Beyond the Edge (10 page)

She adored how his flesh strained, marveled how he held himself in check. She wanted him to come unglued. But recalling how he’d made her wait and how the anticipation had intensified, she went slowly and listened as his previously even breathing altered to an occasional hitch. Oh, yeah. She figured he was due for some major caressing, especially after all he’d put her through.

She teased his length and when his legs stiffened rock hard, she sensed it was time to withdraw, but didn’t let on to her disappointment. There were other
ways to enjoy this gorgeous man. She walked around him and frowned at his now bulging zipper. “I need to take these off without doing any damage.”

He didn’t so much as bat an eyelash at her insinuation that she might accidentally injure his sensitive region. “I’m sure you’ll manage.”

She unfastened the top button, her fingers dipping into the waistband and skimming the head of his sex. Yum. No underwear. The idea of his tender flesh engorged just for her pleasure made her mouth water and her nerves hum.

Again he sucked in air between his teeth, half gasping, half gulping. “I could simply make my clothing vanish.”

“But what would be the fun in that?” she countered, her tone playful.

She raised her eyes to take in his expression and found him watching her with an intensity that stole her breath. His dark blue eyes smoked and yet he still maintained complete control. She could see that the effort cost him in the hard set of his jaw.

But obviously, she hadn’t pushed him far enough. Yet. Given enough time, she was certain she could shred his veneer of control.

She knew he was expecting her to slowly tease off his slacks but she wanted them off in one fast tug. Since he wore no underwear, she truly had to take care not to catch sensitive flesh on a zipper. So she compromised. She unfastened, unzipped and parted the material. When his straining sex sprang free, she sank her fingers into the wiry curls at the base. Care
fully, she used her nails and tugged on the hair a little to put him on notice that she might not always be this gentle. And then she yanked down his pants.

Finally.

Finally he was as naked as she. Finally she was free to explore every delectable inch. And oh man did he have great skin—all bronzed and evenly muscled and in perfect proportions. She wasn’t certain where she wanted to start first. Let him wonder for a change what she would do.

Fallon moved in slowly and cupped his balls, holding the heavy package in both hands. She was going to tease him as he’d done to her, using her hands and her mouth. And she was happily contemplating exploring his sexy bottom when she suddenly found she was no longer standing.

She was floating on air. Apparently he’d activated his antigravity mechanism, levitating her until she released her hold of him and their mouths were now at the same height. She was about to protest that he’d cut short her reward when he kissed her with a startling ferocity.

She responded without hesitation. Opening her mouth, her legs—and her heart. If he’d kept his perfect control, she would have been disappointed. The fact that he couldn’t wait to make love to her pleased her, and the hard shell that had been softening around her heart melted.

Throwing her arms around his neck and locking her ankles around his hips, she took him inside her. With her floating, she didn’t need him to help sup
port her weight. His hands were free and one immediately found her clit, the other her bottom. And the delicate chain suddenly seemed to go berserk with their vibrating as he entered her and withdrew.

“Oh…you…feel good,” he told her, his voice ragged and smoky.

“Mmm. You, too.”

He felt better than good. With him filling her, his hands teasing her, the chain vibrating all her sensitive places, her need spiked so hard and so fast she couldn’t breathe. And as his hips pumped into her, she met him stroke for stroke.

This was no sweet, take-your-time loving. This was all out thrusting and pumping. Her heart raced. Her breaths came in gasps. And when she exploded she couldn’t hold back the scream as wave after wave crested and broke. Vaguely, she was aware he hadn’t come with her. Vaguely, she was aware that his fingers never stopped dancing over her clit. Vaguely, she was aware that one orgasm rolled right into the next until she couldn’t tell where one stopped and the next began.

And when she couldn’t take any more, when she was certain he’d wrung her dry, he gave her another and then another until her body shook with electric pleasure. Her toes curled. The roof of her mouth went numb. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think.

And then he was clutching her bottom, pumping harder, faster, deeper. When he buried his mouth in her neck to muffle his hoarse shout of release, she drew him closer into her arms.

