He suckled her b.r.e.a.s.t.s until she was quivering and weak, then slid his mouthlower, tracing a slow line with his tongue to the hollow of her navel.

She gasped and he looked up at her, amber fire glittering in the heart of hisbrown eyes. "Tell me what you feel," he demanded.

Her mind clouded, and she struggled to clear it.

"Tell me, sweetheart."

She heard urgency in his tone and more. Something vital she needed tounderstand. But the blood was pulsing and she hurt. "Grady," she whispered ona moan. "You ... I feel you."

"No other man touches you," he grated, and she whimpered.

His breathing grew shallow and rapid as his own desire built, yet he took histime moving lower, using his teeth to tug on the curling hair below her bellyuntil her skin was acutely sensitized and shivering.

"Now," she begged.

"You're not ready yet." He made her wait until she was boneless and moaning,her hands clutching, then limp.

She wanted wild; now he gave her gentle, kissing the heated skin of herthroat, the damp underside of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her belly until she was trembling.

She wanted savage; he gave her sweet, urging her up and up until shequivered, poised and desperate, only to sooth her back from the brink.

Always he watched her, a waiting, hungry look in his eyes. She tried to touchhim, to relieve the pain she saw haunting the deepest part of his eyes, but hedrew her hands away from between his legs and pressed them over her head,holding her prisoner.

"Say it," he demanded harshly, though it seemed a plea. "Tell me what I-" Hisvoice broke and he dropped his head to her breast.

A shudder ran over him, and she fought to reach past the rampaging needinside her to soothe him.

"Grady please..."

He lifted his head and looked at her with savage eyes as he nudged her thighsapart with his knee, then positioned himself and thrust, taking her breath.

She arched, bucked against the powerful hands holding her. His thighs pressedhers wider as he thrust over and over, driving her higher and higher. Shewrithed, she gasped, and then she was cresting.

He caught her keening cry with his mouth, m.u.f.fling the sound so that theirson wouldn't hear. She felt his body convulse, his muscles rigid with steelyresistance, his breathing wild.

With one last convulsion of muscle and nerve, he was pouring himself intoher. She felt the slick heat, the tremors of aftershock, the weight of hisspent body as he rested atop her long enough for breath to return.

Pressed against the mattress, she felt replete and quite thoroughly loved.She lifted a weak hand to smooth the rumpled hair away from his wet forehead.He murmured her name on a sigh, then drew his brows together.

"Need to move," he said thickly. "Too heavy."

"No," she whispered, pressing a kiss against the furrows of his frown. "Stayin me."

Groaning, he hooked his leg over hers and rolled until they were lyingface-to-face, still joined. She pressed a kiss to his throat, full of feelingsshe needed to sort through. So many feelings, so much pleasure.

"Okay?" he asked, his eyes slumberous between lazy lashes.

"Incredible," she murmured, touching the hard knot of tension in his jaw with trembling fingers.

"Enough," he muttered, before turning his head to kiss her wrist. "I'll makeit enough."

Chapter 11.

Grady was gone whenRia woke a little before seven. Though he'd promised torearrange his schedule in order to spend more time with her and Jimmy, he hadthe regular Monday-morning staff meeting to conduct. There were otherobligations, too, she knew. The routine work of a man who held an importantposition.

After checking on Jimmy-and finding him still sleeping like an angel withTrouble curled up next to him on the pillow-she stepped naked into the shower.Though her body was still deliciously relaxed, she felt a few twinges from thewild ride Grady had given her. Smiling smugly, she lifted her face to the warmspray and wondered what Dr. Roth would say if she knew what a momentous chainof events she'd set in motion.

Twenty minutes later, dressed in comfortably worn cutoffs and a No Bull tanktop that she'd packed in the hopes Jimmy would remember the prize-winningGuernseys that had fascinated him at the State Fair, she padded barefoot intothe silent kitchen.

Grady had left her a note propped against the coffeemaker, printed in theblock letters he used instead of script because it was easier for him, sayingthat he'd be back by noon at the latest. Though he figured to be in meetingsmost of the morning, she could reach him at one of the three numbers he'djotted down. He'd also left his cellular phone, along with a P.S. that thecottage phone was out of order.

Yawning, she poured a cup of the thick black sludge he'd brewed before he'dleft and carried it along with the phone to the screened-in porch facing thecove. Though it was still early, even by vacation standards, the lake wasalready dotted with boats.

Nothing much had changed in three years, she decided as she sipped. Sarah'spetunias still spilled from the boxes below the windows and bushy-tailedsquirrels carried on a chattering game of tag in the treetops, leaping frombranch to branch in the leafy canopy overhead.

The last time she'd been here was two years ago on the Fourth of July whichhad also been Manda's twenty-first birthday. Grady had gotten blind drunk andended up swimming across the lake in the dark. Terrified and furious,she'dwaited until he'd staggered out of the water, then politely made her farewellsto his family and driven away.

She'd made it to the top of the hill behind the small lakefront communitybefore the tears she hated blurred her vision, forcing her to pull over untilshe could get herself under control again.

Living with madness had taught her to be strong and independent, yes-but ithad also taught her to be cautious in caring too much about the people in herlife.

She'd broken her own rule when she'd met Grady, falling blindly, desperatelyin love. Though he hadn't left her physically, she'd still ended up aloneemotionally.

The thought of letting herself feel more than affection and desire wasterrifying to her. And yet- The phone at her elbow shrilled, causing her to let out a little yelp befores.n.a.t.c.hing it up. It rang again before she found the right b.u.t.ton.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"Morning, sweetheart." Grady's voice was husky-and just a little c.o.c.ky."How's your day so far?"

"Barely started," she said with a smile she knew he could hear. "How aboutyou?"

