She Who Dares, Wins (5 page)

A
T THE DINING TABLE
in her suite, Mac watched as Katie eyed the last roll in the breadbasket. Knowing how hard she worked out, he'd bet she was thinking about how many miles it would take to run it off. As far as he was concerned, she didn't need to worry about it. The woman was perfect, from her perky breasts to her slim legs that made her look much taller than her five-foot-three frame. Several times during their workout he'd had to think about cold showers and complex equations to keep his pants from tenting.

In the shower afterward, she filled his mind. More than anything he wanted her with him, the warm water sluicing over their bodies as he pounded her against the glass wall.

Cold showers. Complex equations.

He forced himself to think about the two things so he could bring himself under control. At least he had the table to hide the tent this time.

This randy teen behavior wasn't like him. Boners like this hadn't happened since his crush on Mrs. Sullivan, his eighth-grade environmental science teacher. Ah,
Mrs. Sullivan and her sweater sets. He hadn't thought of her in years.

Mac's plan to throw his bodyguard off-kilter had worked so far. She'd relaxed during their meal. Steering the conversation to music and movies, he'd discovered they liked many of the same things. Though she certainly had a propensity for violent films. Katie's choices were more along the line of psychotics on killing sprees. Unusual, since she'd been a cop for so many years.

That was the thing about her. She constantly surprised him. On the outside she was a beautiful pint-size pixie, but there was an innate toughness about her. Growing up with the two brothers she'd talked about probably had something to do with that, but there was more. He'd guess she'd been born with a tough shell, one that would be difficult to crack.

While he wouldn't manipulate her, he knew he had to keep her off guard. Otherwise, she would never give him a chance.

“You should take it.” He motioned to the roll. “That way I can eat the rest of the trifle without feeling guilty.” She smiled up at him as if he'd given her a gift, and took the roll.

Then she glanced at her watch. “I should get you back to your apartment.”

He shrugged. “Why don't I just stay here?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I wondered when you would get back to that. I've told you more than once, it's not happening again.”

“What's not happening?” He played dumb so she would be forced to say it.

“Sex.” Her eyebrow rose as she said it.

He had to bite back a smile. Clearing his throat,
he put his napkin back on the table. “I understand the word
no,
Katie. I wasn't suggesting sex. There are two bedrooms, and I thought I'd take the one you weren't using. In case you hadn't noticed, there's a blizzard outside.” He pointed at the window and the twirling mass of white beyond. “I doubt taxis are even running tonight.”

Turning in her chair, she glanced out. “Crap, when did that start?”

About a minute before he'd suggested they work out. The longer he stalled the worse the weather got. Before he'd left the lab he'd made sure his greenhouses were protected against what the forecasters were calling the worst blizzard in years. That's when he'd hatched his plan. He had a feeling if she came back to his apartment she'd feel too on guard. In her hotel room, she was on her turf. He'd taken the blizzard as a sign from the universe that he and Katie were meant to be together. Well, he knew that was stretching the truth, but he wanted to be close to her again and the snow was a legitimate reason to stay.

Katie stood and glared out the window. “I didn't know you had blizzards here.”

Mac stood beside her and watched the massive white flakes float to the ground. “Honestly, it doesn't happen that often, but I've seen it shut the city down. Most of the time we just get a lot of cold drizzle, but the weather here is mercurial at best.”

Her arms were still folded against her chest. “Well, it seems silly to try and go out in this,” she said finally. “We can't risk getting stuck somewhere. Take the spare room. Do you have everything you need? I can run
downstairs to the desk or see of they have a gift shop if you need something.”

Mac had brought the bag he kept at the office, which was packed with a change of clothes and all his toiletries. The bag was so that he could leave at a moment's notice if something came up in one of his other labs, which were stationed around the world. He had greenhouses on four continents and he never knew when one of his experiments might need his attention.

His plants were important for the study of sustainable crops that some day could possibly prevent starvation as a result of droughts.