When she could once again speak, she didn’t know what to say. She’d never realized she could experience such passion. And the knowledge that she’d never responded to any man like this, had never even realized she could, made her uneasy—until she reminded herself that this man was only in her life temporarily.

F
ALLON HAD SET
herself up for heartache. But she’d become involved with Kane knowing he would leave and she didn’t want to waste a moment worrying about future regrets. She’d have plenty of time for that later.

Right now, Kane was in her world, her time. Even as she contemplated using all the days they had left for making love, she knew his mission came first. So after they’d slept, showered and eaten breakfast, she understood that they had to go after Nigel.

Kane held out a pair of e-tickets. “We’ll take a cab to Newark airport and fly to Las Vegas. I’ve already made the arrangements.”

“Why not transport straight to Vegas?” she asked.

Already spoiled from his technology, she loathed the idea of wasting hours going through security, then flying. His kind of travel was instantaneous and the advantages of the saved time and convenience were addictive.

His tone was serious and determined. “I want Nigel to believe we’re still in New York.”

“And if we pop straight to Vegas, he’ll know we’re following him?” she guessed.

Kane nodded. “I need to catch him soon. He’s slippery and sly and very intelligent.”

No doubt he considered it a failure that Nigel had escaped him in New York. He hadn’t complained but she suspected it bothered him. Fallon didn’t mind so much. The longer Kane took to catch Nigel, the longer he would stay with her. However, even if he didn’t catch Nigel, his time here was short. The time bubble had shrunk so that she needed to remain within ten yards of Kane or the illness returned.

Fallon didn’t chafe at her restrictions. She liked being with Kane. However, she needed clothing. While he’d dressed himself, she was still wearing only gold dust and the fine chain. Since he hadn’t shown her how to adjust the technology, she’d assumed he would clothe her as he had the day of the auction.

But as he headed for the door, she realized he must have forgotten. “Kane?”

“Yes?” He started to open the door to their suite.

“I’m not dressed.”

“You look good to me.” His eyes twinkled as his gaze raked her from bare breasts to shaved mons, his searing look shooting a shiver of desire to her core.

“And I’d be happy to be nude for you…in private.”

“Why not in public?”

Her lower jaw dropped. He couldn’t be serious. “Even if I was willing…I’d be arrested.”

“Why?”

“We have laws against indecent exposure.” She
frowned at him. He usually wasn’t so unreasonable or so stubborn. She didn’t mind his games; in fact, she enjoyed them. But she wasn’t going to parade nude through the hotel and onto the streets of New York City.

“There’s nothing indecent about nudity.” He was teasing her, but she sensed a determination in him that made her nerves go raw.

She fisted her hands on her hips, but from his widening grin, she realized he wasn’t taking her seriously. She hardened her tone. “I may be willing to do a lot of things for you, but going to jail isn’t one of them.”

He turned and advanced on her, gently placed his hands on her shoulders and urged her in front of a mirror. She took one look at her reflection. She should have known. In the mirror, she appeared to be wearing a cream blouse, navy jacket and matching skirt, with hose and leather pumps. But when she looked down at herself, she was naked.

“Amazing.” She couldn’t suppress a tremor of excitement as she realized he meant for her to parade around in public, naked to him, but fully clothed to everyone else. And she didn’t think she could do it. The notion upset her in so many aspects that her mind was spinning. She’d pulled it off with Sinclair, but he’d been intoxicated, and she’d known him. She’d also been wearing a nightgown.

Kane didn’t back down an inch but seemed to understand she required an explanation. “The technology isn’t important. All you need to know is that
you won’t be cold and your flesh will be as protected as if material surrounded you.”

“If I step in a puddle?”

“Your feet won’t get wet.”

“And if I sit—”

“You skin will be safeguarded against germs, heat or cold and the prying eyes of strangers.”

He wanted her to walk around the city.

Naked.

He wanted her to pass right in front of strangers.

Naked.

He wanted her to take public transportation across the country.

Naked.

She couldn’t quite imagine such a thing. And she feared that somehow he was fooling her. Like the emperor in the story.