"So far the best part was peeling your warm little body off my chest. Andthat was h.e.l.l-especially when you rubbed against me like a sleepy kitten."

She felt a quick flurry of pleasure. "Speaking of which, looks like Troubleand Jimmy are best buddies now."

His chuckle was deep-throated and s.e.xy. "That's not exactly what I meant,honey."

"Oh, no? Then perhaps you'd better be more specific."

His groan was soft and private-and bone shivering. "Not a chance, honey. Notwhile I'm sitting in an office with gla.s.s walls."

She laughed. "Coward."

"You got that right." He cleared his throat. "Two things, and then I've gotan appointment with the chief. Since I'm trying to wrangle money for two moredetectives out of the mean-spirited b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I figure I'd best be on time."

"By all means." She heard a noise and glanced up to find Jimmy hovering inthe doorway, Trouble draped around his neck like a black-and-white stole. Shesmiled and waved him in. "Good morning, darling."

"Pardon?" Grady sounded confused.

"Jimmy," she explained.

"Say h.e.l.lo for me."

"Daddy says h.e.l.lo," she told the boy with a soft smile. Jimmy grunted something before ambling over to the window.

"Sent his love, did he?" Grady drawled, and she burst out laughing.

"Something like that."

He sighed. "I got a call from McCurry's office a few minutes ago, and itseems the doctor is in Ireland until the beginning of next month. We'reslotted to see him the afternoon of the first." He paused, then went on. "Itwas the best I could do, Ree."

She shifted position on the vinyl cushion, drawing Trouble's attention, butnot her son's. "What about the other two referrals?"

"I can try them if you like, but I figured since things had calmed down alot, we could wait."

Riagnawed her lip and weighed the pros and cons. Jimmy was standing at thewindow with his back to her, watching the squirrels, one hip c.o.c.ked in aperfect imitation of his father's blatantly masculine stance.

"Dr. Roth did say McCurry was the best, didn't she?"

"Yes, several times." He didn't sound rushed, but she knew, somehow, that hewas. "But she also said that the others were good, too, so if-"

"No, I'm sure you're right. We can wait."

The pause was brief, but telling. She suspected that he'd heard the doubt inher voice. When he spoke again, the s.e.xy little growl had been replaced by thecareful tone that had marked the last months of their marriage. "Ree, I don'twant you to worry, so I'll be happy to give the others a call."

"No, I trust your judgment," she said firmly. It was as close to telling himthat she didn't blame him for what happened as she could come.

This time the pause was longer, and on her part anyway, distinctlyuncomfortable. "You said two things," she prodded. "What's the second?"

He cleared his throat. "I ran into Flynn this morning and he said to tell youthat his nose is itching."

Riablinked. "Is that supposed to be significant?"

"It is to my brother. Claims his nose starts to itch whenever facts of a casedon't add up the way they're supposed to."

The hand holding her coffee mug froze halfway to her mouth. "So he's going toreopen the Benteen investigation?"

"Sounds that way. He also said ... hang on a minute, Ree. Got a small fire Ihave to put out." She heard the brush of his raspy calluses as he covered thephone with his hand. While she sipped, she listened to the m.u.f.fled sound ofangry voices and watched Jimmy playing with the cat in the middle of the wovenmat covering most of the porch.

Sensing her gaze, he glanced up. In the wink of an eye, the smile in his eyesturned to wariness before he dropped his gaze again.

"As soon as Daddy and I hang up, I'll fix breakfast."

"Whatever," he muttered, walking his fingers toward Trouble who sat in regalsilence, licking one paw.

Riahad a sudden thought. "How about strawberry waffles with whipped cream andchocolate sprinkles?" It was his customary reward for being good on the drive.

Jimmy's head shot up again, his face a study in eagerness. "Really?"

"Really."

"Cool!"

Seeing that his adversary was clearly distracted, Trouble pounced, digginghis claws into Jimmy's hand with just enough force to signal victory but notnearly deep enough to draw blood. Nevertheless, Jimmy let out a yowl that wasloud enough to shake the windows.

"Ree, what's wrong!" Grady's voice was suddenly low and urgent in her ear."Was that Jim? Are you okay?"

She laughed softly. "Fine. Jimmy and I were just discussing breakfast, andTrouble was feeling neglected."

She heard him let out his breath in a rush. "Geez, Ree ... I thought..." He inhaled a breath, let it out. "I guess you can imagine what I thought."

She felt a jolt of fear. "Grady, you don't think-"

"No, I don't," he said with deadly certainty. "It was just a gut reaction, that's all. I don't want you to worry about it."

"But-"

"You said you trusted me." It wasn't so much an accusation as a challenge.

"I do. Of course, I do."

"Fine." His voice was clipped, and she felt a chill.

"Grady, don't take this wrong, but humor me, okay? No one knows where we are, right?" "No one but my folks." There was a pause before he said softly, "Do you want me to come back up there? If I have to, I can shake loose now."

"What about your meeting with the chief?"

"Say the word and I'm on my way."

Surprise rendered her speechless.

"Okay, I'll be there in twenty minutes," he said, obviously mistaking her silence for agreement.

"No, wait! That's not necessary." She drew a shaky breath. "But thank you foroffering."

Now he was the one taking time to answer. "I meant what I said, Ree. Nothingis more important to me than you and Jim. Maybe someday you'll believe me."

He hung up without saying goodbye. It was only later, as she was gratingchocolate that she remembered he hadn't told her what else Flynn had saidabout the case.

She would call him back later, she decided as she shouted for Jimmy to cometo the table.

By the time she and Jimmy finished breakfast and he was in his room dressing,Grady's a.s.sistant informed her that "the captain was on his way home."