Time Thieves (22 page)

It was their time.

“A glass of wine?” she asked as she stood up and carried their plates over to the sink.

“I’ll get it.” Ward stood up and reached for the open bottle. He filled both glasses then helped to clean off the table. “I’ll wash up. You cooked. Sit down and enjoy your wine.”

He reached over to turn her around and gave her a gentle shove toward the table. “I’m quite capable in the kitchen.”

“Nice to know.” She patted his cheek. “Thanks.”

She sat down. Picking up her glass, she took a sip of wine. “So which bedroom do you want to sleep in tonight?” She smiled at the stiffening of his back. She’d caught him by surprise.

“I don’t know. Put me where you want me.” He smiled at her over his shoulder.

She smiled back. He thought he’d slipped out from under that one. So not. “You can sleep in my parents’ bedroom if you want.”

“Your parents’ room?” he asked thoughtfully. He rinsed off one plate and put in the draining pan. “That’s on the opposite side of the house. Correct?”

“Yes.” She waited.

“No way. Either beside your room or in your room.” He kept his back to her, but his voice brooked no argument. Good. She didn’t want one either.

“Then my room it is.” She kept her tone neutral and calm.

Silence. He turned to look at her, soapsuds dripping off his wet hands. “Really?”

“Sure. I’ll make you a bed up on the floor. At least that way you’ll wake up first if anyone tries to enter.”

“True enough.” He turned back and studiously kept his gaze down on his job, carefully washing each plate and cup that they’d used.

She waited for him to say more. He didn’t.

She yawned. It was late. And she felt more than a little tired after her day in the hospital. It wasn’t the most restful place to be. Even when she’d napped from the drugs there was noise, bustle, people coming and going, a light undercurrent of noise that kept her from truly resting.

After he finished washing the dishes, he turned to face her.

“Let’s take the wine upstairs and set up my bed. You’re exhausted.”

She nodded. “I hadn’t realized it was as bad as it was until I sat here and let you work. It must be the wine.” She took another sip.

“The wine might have something to do with it, but you were tired before that. Come on, let’s get you upstairs and into bed before you fall asleep.”

He picked up both wine glasses and waited until she double-checked the back kitchen door and preceded him to the front. She checked the front door, the shop door, and set the alarm under his watchful eye.

“Satisfied?” she teased.

“No, but that will have to do.”

Wondering what he meant by that, she led the way upstairs. With every step, her legs seemed heavier and heavier.

“Come on. You can do it. We’re almost there.”

She gave a small laugh. “How come I’m sooo tired now?”

“Doesn’t matter. You are. Let’s get you to bed.”

She kept moving upward. At her bedroom, she headed straight for the bathroom. “I’ll be just a moment.” In the small room, she willed herself to have enough energy to get through her nightly ritual. By making it short and fast, she managed to wash her face, brush her teeth, and get into her cami top and pj bottoms. Folding her clothes into a neat pile, she realized that somewhere along the way, her plans for a sexy evening culminating in bed had been tossed away in favor of sleep. They had other nights. Right now, she swore if she couldn’t lie down and sleep, she’d fall flat on her face any minute.

She opened the door to find the overhead light off and the bedside lamps on. She had a huge queen bed. It was surely big enough for the two of them. She didn’t have the energy to make him a bed on the floor.

“Let’s get you under the covers. You look ready to drop.”

She swayed in place. He rushed over and led her to the side of the bed. He pulled back her duvet and waited for her to slip under then he covered her up again. “Where can I find blankets to make up a bed on the floor?”

She huddled deeper under the covers.

“Sari?”

“Don’t bother. Just get in on the other side.”

He stilled. “That might be asking for trouble.”

“Not tonight it won’t. I’m too tired for anything more.”

He waited, undecided. She could feel the waves of uncertainty rolling off him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. It will be fine. Besides, I don’t have the energy to make up a bed. So get in. I’m tired.”

He bent down and the next thing she knew, she felt his warm lips touch her temple. She smiled. “G’night,” she whispered, almost asleep.

“Good night.” He left her side. She heard the rustle of clothing then the bed dipped and rocked behind her. So close and yet so far. She smiled. Some things had to happen on their own time. At least in the morning she’d see. Maybe she’d wake him up in her own way.

With that thought on her mind, she drifted off to sleep.

*

Ward lay quietly
beside Sari. He dared not breathe too hard and rock the bed. He had no idea what kind of sleeper she was. But she needed rest. She rolled over, the movement a gentle shift on the mattress. He glanced over at her. She faced him now. Her face was soft and gentle in sleep, the signs of stress and worry easing as her body reached for the healing it desperately needed.

That those guys had snatched her while he was in the house worried him, more than he’d let on. His profession hadn’t allowed him the comfort of ignorance. Horrible things happened to nice people all the time, often for no logical explanation. He was terrified of what was going on in Sari’s world.

And the concepts she’d put forward scared him even more. He was no wimp, but the idea of bad guys being able to cross through to another dimension basically at whim, with no fanfare or indication of what they were doing or how, was enough to keep any cop awake. That these supposed dimensional travelers were after Sari made his blood freeze.

She was his. He’d protect her with his life. But he had no way to go to another dimension and haul her back.