“I'm covered, thanks. Though I would like to send my clothes I wore today to the valet to have them washed and pressed. The same with the workout clothes, in case we are stuck here tomorrow.”

That was a very good possibility. Mac had made sure of it.

“What?”

He walked to the television and flipped it on. “We should probably watch the news to see what they say.”

“A winter storm warning is in effect for the next twenty-four hours…” stated the broadcaster.

Mac tried to look serious. “Now, that is unusual. They haven't had a storm like this in years.”

“Kind of like back home,” Katie murmured as she left his side. “It's cold and wet in the city during the winter, but we don't usually get much snow. If we do, it's usually a light dusting.”

Mac nodded. “I grew up in SoCal, and we didn't get much snow, unless we went north into the mountains. I'm still kind of a kid when it comes to the white stuff.
And the university will probably call a snow day. They are a cautious bunch. They won't want to risk faculty and students slipping on ice.”

“Damn,” Katie said as she sat down on the sofa.

“Why are you upset? It's just snow.”

“I need to meet with the dean, and I wanted to interview some of your colleagues on the list he sent over. This will put us behind another day.”

Mac appreciated she had his best interests at heart. “That is tough. I know you're anxious to get back home.”

If he hadn't been watching her closely, he wouldn't have noticed the change in her eyes. She wasn't ready to go home yet, but he had no idea why.

Hmm, yet another piece of the Katie puzzle.

“Well, since you'll have plenty of time to work tomorrow, would you like to watch a movie, or check out what's on TV? They have some great shows here, though much like home, weather like this will probably take precedence.”

Katie tucked her feet under her. “Do you want to see if they have an action film? Maybe they'll have one we both haven't seen.”

Mac picked up the remote with a big smile on his face. “Let's find out.”

 

K
ATIE'S EVENING WITH
M
AC
had ended up being relaxing. They'd watched last year's Dade McClain film and talked through it, just as she did with her family, making comments about the ludicrous stunts that would have killed any real-life cop. At the end, he'd yawned and said he was tired and had gone off to the bathroom. Only
stopping to kiss her lightly on the cheek and telling her that he'd had a great evening.

As if they'd been on a date.

They'd had dinner and watched a movie.

It had been a date.

She laughed. She'd fallen straight into his trap. That man.

She had every right to call him on his tactics, but that was probably part of his plan.

When he brought his clothes out for her to give to the valet, all he'd worn was a towel. It was if he wanted her to know that he would be lying naked just a few feet away from her bedroom.

Katie was quite certain showing off the man's abs was against some kind of law. No scientist should ever look that hot. They were supposed to be flabby and old.

Mac was neither.

Thinking of him made her tight with need.

This had to stop. She couldn't focus on protecting him if all she thought about was sex.

And there you go.

Now her mind was filled with the sensations he'd given her the night before. The way his mouth had taken her taut breast, his fingers driving her over the edge. The way he'd said her name as he—

Get it together.

Jumping up, she double-checked the lock on the door.

Then she moved to the terrace doors to check those.

Face it. This threat wasn't coming over a terrace ten stories up. Mac was safe, probably more so than if they'd gone to his apartment. No one downstairs could get past the security at the elevators or the stairwell
without a key card, and their level had specially made cards.

She should try to get some rest. Leaving him on the couch, she headed for the bathroom. If he didn't go into the lab, she'd need to be on call all day tomorrow.

Katie brushed her hair behind her ears in frustration. If she tried to go to sleep, her mind would drift to thoughts of Mac.

No, it was better if she tried to stay awake as long as possible.

She turned on the television. The sound blared and she quickly turned it down. Picking up the files the dean had sent, she used her highlighters and pens to make a list of likely suspects.

For the next hour she was able to focus. Unfortunately as soon as she completed the task her mind wandered into dangerous territory again. She flipped the channels, but there wasn't much on.

Katie curled up, hugged her knees and tried desperately to think about anything but the man in the other room. It was insane—she couldn't get Mac out of her head. So they'd had great sex. People did it every day. Well, some people. She'd never experienced anything like it.

