"Oh, quit whining." She made a face at him. "Fifty-year-old men bag thirty-year-old women all the d.a.m.n time."

"Amen." He gave her a warm grin. "Come on. Let's go get some pie. We have more stuff to talk about."

Two hours later, Mackenzie soaked in the bathtub as she mulled over everything Steven and Mahalia had patiently explained. Listening to convoluted descriptions of magical spells over pie and coffee was so surreal she'd felt the urge to pinch herself once or twice to see if she was dreaming. In some ways, she almost wished she had been.

Jackson had kept the details of their trip from New Orleans blessedly vague, saving her the embarra.s.sment of having them know how close she'd come to killing herself just to get into his pants. She'd made it through their discussion of the deteriorating spell, and how Mahalia and Jackson had managed to strengthen it before she held up both hands and begged for a break.

It was too much to process all at once. She doubted she'd be able to work her way through it in a month, much less several hours. Thankfully, Mahalia had silenced Steven with a pointed look when he seemed about to insist they finish their conversation.

Half an hour of quiet reflection in the bath had led to one conclusion: she had to stop thinking about the entire situation or she was going to end up as crazy as she'd accused Jackson of being to begin with.

Luckily, he's an excellent distraction. She rose and wrapped a soft, oversized towel around her body. She had to use a second towel to wipe fog from the bathroom mirror, but she smiled at her reflection as she picked up a comb and worked it through her hair.

Yes, Jackson would be an excellent distraction. Maybe once they figured out how to save her from the power-mad shapeshifter with dreams of dynastic domination, she could settle down and see if maybe Jackson could be more than a distraction. If New Orleans could be more than a pit stop.

Maybe she could have a life again.

Mackenzie was still smiling when she stepped through the bathroom door, her hair in a damp braid and her clothes exchanged for one of the comfortable, expensive silk nightgowns Nick had insisted on adding to their purchases during their afternoon of shopping.

Jackson sat on the end of the bed, his phone to one ear. "No, Nick. It's not-" He sighed. "It's fine for now. Just wait and come when Mich.e.l.le... Yes, she's right here, and we're taking excellent care of her. Yeah." He held out the phone. "Nick wants to talk to you."

Mackenzie accepted the phone and perched on the bed next to him. "Hey, Nick."

"Are they breaking your head with all the supernatural c.r.a.p?" she demanded immediately. "I told Jackson I'll kick his a.s.s if they're freaking you out."

She couldn't help laughing. "No, they stopped when I begged them to. I have a feeling I'm going to be getting more remedial supernatural lessons tomorrow, though."

"Christ." Her boss's irritation was clear. "Tell them I said to lay off, all right? They've had years, even their whole lives, to learn this stuff. You need time."

"Maybe." She tugged her braid over her shoulder. "But I don't think I have time, Nick. Not with some superpowerful lunatic after me."

"Well, you being crazy, too, isn't going to help anybody."

She was about to answer when Jackson s.n.a.t.c.hed the phone back. "Nicky, I love you, but your alpha b.i.t.c.h is showing again. Rein her in, why don't you?" He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right back at you." He closed the phone and grinned. "Luckily, she's in another state and can't actually kill me right now."

Mackenzie raised an eyebrow. "I thought she was coming here to meet her sister."

"Mich.e.l.le won't be able to make it for a few days." He leaned back on his elbows. "It isn't easy for her to get away. The Conclave has to approve her involvement in potentially sticky situations like this."

It was impossible not to let her eyes wander with his lean body stretched out next to her. He was handsome as sin, all right, and exactly the sort of man she'd never been able to resist. She inched higher on the bed and curled on her side with her head propped on one hand. "Nick's sister can't travel without permission?"

"Nope. She's powerful, dangerous. The Conclave maintains complete control over her all the time. She even has a bodyguard who's... Well, he's not so much there to protect her as to spy on her and report back."