“I’m not sure I want to—”

“I want you to.” His eyes pierced her and his lips twisted in that knowing smile.

“But—”

“I’m not giving you a choice.”

Oh…God.

“No one will see you but me.” He’d told her he wasn’t giving her a choice, but his tone was coaxing and gentle.

She licked her bottom lip to still the trembling. “Suppose your technology fails?”

“It won’t.”

“You can’t know that.”

She reminded herself that she wasn’t making a
spectacle of herself; everyone else would think she was dressed. Still, she needed to reevaluate. Was he going too far this time? Or was he simply pushing her out of her comfort zone? However, giving up more control to Kane when she felt most vulnerable somehow seemed right due to her growing feelings for him.

He took her hand and led her toward the door. She wondered what he’d do if she halted in her tracks and said
no.
Although she trembled, she couldn’t deny the thread of excitement soaring through her panic. Going with him would be the most daring thing she’d ever done.

“Watching that chain tease you will help break up a boring plane trip.”

“But—”

Her eyes jerked to his. Oh…my. The body buff had begun to tingle. And she’d already learned it turned on only when she wanted it to. So if she was becoming aroused, she obviously wasn’t against his suggestion. But did that mean she didn’t know her own mind?

As she squirmed and struggled with accepting that she was actually turned on, Kane laughed, an astute look in his deep blue eyes. “This is one trip you aren’t ever going to forget.”

Despite her shock and fears, excitement won out. And he knew it, damn him. She might not ever have found the nerve to step out of the suite, until he clasped her hand in his and tugged her.

In the hallway, a maid pushed a cleaning cart
down the hall. Fallon wanted to raise her hands to cover her breasts, but Kane kept a firm hold on one hand. And when the maid nodded a greeting but didn’t so much as take a second look, Fallon was able to relax a little.

Waiting for the elevator was almost unbearable. Being naked in public—even if no one else could see her nudity—was nerve-racking. And giving up so much control to Kane had her questioning what in hell she was doing.

Her mouth was so dry, her voice came out a mere whisper. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done.”

“And you look so beautiful when you blush.” Kane teased, but his determination edged through. He was obviously taking way too much pleasure in her discomfort.

“So how come you aren’t prancing around naked?” she muttered, annoyed that the delicate rings on her nipples were already making it hard for her to focus on their argument.

Kane laughed. “I wouldn’t want to distract you.”

She wanted to hit him. But she wanted to kiss him more. When the elevator opened and three people moved back to make room for them, she stiffened, half-expecting them to stare. But no one paid her the least bit of attention. And a look at herself in the mirrors reassured her that she appeared to be fully clothed.

Still, she found herself holding her breath as they exited the elevator, strolled through the lobby and then stepped through the double doors onto the busy
city street. No one pointed at her. No one gasped. And when she forced her mind out of panic mode, she realized she wasn’t the least bit cold. Nor did her feet feel as if they were touching the pavement. Instead, when she briefly closed her eyes, she felt as though the leather pumps really encased her feet and clothes swathed her body.

While Kane hailed a cab, she muttered, “This is so bizarre.”

“You’re doing fine.”

A taxi pulled up to the curb. The idea of sitting naked on a dirty cab seat repulsed her. She opened her purse, floated a handkerchief over the seat before sitting.

“That’s not necessary,” Kane told her.

“Where to?” the cabbie asked.

Kane gave directions. The cabbie took off, making no comments about a naked lady in his backseat. However, the instant she relaxed, the body buffs noticed.

The buffs began to hum and vibrate. And no matter how many times she told herself she wasn’t into parading around naked, the technology paid no attention.

That she’d apparently never known what she liked or wanted was infuriating. Especially because Kane seemed to know her better than she knew herself. Because now that she felt safe from exposure, she had to admit she was turned on by Kane’s choice to keep her naked for his own enjoyment.

She might not appreciate that he’d given her no
choice, that he was pushing her out of her comfort area. But she could no more deny that she was aroused than she could that the sun rose in the east and set in the west. She liked Kane looking at her. Liked the way his eyes gleamed with pleasure. Liked the ironic twist of his lips that told her he’d known how she would react.