Jumping up again, she paced the room. If she hadn't been worried about leaving the professor alone, she would have gone to the gym to work out her frustrations on a punching bag.

“Katie?”

The professor's voice startled her, and she turned to face him. She thought he'd been asleep for at least an hour. He'd wrapped the towel around his hips, where
it hung low. She followed the small patch of hair just below his navel.

“Yes?” Her voice sounded husky with need.

“Come to bed.”

“I
'M NOT HAVING
this conversation with you again.” Katie planted her feet firmly on the carpet. He liked her this way—her defenses on high alert, ready for a challenge. She didn't seem to notice it, but she'd pulled her shoulders back and her cheeks had turned a light shade of pink.

It was charming and hot all wrapped up in one beautiful package.

Mac stayed in the doorway, but held up a hand to stop the tirade he knew was coming.

“You're fired,” he said softly.

The shock on her face was priceless.

“You—what?” Her words stumbled as she fought to understand what he'd said.

“I no longer want you to protect me. Now may I come to bed?”

Katie waved both hands. “Now, wait a minute. First of all—” she ticked a finger “—I was hired by the dean, so you can't fire me. And second, what do you think you're doing? We slept together once—a one-night stand. I realize that is a difficult concept for you, but there isn't
going to be any more, Professor. You tricked me once, but it won't happen again.”

Mac bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling.

Clearing his throat, he ticked off a finger in the same manner she had. “First of all—” he repeated her words “—I'm more than happy to call the dean right now and tell him that I'm not happy with his choice of a bodyguard. That I would feel more comfortable with a male.”

He knew that would get her.

“What a sexist!” Her voice rose several octaves, and the color on her cheeks deepened. “I can't believe you would say something so chauvinistic. I'm the best there is, buddy. I've been here twenty-four hours and without the opportunity to speak to even one person I've narrowed down the suspects to ten, out of the hundred or so the dean had listed. You saw what I can do in those videos, and you know you are perfectly safe with me.”

Mac leaned to the right and crossed his arms against his chest. “I have no doubt my life is absolutely safe in your hands, Katie. I never said you can't do your job or that you aren't excellent at it. I said I want to sleep with you again. And I know you want me, too. You have rules about that, and I respect those rules and you. So I'm offering this compromise. You're fired.”

“Argh. You are such an arrogant—”

“Jerk.” He completed the sentence for her. “You value the truth above all else, right?”

“Yes,” she said suspiciously.

“So stand there and tell me that you don't want me. That you don't want to experience what we had last night again, because it was special. You know it as well as I do.”

She gave him a look of derision. “You have a very high opinion of yourself.”

“No,” Mac said seriously. “I have a very high opinion of you. Of the pleasure we can give one another. Answer my question, Katie. It's simple. Do you want me?”

“Professor, go to bed. I have work to do.” She turned away from him, moving toward the French doors leading to the terrace. She pulled the handles, checking the locks. He'd already watched her do it once a few minutes ago. Though she hadn't noticed him.

“It's twenty-eight degrees outside, with the worst blizzard in recorded history. No one is coming in through the terrace. I get the feeling you're avoiding the question. Katie, tell me truth. If you don't want me, just say so, and I'll go back in my room without another word.”

Katie pulled the curtains back over the glass doors. “Yes.”

His body stiffened.

“Yes, what?”

She turned then. Her beautiful eyes focused on him. “I want you, Mac.”

Before she could say another word he was across the room, but he didn't touch her. Mere inches from her, he kept his hands to his sides.

“You are in my every waking thought,” he whispered. “My entire day was spent trying to think of anything but you. It didn't work. I don't do that sort of thing. I'm at a critical point in my research and for the past year I've been consumed with it. I'm ready to chuck it all just for one more night in bed with you.”

“You confuse me.”

He couldn't get a read on her emotions. Granted, he
wasn't always the best with that sort of thing, but he actually tried where Katie was concerned.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

He chanced moving a little closer. When she didn't back away he put his arms around her waist. When she didn't throw him over her shoulder, he took it as a good sign.

