She trailed her fingers through his hair, angling his head for another soul-stirring kiss. When they parted this time, he gazed directly down into her eyes. "I was wrong before," he said, his voice clear and certain. "I believe, Kate. I believe."

His words shattered her.

"You do?" She held her breath as she waited for his reply.

His mouth twisted into a wistful half-smile and a single tear slipped from his eye. "I wish I didn't," he said in a low, serious tone. "Wish I could take the pain away, wish I could make everything go away if it would make you happy. But I can't." He caught his breath. Kate traced her finger over the path of his tear, over his lips.

"But you can make it all go away," she assured him. "For tonight you can."

She slid her hand between their bodies, used her fingers to tease him, caress him through his jeans. She felt the heat of his arousal and squeezed gently. He shuddered. His eyes raised to hers, and he pulled back to give her a grin.

"So, that's how it's going to be?" He fastened his hands around her hips and in one swift movement rose up out of the chair. She allowed him to lower her onto the bed. He looked down on her, his naked desire easily read on his face.

His hands began to stroke her, taunt her. Those clever fingers of his knew exactly how to coax more heat from her body. He lay down beside her, his fingers roaming over every inch of her, his eyes gleaming with anticipation and delight.

She balanced on her good elbow and watched as he gently, tenderly caressed her breasts. Not only the whole one, but also the one ravaged by the shooter's bullets. His touch was light enough to send a tingling sensation through the injured nerves on her left side as his fingers deftly avoided the bristling stitches. He kept his eyes locked on hers, watching her response.

To her amazement, it didn't hurt. He seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her so that it actually felt good. She blew out the breath she'd been holding, realized that the pain she'd been anticipating was not going to happen.

His fingers trailed over her skin as he rocked forward between her legs, now feathering over both breasts simultaneously. He smiled as she writhed in pleasure, then lowered his mouth to join his hands.

He alternated using his mouth and then exhaling his hot breath over the moist areas he created. Her hips surged up, her leg wrapped around his waist, pulling him tighter to her.

He was still fully clothed, but Kate could see he was enjoying himself as much as she was. His fingers slid inside her and she arched back, an incoherent cry escaping her lips. Okay, maybe not quite as much.

Once she caught her breath again, she reached out, pulling him close enough so that she could unbutton his shirt. The buttons frustrated her one good hand and in the end, she tugged so hard that they popped open, bouncing around them like hail in a summer storm. He laughed, a joyous sound that echoed into Kate's heart.

Josh couldn't think of anything more intoxicating than seeing the spark of desire fill Kate's eyes, than feeling her come to life beneath his touch. Her tongue traced delicious patterns over his chest as her hand teased through his hair. They lay side to side, her injured arm cradled between them.

Her mouth found his nipple. He laughed in surprise at the lightning strike that jolted through him in response, then raised her chin so that he could kiss her again. Her eyes glittered with delight. Then her good hand feathered its way along the back of his neck, around to his bare chest and lower.

God, just her touch, inhaling her scent-she was driving him wild. She wasn't holding anything back. And neither was he.

Her fingers slid beneath his waistband, forcing a gasp from him. He reached for his belt, desperate to be free of the confining clothing. It was her turn to laugh as she watched him stumble from the bed, hopping on one foot, tangled in the denim. Finally he kicked his clothes aside, returning to her, both naked, on equal ground.

"Condoms," he muttered, reluctantly turning away.

"We don't need them."

He looked at her in surprise. They'd both be tested for HIV, part of the job, but birth control? He knew she wasn't taking the Pill. Maybe she used Depo shots? Damn, should've never let things go so far without talking- She opened her legs to him. Whoa boy. Guess the time for talking had passed. He stood between her smooth, white thighs, looking down on the most incredible woman he'd ever known. Her skin was flushed with passion, her eyes wide with elation, her mouth parted in invitation. She was offering herself to him.

Josh needed Kate to know he understood the gift she was bestowing on him. His arousal was obvious for her to see, but that wasn't enough. He leaned forward, took her mouth in his, a gentle, sensuous caress compared with their earlier rough and tumble play. He trailed kisses down her jaw, her neck in a slow, unhurried path of thanksgiving. He captured each of her breasts in turn, his own excitement growing as small sounds of contentment escaped from her.

"God." The word was buried in a soft, mewing noise that made his blood rush. "Oh, that's good-"

Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him tighter as he rolled her nipple against the roof of his mouth. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold back, but her shivers of delight made the effort well worth it.

He slid his lips over her heartbeat, above the suture line marking the place where he had cut her open. His fingers had held her heart when it was lifeless. Now the exquisite vibrations against his lips when he felt her pulse race almost brought him to tears.