Just the thought sent whatever sleep that had been coming his way right back out. No. That this strange phenomenon might have already happened, twice…and could happen again and theoretically many times made the horror all too real.

And if these people had disappeared into another dimension, it couldn’t be easy to get back. He knew Sari’s father had doted on her to the exclusion of his wife. Or maybe as a result of the coldness of his wife. He didn’t know. But he did know that Sari’s father would have done anything to get back home to her if he could.

“Stop thinking so loud.”

The whisper, so soft and delicate, made him glance over at Sari. Was she even awake?

“See, you’re keeping me awake.”

“I am not. Go to sleep. You’re exhausted.”

A tiny smile played at the corner of her mouth. “I am, but your worrying is enough to upset anyone. You need your sleep too. You’ve had less rest than I have.” She reached out a gentle hand and slipped it into his.

He cradled her hand, tugging it gently upwards to kiss her fingers. “Sleep, and then I’ll sleep too.”

She smiled, her voice drifting off into sleep with the word, “Liar.”

He curled up facing her, holding her hand, and drifted off to sleep.

S
ari woke up
to the furnace beside her. Warm arms were wrapped around her and her back pressed against a huge bare chest. Ward. She smiled, letting her eyes drift close. The man was a powerhouse. His chest rose and fell in a steady relaxed pattern. She hoped he was having sweet dreams.

As she lay there, she realized she didn’t want him to be having sweet dreams about anything other than her, and there was one way to make sure she dominated his dreams.

The tiniest giggle escaped.

His arms tightened in response.

She grinned and gently rolled over.

His arms relaxed then tightened, always keeping her in their loving circle. She burrowed in closer, a happy sigh escaping.

“You okay?” he murmured in a sleepy voice.

“Hmmm.” And she was. Good thing she was on the Pill. Although she’d been on for years to stabilize her cycle and not this, it was very convenient. She turned her head slightly and kissed his chest, his neck, his chin.

She slid her hand up his smooth skin, her fingers stopping at his ribs, stroking along the bone and back, loving the feel of his muscles, his strength. On their own, her hands gently explored the taut muscles of his belly, hearing him suck in his breath as they dropped lower and lower until her fingers tangled in the curly hair below his navel. His slow steady breath faltered.

She smirked and slipped her hand yet lower again.

She found the edge of his knit boxers, easing one fingernail along the long edge before slipping a finger under the elastic on the way back.

His chest froze.

She giggled.

“Witch,” he said thickly, his arms squeezing her in a tight hug before releasing her.

“It’s not my fault. Sleeping with you is like sleeping with fire. You’re so hot you woke me up.”

“Maybe,” he lowered his head to nuzzle her ear, “that was part of my master plan.”

She cuddled closer. “Then you’re very smart because if that plan had something to do with picking up where we left off earlier – it’s working.”

And she twisted her head upward and captured his lips in a sweet kiss. With a sigh, she settled back against the pillows and tugged him closer.

He shifted slightly, coming down to rest across her chest, his weight secure on his arms. This time he kissed her. As if knowing the time was theirs with no rush, no pressure, just the promise of what was to come, he kissed her with heart, with such caring it almost brought tears to her eyes.

“Missed you,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her. “I missed you so much.”

“I’m back now.”

“And hopefully to stay.” Then as if his actions could make a difference, he kissed her as if he had no plans to ever let her go.

She sank into his embrace, loving the tenderness, loving the possessiveness. She’d missed him so much. She’d not put any thought into a future with him because it had seemed so distant, so impossible. She’d just been waiting. For the right time. The right events to bring her home. Home to him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and poured all the lost and forgotten emotions now rising up in a wave of longing into her kiss.

And ignited a firestorm.

He responded with all the passion and need she’d felt and hadn’t been able to express – and she couldn’t get enough. She stroked his back and hips, coming to rest on his hard buttocks, and dug her nails in gently. He moaned and shifted slightly down and away from her hands, but his own slid under her cami to lift the silky knit higher. He lowered his head and nuzzled her ribs, pushing the soft fabric up and out of his way with his head. She grabbed her cami and tugged it over her head. Immediately he palmed her breast, testing the weight, the softness, then groaned and took her nipple into his mouth to suck. She arched her back, whimpering.

“Oh, that feels good,” she whispered, her body aching for more. He laved first one breast then the other. His knee lay heavy across her thighs at the heart of her. She slid her hands restlessly up and down his thighs, her fingers sliding under the edge of his boxers before moving up higher.

She tugged his boxers down but he ignored her, his own hands shifting to her pjs, sliding inside the flimsy material, shoving it down off her hips to the floor. She lifted her hips to help him but wanted his boxers off, too. She tugged the elastic down but couldn’t reach the other side. She lowered her hand to find the large bulge in front. Sari smiled and clasped the long length of him. The guttural moan from deep inside his chest had her sliding her hand down to cup the sac below. A shudder rippled down his big frame. He shifted away from her.

She tried to follow, only he pushed her back gently. She glared at him. He grinned, bent down, and kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Just a minute.”

She pouted, then realizing he was stripping off his boxers, she sat up and reached for him. He caught her hands and flipped her onto her back, stretching her arms above her head. Then he lowered his head and suckled first one nipple then the other. She rolled from side to side, wanting to be free to touch him but not wanting him to stop.