“Would you really blackmail me into sleeping with you?”

“I'm a desperate man, Katie. I need you.”

She held her head away so she could see his eyes.

“I have a code I live by. Rules are important to me, Mac.”

She hadn't called him Professor. He pushed her hair behind her ears. Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I know, Katie. But I want you and if firing you is the only way I can make that happen, well, like I said, I'm desperate enough to try anything.”

She reached up and touched his face. “If you fired me, who knows who the dean would hire next. I can't let that happen. Technically, it's better if I sleep with you so I know you're getting the best.”

“Oh, I'm definitely getting the best.” His fingertips trailed down her cheek to her chin.

Mac propped Katie up on the desk of her suite and slid her T-shirt over her head. “I say we start right here,” he said as kissed his way up her neck. When his mouth reached hers, his hand thumbed her nipple into a taut peak.

Katie's body quaked with need, her mind reeling from her sudden change of plans where the professor was concerned. How could she possibly deny herself
his touch? And if it was wrong, why did she crave him more than anything?

“I want it duly noted I'm doing this under duress and you left me no other options,” she said breathlessly.

“Noted,” he said before unhooking her bra and sliding the lacy bit of cloth off her shoulders. “You're so tough on the outside, but this lingerie…” He fingered the lace. “You aren't always what you appear, Ms. McClure.” Mac tossed the bra onto the chair beside him and his fingers went to work helping her take off her pants.

“I'm exactly as I appear. There's nothing wrong with liking soft things against my skin.” Her voice caught as his hand skimmed her stomach. The truth, though she'd never share it with him, was she had a secret passion for all things silk. She loved the way the soft folds of material melted against her body.

Once Mac had her completely undressed, he took her nipple in his mouth, his tongue laving circles around it.

“Ohhhh,” she moaned. “You're making it really hard for me to stay mad at you.”

“Baby, you have no idea what hard is. I wanted to take you right there on the table in my lab this morning.”

When he nipped her nipple gently with his teeth, Katie's back arched and her hands moved behind her for support.

Mac gave her other nipple equal attention, leaving Katie squirming on the desk. The man had obviously studied a great deal of biology, because he knew exactly what to do to turn her into a heated, needy pile.

“Mac,” she said huskily.

“Yes.” His tongue slid down her stomach and stopped at her heat.

Katie forgot what she was going to say as his tongue kneaded her pink flesh. When he nibbled on the tiny nub there she nearly collapsed on the desk, and when she felt the towel slip from his hips she almost cried out in relief.

Soon he was inside her where he belonged, thrusting in and out, slowing at times and then speeding up. Katie wrapped her legs around him and shoved her hotness against his hard cock, dropping her head back.

“You're so beautiful,” Mac said as he pumped her harder and harder.

His words blossomed in her heart and made her want him even more. No one ever called her beautiful. Strong. Capable. Never beautiful. The previous men in her life, not that there had been that many, weren't so free with the compliments. In one way or another they'd turned out to be selfish. She'd realized that even more the previous night when she and Mac had made love. It had never been like that for her before.

Mac paused.

“No,” Katie groaned.

“Trust me, baby,” Mac whispered as he turned her over on her stomach. Her ass in the air, she bent over the desk, hands grabbing the edge. He positioned her so that he could massage her breasts and used his fingers to spread her pink flesh so he could slide his cock back inside her. He penetrated even deeper than before and Katie groaned with excitement.

Everything became a blur. There was nothing like the glorious sensations their bodies made when working together. Nothing else mattered. One of his hands slid down to the nub as he pumped her, the other one still kneading her breasts.

“Yes,” she cried. “Yes.” The orgasm ripped through her like a rocket on the rise. Muscles limp, Katie couldn't breathe. Mac didn't stop, but he shifted her so she no longer had to support herself and rammed his cock into her so fast she could feel another orgasm building.

“Come with me, Katie,” he begged.

She grabbed the edge of the desk, rocking against him as he plunged into her one final time.

They both gasped as the orgasms took them over the edge into heated bliss.