Raising his head, he saw that she was crying. And laughing, all at the same time.

"Now." Her legs circled around his hips, pulling him close. "I want you now."

Her wish was his command. He slipped a pillow under her hips and straightened. She looked up at him with a smile of anticipation. He couldn't resist the urge to tease her a little farther. He entered her a short way, then began to pull back.

She groaned, her good hand reaching to tug on his arm. "Do you want me to beg?"

Oh yeah, begging would be good. Begging was always appreciated. But his control had its limits. Once he entered her heat, felt her muscles tighten around him, Josh could hold out no longer. He thrust into her, his fingers closing over her hipbones, so that they moved in unison.

Sweat-slicked skin sliding in perfect harmony, soon her body arched in an explosion of pleasure. Finally, when the pressure was unbearable, Josh leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers. The rush of the climax widened her eyes as her cry of ecstasy joined his.

CHAPTER 37.

Carter met Kate the next morning at an all-night diner on Liberty Avenue. He said nothing about the change in plans. Thank God. It had been hard enough to leave Josh, his arms reaching out for her in his sleep as she slipped from the bed. As if he needed her as much as she needed him.

She'd walked the five blocks to the diner and sat, drinking coffee that could have passed for battery acid. Just penance for the shameful way she had left Josh. She was doing the right thing, the best thing to keep him safe.

The words kept repeating in her mind now as they drove along 376, familiar landmarks speeding past. It was a brilliant fall morning, the Monongahela River glittered in the sunshine. The Parkway was crowded with other drivers enjoying the unexpected weather, headed out of the city for a peaceful Sunday.

Just another Sunday. Except she and Carter were on their way to spend the day at her anal-retentive brother's, hoping a killer was hot on their trail. When Kate called Michael to let him know they were on their way, he was even less excited about the plan than he had been yesterday, complaining that the police officers had taken the Sunday paper and eaten all the Krispy Kremes.

"You people treat me and my family like we're shills."

Kate sighed, they'd been through this already. Secretly, she thought Michael was enjoying the attention, the notoriety of being involved with real-life FBI agents. That didn't stop him from complaining. Or blaming her for every inconvenience. "Michael, you agreed to the plan. I didn't really have any choice in the matter."

He paused. "Well, you could have given me more notice. Marcy's going nuts trying to figure out what to cook for dinner."

"It doesn't matter, anything will be fine," she assured him.

"So how many people should we plan for?" She almost laughed. There was a madman on the loose and he was worried about seating arrangements. That was why he was a rich CPA and she was a cop-emphasis on the past tense.

"Thanks Michael, I'll see you in about half an hour." She hung up as he was making menu suggestions.

They were exiting the Squirrel Hill tunnel when she finished telling Carter about her visions the night before.

"I've never been so embarrassed in my life," she confessed after describing the scene in the restaurant.

"Relax, you probably saved their lives," Carter said. "Was Dr. Ramsey able to help?"

"I feel a little better. I just don't know how to handle this. I have to accept the fact that I'm different now, that this isn't going to go away on its own." She was silent for a moment, then chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"I was thinking, Michael was so worried about today, how could I tell him that everything was going to be okay because I didn't have a vision seeing his death? Can you just imagine! He'd have me committed before I could have hung up the phone."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Carter cleared his throat, shifted his weight away from her as if she did indeed need a straight-jacket and strong meds. "Do you think you should rely on these, visions so much?"

"Dammit, Carter, don't look at me like that!"

He turned back to concentrate on the highway. "I told you, I trust you, Kate. But I'm not so sure about this second sight. You said not all of them come true. How do you know which ones to take seriously?" His cell phone rang before he could express any more misgivings.

Kate looked out the window while he talked. It had been weeks since the city had seen this much sunshine. She remembered her vision of Josh-there had been sunlight in the first vision of him, the others were in darkness. Did that mean they canceled the first one out? Had she somehow changed the future? Carter was right, she had no idea what to believe.

She wished she could have convinced Josh to leave Pittsburgh without her. The man was almost as stubborn and pigheaded as she was. This plan had to work. Once they had Blake, Josh would be safe.

But Blake wasn't dumb, even Ramsey's profile conceded that. He would read the papers, know that the FBI was now involved. He would change the game, change targets-and who better to target than the man who had ruined his initial plan to kill her?

She heard her father's voice as clearly as she could hear Carter's. A good cop has to trust his gut, Brian O'Hern would say. As usual Dad was right. Kate didn't need any crazy visions to know that. She wasn't the one in danger. It was Josh.

"Carter, stop. Turn around." She tapped her finger against the armrest. Damn it, how could she have been so dumb, letting Cohen talk her into this? She needed to be with Josh, where she could protect him. He didn't even have a weapon, for chrissake.