That distracted her momentarily from thoughts of kissing Jackson. She studied his face, her eyebrows drawing together in a frown. "You're serious, aren't you? That's-" Terrifying.

"It's crazy, I know." Jackson rolled to his side, his pose mimicking hers, and flashed her a look that was equal parts sympathy and apology. "Supernatural society, on the whole, isn't any different from the human one you're used to, Kenzie. There's bigotry and fear and horrifying realities I generally prefer not to think about too much. It's not always pretty, but it's the way things are."

"Not always pretty" was an understatement. She rolled back and stared at the ceiling as she considered the things she'd learned. "Are there good things? I mean, you'd think having that power would be an advantage, but so far it seems like the only people who aren't miserable or crazy are the ones who have nothing to do with supernatural society."

"Well, Alec and I have been able to help a lot of people thanks to our abilities. Nick too. But there are responsibilities, real ones and the ones other people try to lay on us." He rubbed her arm rea.s.suringly. "I guess it all depends on whether you want to let other people's expectations define you."

"I guess." She caught his hand and twined their fingers together. "I think I've had enough deep thoughts on the universe for the night."

Jackson stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. "Good. I'm getting tired of focusing on the negative when, usually, things aren't really so bad."

"Things don't seem so bad right now," she agreed quietly. "I got great homemade food, a nice long bath, and now I've got a handsome gentleman to cuddle next to. My life hasn't been this nice in a long time."

"That's too bad. I think you should get this pretty much all the time."

Their banter could have gone back and forth for a while, but Mackenzie didn't have the patience to wait. Not with the memory of his earlier kiss, not with the way his voice made her heart pound. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him, and there was no reason not to give in. No reason at all.

So she leaned in and kissed him.

Chapter Eleven.

Jackson knew Mackenzie was going to kiss him long before she pressed her lips to his, and there were about a million reasons why he should have stopped her. Not surprisingly, he couldn't think of a single one.

Her mouth was warm and dry, and it opened slightly as it touched his, the sensation dragging a low groan from his throat. He lifted a hand to her neck, relishing the fact that her skin was just as soft as it looked. Self-control and self-denial were beyond him, and he rolled to bring her body under his.

She hummed in pleasure, and her fingers slid into his hair. She held his mouth to hers as her tongue swept across his lower lip in teasing invitation before retreating again.

He groaned again and deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping the inside of her mouth, tasting and exploring. It was maddening, and desire built in him with shocking speed as he lowered one hand to her hip and encountered soft silk. If she'd have been wearing this d.a.m.ned sc.r.a.p of nothing at his apartment, he wasn't sure what would have happened. He broke the kiss and whispered breathlessly, "I love this gown."

Her voice sounded just as breathless, and warm with invitation. "I was hoping you would. It's the only reason I let Nick buy it."

He gathered the midnight blue silk in his hand and rubbed it against her skin. "How'd you find one the same shade as your eyes?" He nuzzled her neck. "Serendipity?"

"I was due a little good luck." Her head arched back, giving his lips free rein over the soft skin of her throat. She moaned when his mouth reached the spot where her neck and shoulder met. "G.o.d, I've wanted to touch you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. You are unfairly s.e.xy, Jackson Holt."

"Quit stealing all my good lines." He whispered the words in a path over her jaw, all the way back to her mouth. This time, their kiss was hot, insistent. Her response was just as enthusiastic as she arched into him and made soft, needy noises.

Her fingers left his hair and slid down his shoulders and back. The hem of his shirt bunched in her hands, and she urged it up.

Jackson tore his mouth away with a sharp exhalation. He wanted to feel her skin against his, wanted to sink into her, make her scream. "Hang on, Kenzie. We can't do this."

"Right," she panted, looking dazed. "Bad guys. Serious situation. Not the time for hot, hot s.e.x." She took a slow, deep breath and let it out on a moan. "d.a.m.n it."

