?” John snapped.
His arrogance brought an edge to her own voice. “Then ask one of them.”
“What’s the matter, Kate, am I not man enough for you? Do you only get turned on by guys who get dirty and work with their hands, like that gardener of yours? You ever wonder what he does when he’s on his ranch, all alone out there with his sheep—”
Kate’s grip around the phone tightened. Apparently news of her hookup had made it to the Burkhart house. “Good night, John,” she said, and hung up. She buttered Michael’s toast, put it on a plate, and poured herself a Diet Coke over ice. But the sweet fizziness wasn’t enough to chase away the bad taste the conversation had left in her mouth.
The awkwardness was going to be unavoidable—they’d be thrown together constantly for the rest of the summer. She could only hope John would let it go and they could just pretend the whole thing had never happened.
The phone rang again fifteen minutes later and Kate picked it up with no small trepidation, worried it was John going in for another round. But this time it was Tommy. Keeping her voice low, she said, “I think Michael’s going to zone out pretty soon, so I’ll call you after he goes to bed.”
Kate made herself a sandwich and settled on the couch to watch Dumb and Dumber with Michael, who, much to her consternation, didn’t seem in any hurry to head up to bed. When the movie ended and he asked her to put Jurassic Park into the VCR, she replied, “Aren’t you ready for bed?” unable to conceal the exasperation in her voice.
“What’s the difference to you? It’s not like you have anywhere to go.”
Kate gave a little huff of impatience and checked her watch. It was after nine. How long would Tommy wait by the phone before he gave up and came over on his own, revealing everything to her nosy little brother?
Or, worse, decided she wasn’t worth the wait and went out for the night?
“Or maybe,” Michael said idly, his gaze still glued to the television, “you’re waiting for someone to come over here.”
“What makes you think that?” she said, too quickly.
Michael, ever perceptive, slanted a look at her. “It’s Tommy, right?”
“Of course not,” she snapped. “I promised Dad I wouldn’t see him anymore.”
“Oh, come on, Kate, you think I don’t hear you and Lauren gossiping all night? I can totally hear you two from my room.”
“Only if you sit with your head glued to the air vent,” she snapped, and snatched up a throw pillow to clobber him over the head.
“Hey, what else am I supposed to do?” Michael threw down the Game Boy and flung his arms up to protect his face. “You guys are the ones with the TV and the VCR player in your room. I don’t have jack crap.”
“Promise you won’t say anything to Dad.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “What’s it worth to you?”
Kate glared right back. “My allowance for the next month?”
He shook his head. “Not good enough. I want a ride to and from school every morning. The bus blows.”
“I can promise rides in the morning but not afternoons. Lauren and I will start SAT prep soon and you’ve got soccer—”
“Fine,” Michael conceded. “Rides in the morning and two months of allowance.”
“Fine,” she bit out, and called him a jerk under her breath.
They were silent a few more minutes watching the movie, then Michael said, “Just so you know, I’ve known for about a week and probably wouldn’t have said anything. Tommy seems like a cool guy. I don’t know why Dad gets all up in his head about it.”
Even her father’s disapproval of Tommy couldn’t erase sixteen years of being a daddy’s girl. Kate automatically jumped to his defense. “Because of who he is, he has to worry about how everything will look, and he has very specific ideas about the kind of people Lauren and I date.”
Michael snorted. “He’d have a stroke if he knew what Lauren’s been up to.”
“How do you know what Lauren’s up to?”
“I know a lot more than you think.”
More silence, then Kate asked. “So if you weren’t going to tell, do I still have to give you my allowance?”
“Hell yeah,” he replied. “Between your two months and the six I already have from Lauren, I’ll finally be able to buy that Jet Ski Mom refuses to let me have.”
“You can buy it, but that doesn’t mean you can keep it.”
“Dad will have me covered.”
Kate rolled her eyes and didn’t argue. It was no secret that while their dad adored and was proud of all of them, he had a particular soft spot for Michael and always let him get away with more. Whether it was because he was the only boy or the youngest or a combination of both, Kate had learned a long time ago not to let the favoritism get to her.
Satisfied Michael wouldn’t narc on her any time soon, she dialed Tommy. Her heart squeezed as the phone got to its fourth ring.
It’s too late, she thought. He got tired of waiting…
“Hello?” he answered, a little breathless as though he’d been running.
“So, um, you can still come over if you want to,” she said.
“Of course I still want to!” he said, the unrestrained eagerness in his voice making her smile.
For the next twenty minutes or so Kate watched the front windows, starting at the sight of each pair of headlights going by.
“He lives outside of town,” Michael reminded her after the third time. “It’ll take him at least fifteen minutes to get here.”
“Aren’t you getting really tired and needing to go upstairs to bed?” she shot back.
He gave an exaggerated stretch. “I’ve been sleeping like, all day, so now I’m not even tired. I could probably stay up all night at this point,” he said with an innocent smile she didn’t buy for a second.
Just then there was a firm knock at the door. She rushed to answer, shooting Michael a glare over her shoulder.