"What? Hang on a sec," he said into the car phone. "They found Blake's apartment, but they missed him. He's probably already at Michael's. Did you say turn around?"

"Blake's not going to Michael's. He'll go after Josh next." She grabbed the phone. "Who is this?"

"Agent Cohen. O'Hern? Give me back to Carter."

"Cohen, listen, get some men over to Josh Lightner's place right away. Blake's headed there."

"How do you know?"

"I just know. Ask Anne Ramsey, she'll tell you I'm right. Blake's going to target Lightner next, not me."

"I'll send a unit over." His tone was one of exasperation.

"You'll send them now?"

"Yes." She handed the phone back to Carter. He listened, frowned, then said "All right," and hung up.

"Carter, you passed the exit. Turn around and go back."

"Cohen said he'll take care of the doc. He wants us to continue with the plan."

Kate groaned. Josh was safe in the hotel, everything should be all right. She closed her eyes, focusing on Josh, trying for the first time to command a vision. Nothing came. But the clenching in her stomach intensified. She sat up and reached for Carter's cell phone.

No answer at the hotel room or on Josh's cell phone. No answer when the front desk had him paged either.

Damn the man, what had he done?

Surely he hadn't gone back to his house?

Kate placed a hand on Carter's arm. "Josh is in trouble. We have to go to his house. Turn around."

"Are you absolutely certain?" He looked away from traffic to stare at her.

"Yes." She might be jeopardizing their one and only chance to get Blake. But all Kate knew was that Josh needed her. Now.

Carter swerved into the left-hand lane and cut into a turnabout. He radioed the back ups about the change in plans as he waited for traffic to give him an opening, then pulled out, heading back into the city.

Once they arrived at Josh's house, Kate was out of the car before Carter could ram it into Park. There was one squad car, lights flashing, in front of Josh's house and two more unmarked Impalas. She ran past them and up the steps.

The patrolman at the door had the job of securing the scene, dealing with any rubber-necking neighbors and reporters. As well as suspended cops with attitude and no patience.

"I'm going in," Kate told the newbie who'd pulled the door detail.

"You can't," he protested, raised a hand as if to block her way but stopped when he saw her sling. What was he gonna do, shove a cop shot in the line? She ducked her head and pushed past the kid, showing him no mercy.

She stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, her breath catching in her throat, her stomach rebelling at the smell of blood. It was everywhere-splatters on the floor at the back door, sprawling castoffs showering the kitchen island and walls. Not even the ceiling had been spared, the crimson streams were everywhere. There were no pools, so whoever's blood it was had been moving.

"We haven't found a body," Cohen told her, getting up from where he crouched, studying the trail of blood.

Carter caught up to Kate, she could feel his bulk behind her, heard his curse as he looked past her to the carnage.

"How'd you know?" Cohen came over to her, his notebook open.

Kate's throat clamped shut with fear. Josh was gone, she was too late, she should have protected him, he was a civilian for chrissakes, it was her job to protect him. Her heart stuttered and a tightness gripped her chest. Was he dead already?

She had the sudden vision of Josh, cold, in pain, trapped in a dark space. It was as if she were there with him, she smelled gasoline, there was a rough rubber surface under her cheek, a painful stabbing kept shooting through her hands. She shivered, nausea and fear churned her stomach and she was going to throw up- Carter caught her as she slumped, her disorientation throwing her off balance. He helped her to the couch, pushed her head between her knees.

"Breathe," he told her.

"Don't you dare barf on my crime scene," Cohen said. "That's a rookie mistake, O'Hern."

Cohen's sharp words erased the nausea. Kate glared at the federal agent. His face was neutral but she thought she caught a glimpse of concern in his eyes. Could there be a human hiding somewhere beyond the hard-assed prick?

Then her eyes caught the rope toy Josh and Hershey had been wrestling over yesterday.

"Where's Hershey?" Kate asked, looking around the room. "Where's the dog?"

The detectives shrugged, went back to their evidence collection. Kate followed the blood splatter. It stopped, then started again at the basement door.

"No dog when we got here," Cohen said.

"Anyone check the basement?" Kate asked.

"Haven't gotten there," one of the detectives said. "Uniforms said there was no one down there."

"They weren't looking for a dog."

Cohen was wearing vinyl gloves. He carefully opened the door and turned the light on. Kate poked her head into the stairwell. "Hershey," she called. "Here, boy!"

A faint whimper and scratching came from the shadows behind the steps. Kate ran down, Cohen and Carter following. When she got to the bottom, she saw dark smears of blood on the floor where the dog had dragged himself into hiding.