He couldn't drag his gaze away from her mouth. "d.a.m.n it," he echoed in agreement. "I'm going to go...away, and you stay here. Uh, sleep would be good. I'm...going."

Her lips seized his again in a brief but pa.s.sionate kiss. "Sleep." She kissed his chin and his jaw. She found his ear and her breath was warm and tormenting as she whispered, "But when this is over, we are going to have the kind of insanely hot s.e.x that takes hours to finish and days to recover from."

Going away suddenly didn't seem nearly so important. "I'm intrigued." He dragged his thumb over her lower lip. "Tell me more."

Her tongue snuck out to tease his thumb. "I'm a dancer, remember. You wouldn't believe some of the ways I can bend. And I guess I've got super stamina or something now too."

Jackson stifled a groan and bit her ear. "Bendy, with super stamina. Christ, this is sounding too good to wait."

"The bad guys aren't breaking down the door yet." She offered it almost hopefully, her voice delightfully husky. "We could compromise a little..."

Focus, Holt. This is a bad idea... He slid his hand under her nightgown to caress her leg. "Good idea."

She pulled at the hem of his shirt again. "Off. Take this off-"

Jackson yanked the T-shirt over his head. "You know Steven can hear us, right?"

She froze for a second, her hands hovering an inch away from his chest. Then she groaned and grabbed him, her short nails digging into his shoulders as she dragged him against her. "He can go outside. Or get earplugs."

"Not sure that'll help." He lowered his face to her neck and caught her delicate skin between his teeth. "Are you usually loud?"

She gasped sharply, cupping the back of his head as she arched her neck into his touch. "Depends on how much encouragement I'm getting. You seem good at encouraging."

"I feel pretty d.a.m.n motivated right now." His fingers skated up her thigh again and found the thin, elastic edge of her panties. He fought back a moan and licked the skin he'd bitten. She rewarded him with another breathy moan as her legs inched apart in silent invitation.

Jackson barely hesitated before venturing under the expensive silk to explore the softness of her body. She arched into his touch, and he kissed her neck and skipped back to her lips.

She kissed him with a desperate need, open mouth and low gasps and her tongue teasing its way past his lips to tangle with his. There was nothing shy or hesitant in her kiss, just desire for him and an eagerness that made his hands shake.

Mackenzie tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged him back so she could wiggle out from beneath him. She rose to her knees on the bed, flushed and breathing heavily, and her hands shook as she curled her fingers around the edge of her nightgown and pulled it up. "I want you so much, Jackson."

He leaned back on the bed and gave her his hottest, laziest grin. "What if I'm loud?"

"Steven and Mahalia can yell at you tomorrow." The fabric inched up, revealing the soft silk panties he'd touched before. A little higher and his gaze slid over the smooth, pale skin of her stomach. Her gentle, warm laughter filled the room as she paused with the nightgown barely covering her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "If you can walk by the time I'm done with you."

He tackled her to the pillows, laughing at her startled shriek. "I think you might be the one in danger of diminished locomotion, darlin'."

"Oh yeah?" She lifted her arms to rest on the pillows, leaving her nightgown clinging to the undersides of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "You think you're that good?"

He nudged the silk up a little more and bent to taste her skin. "Determined. That's what I'd call myself."

"Oh-" The silk slid away to bare one breast and a tight nipple. "Oh, G.o.d, I want you-"

He fought for control, finally trusting himself enough to tease the puckered flesh with the tip of his tongue. "No more talking. Just let me..."

She broke through his words with a low moan that shot fire through him. "Let you what?"

"Let me love you for a minute." He trailed his hand slowly over her hip, giving her time to stop him before he edged his fingers beneath the silk of her underwear again. He exhaled slowly, one long, hot breath over her breast, and sucked her nipple into his mouth.

She clutched his head and made a quiet, choked noise. "You can love me for a lot of minutes." Her body trembled as his fingers slid lower, past the soft skin of her abdomen. "Maybe for hours."