Even if she wasn’t at ease, her elevated pulse and achy breasts told her that she was enjoying herself more than she should be. But who was to say this was wrong? She wasn’t hurting anyone. She wasn’t breaking any laws. Fallon could rationalize it from New York to Vegas, but the fact of the matter was that she found his desire to keep her aroused…erotic.

Still, when they arrived at the airport, her nerves drew taut again. She knew she was being silly. And she was torn. Because as much as she wanted her real clothes back, she had to admit she was thoroughly aware of her body in a way she’d never been before. She wasn’t accustomed to seeing her breasts sway free with every breath, and when she exited the cab, she was oh-so-aware of the view Kane had of her bare bottom.

When her cell phone rang, she didn’t want to answer it. She would rather think about Kane’s reaction to her than problems at work. So she reached into her bag and then handed the phone to him.

And then it hit her. Kane was conditioning her. Even yesterday she might have answered her phone without thinking. But now…the outside world seemed like a big distraction. Was the technology al
tering her thought patterns? Or was it because she’d fallen for Kane and nothing else mattered? Either way, she was content to let him talk to Janet and confirm their hotel reservations in Vegas, content to let him make every arrangement.

Kane ended the phone connection and handed back her phone. “Nigel’s still there.”

“So what’s the plan?” she asked. But she was really wondering what would happen when she went through airport security. Would his devices set off the alarms? What about the metal chain attached to every part of her? And what would happen if they asked her to remove her shoes? She gulped at the idea and her nerves racheted up another notch.

“We fly out to Vegas, check into the hotel and then I find Nigel.”

“As soon as you catch him, you’ll be going home?”

“Yes.” His tone was easy but she’d learned to read him well enough to see the shadow of regret darken his eyes.

“And what about us?”

“There is no us. I’m sorry.” His tone softened. “You’ve known that from the beginning. I must go back to my time. The laws of physics won’t allow me to stay.”

“Can you take me with you?” she asked, knowing it was unlikely. But his answer wouldn’t change the fact that he’d come to care for her, too. He might not ever say the words or even admit them to himself. But his feelings came through to her, in the way
his head lowered slightly and the way his bottom lips twisted to cover a grimace.

He shook his head, refusing to hold her gaze. “No one knows the answer to that question.”

They passed by dozens of harried travelers. Men in business suits talking on cell phones and carrying laptops. Women pushing strollers with happy babies. Teens wearing tattoos and MP3 player headsets. No one paid her the slightest attention.

“What do you mean no one knows?”

“We’ve never brought anyone forward in time. It’s too risky.”

“Why? Won’t the technology work?”

“It works.”

“Then, why can’t I go with you?”

“Because that would change the present and alter the future in ways we can’t predict. You may be meant to have a child who grows up to be president, or you might develop a product that cures cancer.”

“Can’t history tell you whether or not my staying in this time is necessary?”

“If only it were that simple.” They strode right through security with no problems and ambled toward their gate.

“I don’t understand.”

“For example, suppose next year you are in a car accident and someone’s husband is killed. The wife remarries. If you leave with me, history will change. There’s no accident, the wife doesn’t remarry. Each of our millions of actions creates ripples in time that keep going. Just my being here with you for a few
days may irrevocably alter the future. I could return home to a totally different time—especially if I don’t catch Nigel.”

Although he’d told her before that there was no possibility for them to remain together, she’d always hoped in the back of her mind that there might be a way out. Fallon wasn’t the kind of woman to take no for an answer. She usually found a way to overcome most obstacles. But the scenario he presented her with was impossible.

She couldn’t leave. He couldn’t stay. And as much as she’d told herself she could handle the eventual separation, she knew it was going to be hard. So she welcomed the diversion of walking totally naked through the airport. And when the buffs and delicate chain tingled and teased her flesh, she accepted that she liked what the gadgets made her feel.

Would she like to spend her life in chains and naked? No. Would she want to give up her business and her search for a cancer cure forever? No. Did she want to stop talking to her family permanently? Of course not.