“Hi,” she said, unable to hold back her grin at the sight of Tommy, the harsh planes of his face illuminated by the overhead light. “You got here quicker than I expected.” She moved aside to let him in.
“I might have sped a little,” he said with a sheepish smile. He reached out and placed his hands on her hips as he bent his head to kiss her hello.
“Hey, Tommy.” His head snapped up at the sound of Michael’s call, and there was a flash of panic in his eyes.
“It’s okay,” Kate said, taking Tommy by the hand and leading him into the great room. “We worked out a deal.”
Tommy raised a hand in greeting. “Hey. Kate said you’ve been sick.”
“I’m better today,” Michael said, and turned his attention back to his Game Boy.
“But you really should get your rest,” Kate said. “Sleep is really the best thing for your body.”
“I’m getting plenty of rest right here on the couch,” Michael replied.
“Let’s go out on the deck,” Tommy said. Kate shot another glare at her brother as Tommy led her outside. He settled them onto a wicker love seat facing the lake.
He slipped his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled eagerly into his side.
“You sure we’re okay?” Tommy said.
Kate found it hard to focus with his fingers tracing up and down the sensitive skin of her inner arm. “Yeah,” she finally managed. “He named a price for his silence and I caved.”
Tommy gave a soft chuckle. “I hope it wasn’t too bad.”
“Just some money and having to put up with a smelly thirteen-year-old in my car every morning on the way to school.”
Tommy gave a soft laugh. “Remind me to keep him away from my sister Emilia. She’s only nine but she’s already figured out the blackmail thing.”
“I’m glad you could come over tonight,” Kate said, anticipation buzzing in her veins as she thought about what was going to happen.
“Me too,” Tommy whispered, and bent his head to kiss her. He smelled delicious, soapy and the fresh citrus smell of shaving cream. As always, the second his lips touched hers she went spinning out of control, her mouth hungry against his, her hands clutching at him as though she couldn’t get close enough.
And tonight they would be as close as two people could be—
The sharp sound of shattering glass startled them apart. Kate surged to her feet and started for the kitchen where Michael stood, bathed in light from the overhead fixture. He wore a guilty look on his face, and there was a puddle of lemonade and shards of glass surrounding his bare feet.
“You’re such a klutz,” Kate fumed as she marched into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, I was just thirsty.”
“More like nosy,” Kate muttered. “You know damn well the mini fridge under the bar is totally stocked. Don’t move!” she ordered when Michael would have stepped forward.
Tension knotted in her shoulders as she and Tommy mopped up the sticky liquid and swept up the glass. Way to set the romantic scene, she thought, spending an evening trying to dodge her thirteen-year-old brother.
“I’m sorry, Kate,” Michael said as she threw away the last of the mess.
“Can you just go to bed?” She sighed tiredly. “Tommy and I really want to be alone.”
Her gave her an exaggerated leer. “What are you going to do?”
She punched him in the arm hard enough to make him wince. “None of your business. Go upstairs.”
His mouth set in a petulant line. “I’m not tired. You can be alone in your bedroom. You go upstairs.”
Kate’s cheeks flooded with heat at the memory of Tommy in her bedroom three days ago, his rangy body stretched out on the twin bed across from Lauren’s. But there was no way she was taking him up there now—not with Michael still awake and tracking their every move.
It was one thing to flirt with her inner bad girl and sneak a guy in her bedroom when the house was empty, but she wasn’t brazen enough yet to do it under her nosy brother’s ever-watchful eye. Knowing Michael, he’d either be at the door with a glass to his ear or hunkered next to that damn air vent.
“Fine. You can hang out in our room,” Kate said, grateful Lauren wasn’t there to punch her in the face. “You can watch movies as late as you want. Just don’t come back down.”
“Awesome.” He tucked the Game Boy under his arm and rushed to the great room to retrieve a stack of cassettes. A few seconds later he was pounding up the stairs.
“And stay out of our stuff!” Kate called after him, knowing full well their room would be ransacked inside of ten minutes.
But it would be worth it, she thought, turning with a little shiver of anticipation back to Tommy, who was watching her from the doorway that led from the kitchen to the great room.
His thick dark hair shone under the lights, picking up the faint gold streaks from all the time he spent in the sun. His deep-set eyes watched her carefully, and as he looked in her face she wondered if he sensed her plans for tonight.
She was suddenly nervous, not sure how to proceed. She couldn’t exactly blurt out that she planned to let him take her virginity that night. Deciding that the best course of action was to let things unfold naturally, she let him lead her to the big leather couch and watched as he made a show of picking out a movie they had no intention of watching.
He had her stretched out under him before the opening credits had rolled, and soon after his shirt was on the floor and hers was tugged from the waistband of her skirt.
Tommy’s hand was making slow, careful progress up her stomach when they heard a large crash and roar. It took her a few seconds to register that the noise came from the TV upstairs, turned up obnoxiously loud, no doubt for their benefit.
But that did nothing to calm the adrenaline spiking in her system and the realization that there was no way she could do this with her little brother in the house.
As though he read her thoughts, Tommy said, “It’s weird having Michael here. I’m afraid he’ll bust in any second.”