Jackson inhaled the soft, floral scent of her skin as his hand slipped between her legs. She was wet, hot, and he stifled a groan against her breast.

Mackenzie made another yearning sound and arched into his touch. He wanted to forget the danger and take her, feel her heat cradling his c.o.c.k and the sweet slide of her skin over his. He couldn't afford to lose himself in her, not right now...but he could touch her. Just for a while.

She didn't make it easy. Her hips rocked against his hand in tiny, needy movements, and her quiet whimpers tore at the jagged edges of his self-control. Worse was the way she whispered his name, throaty and low and full of pa.s.sion. "Jackson-yes-"

He couldn't stop his own rocking as his hips rubbed her thigh. He squeezed his eyes shut and panted. "Kenzie." He clenched his jaw and searched with his fingers, alternating soft and firm touches, trying to find the one that would make her shake, make her voice break over his name.

He knew he'd found it when she tensed and gasped, her eyes flying open. "Oh, G.o.d-right there-" Her hand dropped to his shoulder, and he felt the delicate sting of her fingernails. "Don't stop-"

Jackson covered her mouth with his, m.u.f.fling her cries as he stroked her. She was gorgeous, perfect as she writhed beneath him. He ached to fill her, but his discomfort was barely noticeable compared to the warm flush of excitement he felt at bringing her such pleasure.

He swallowed her low cry when she came, and he swore he almost felt her climax sweep through her. Magic blazed between them, all gentle heat and heavy pleasure as her body went taut against him. He shuddered and nipped at her lips as her energy p.r.i.c.kled over his skin, and she moaned against his mouth and collapsed back to the bed.

Jackson didn't dare move, so he kissed her mouth and cheek and exhaled shakily. "Okay?"

"Okay?" Her voice came out flatteringly breathless. "Jesus. More than okay. So much more than okay."

He couldn't hold back the satisfaction that flared at her words. "Good." He pressed another kiss to her cheek. "Now I really, really need to go."

She still looked dazed, but her expression faded from sleepy and sated to perplexed. "Wait, what? You can't go." Her hip rubbed his erection and she smiled. "That's not fair."

He swallowed his groan. "Neither is life in general, darlin', and more's the pity."

Her lips sought his, and she kissed him gently, tracing her tongue over his lower lip. "I'm not going to pin you down and force you to have hot s.e.x with me, but I'm more than willing."

He rolled away. "If I don't go now, Mahalia will whip my a.s.s. h.e.l.l, she might do it anyway."

Mackenzie laughed. "You're scared of a sweet little lady. That's cute."

He stared at the ceiling fan and willed his heart to slow its pounding. "She is sweet. Until she thinks you're taking advantage of some pretty young thing in trouble."

Her fingers trailed lightly up his arm. "Want me to tell her I took advantage of you?"

He eased off the bed. "Then she might whip your a.s.s. She's protective of me."

She chuckled again, low and warm and with a husky, sated edge that made it hard as h.e.l.l to keep from turning around and climbing back over her, sliding into her. "Fine. But just because I'm letting you go now doesn't mean I'm not going to pounce on you as soon as the bad guys are taken care of."

"I'll consider that a promise." He chanced a look at her, taking in her disheveled hair and flushed skin. "Sleep tight, Mackenzie."

Her lips curled in a lazy smile. "Good night, Jackson. I'll see you in the morning."

Jackson thought that maybe a dip in the pool would help cool his libido, but he didn't get past removing his shirt before Mahalia's voice stopped him. "Hang on a second, Casanova."

He turned to find her sitting in a wrought-iron chair on the patio, smoking. "You know those things'll kill you, right?"

"Not before you do, kid." She flicked ashes onto the gra.s.s. "You two ran Steven off."

"He heard?"

"Yeah." She looked annoyed. "He heard."

Jackson snorted. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I interrupt your booty call?"