“I’m sorry.” She sighed, frustrated. “I totally thought he’d be asleep and wouldn’t even know…”
“I know someplace we can go,” Tommy said, tugging her up from the couch. She followed, hesitating as he reached for the handle of the front door.
“I can’t leave.” She shook her head. “I know he’s a pain in the ass, but I can’t leave him alone.”
“We won’t go far, I promise. Close enough for us to hear if he calls for you, but nowhere he can bust in on us. Come on.”
Kate’s eyes flicked involuntarily up the stairs. She could hear the roar of the television, hoped Michael would stay occupied or fall asleep soon.
“Okay.” She followed Tommy, first to his truck, where he retrieved a sleeping bag and a pillow he’d stashed in the back. Then he led her down the beach, past the last house where the lake was still bordered by forest. Kate smiled in delight as he stopped at a bare patch of sand sheltered on either side by bushes. He spread the sleeping bag out and knelt down and reached out his hand for her to join him.
Though this was not exactly what she’d imagined for her first time, she didn’t hesitate to follow him down when he stretched out on his back.
Kate couldn’t stifle a moan as strong hands slid under the hem of her shirt and slid up the bare skin of her back. Her own hands swept hungrily over the muscular swells of his chest and shoulders.
She loved the way his breath sped up to match hers, the way his skin heated under her touch until she could smell the arousal coming off him in waves. His hand slid farther up her back until it met with the clasp of her bra. His fingers traced it for a second before sliding away.
Not tonight, she thought with a pulse of anticipation that was nearly as arousing as his touch. She pushed up so she was sitting next to him. She could hear the surprised hitch in his breath as she unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide off her shoulders. Then, before she could psych herself out, she reached behind her and unhooked her bra.
“Kate…”
Tommy’s hushed whisper, almost reverent, rushed through her and gave her that last bit of courage she needed to let her bra follow her shirt onto the ground.
Grateful that the nearly full moon was muted by the tree branches, she sank back down until they were chest to chest and felt his own gasp echo hers at the first touch of skin on skin. It shouldn’t be such a huge deal; he’d touched her under her clothes dozens of times. But the feeling of being naked—from the waist up anyway—the sensation of being completely bare against him—sent a wicked thrill that went straight to her core.
Taking her mouth hungrily with his, Tommy rolled her to her back, one big hand immediately swallowing up the curve of one breast. She pushed aside the fleeting moment of embarrassment that she was so small and gave herself up to the sensation of his strong fingers kneading her, the feel of his thumb and forefinger closing over her nipple in a gentle squeeze that startled a cry from her throat.
His mouth licked and sucked its way down her neck, across her bare chest. And before she could give in to the flutter of panic, his lips closed gently over one hard tip.
“Tommy!” she cried, her hands fisting in his hair.
He immediately lifted his head. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.” Her whisper dissolved into a sigh as his mouth closed over her again. Her body shifted restlessly under his, intense sensation wracking her.
Her legs came up to cradle his hips and her skirt shifted up her thighs. Tommy instinctively moved lower so she wouldn’t have direct contact with the rock-hard pillar she knew was straining against the fly of his shorts.
Kate slid her arms around his body and moved her hands down until they were resting on his hips. She tugged at him and rocked her hips until his body was perfectly aligned with hers. Pleasure hit her with the force of an electric shock, every fiber in her body pulling tight.
“Kate.” Tommy groaned, his hips rocking as though he couldn’t stop himself from moving against her. “We don’t have to—”
“I want to,” she said quickly before she lost her nerve. “I want to feel you against me. And in a little while, I want us both to get naked and feel you for real.”
Tommy groaned and kissed her again, hard, like he wanted to consume her.
“I want you to be my first,” she whispered against his lips.
He swore softly against her mouth. “We don’t have to rush it, Kate. There’s so much other stuff we can do to make each other feel good.”
Kate slid her hands down the back of Tommy’s shorts and dug her fingers into the firm muscles of his butt. “I don’t want to do other stuff,” she said, and gave his earlobe a little nip. “I want to have sex.”
“Kate.” The single word betrayed an agony of frustration.
Kate muffled his protests by covering his mouth with hers and reached one hand in between their bodies, feeling a hot thrill race through her as her hand closed over him through the fabric of his shorts. Two weeks ago, she would have thought herself incapable of such boldness.
But tonight, in the moonlight, her whole body quivered with anticipation as she explored every inch of him, so hard, so hot he seemed to burn her palm even through the heavy fabric of his shorts.
Tommy went stock still, every muscle locked and trembling as his breath heaved in his chest.
“Tommy, I know you’re worried I’m not experienced, but I’m sure about this. I’m sure I want you—”
Her words caught in her throat as his hand closed over her wrist in a grip that bordered on painful. “We can’t,” he ground out.
Kate sat up and jerked her hand from his grip as dread closed its fist in the pit of her stomach. “Don’t you want to? I thought—”
“Of course I want to!” Tommy said in a harsh whisper. “I’ve wanted to since the first time I touched you.”
“Then why can’t we?”
Tommy sat up, shoving away from her until he’d put a couple feet
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