Eye of the Abductor (25 page)

When Brance released her, her face flushed from embarrassment. But
not him, he turned to his family like a male lion, showing he was king. She
expected him to let out a roar at any moment.

“Gramie, does this make you happy?”

“Didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”

“Let me snap a couple of pictures." Tina pulled out her
camera.

“Take a couple with mine,” Brance said, handing her the
disposable camera. “I’d like to have one we can frame.”

“Just my good side,” Allison emphasized.

Tina clicked several pictures. Then she snapped one of them with
the minister. Afterwards, Rev. Matthews, Rick, and the youth director excused
themselves and left the sanctuary.

“How are you feeling my dear?” June asked.

“A lot better than last week at this time. Each day I'm better.”

His mother’s gaze dropped to the nasty little scar on her neck.
“You could’ve been killed. I’m so sorry I haven't been more supportive.”

“I understand the turmoil you’ve been going through.” She
considered confronting his mother about her attempt to talk Brance out of
marrying her but decided now wasn't the time.

"Her attacker doesn't want her dead. Why kill the genie of
the lamp if you want your wish to come true? He just wanted to shake her up, so
she'd talk.”

His mother placed her hand on his shoulder. “Is this about that
money still?”

“He demanded account information."

“Five million isn’t so easy to hide,” Brance said. “It’d make
more sense for it to be in an offshore account. South America maybe?”

Allison had already concluded it was locked away in some island
vault.

“Now that you’re married to a cop, whoever attacked you may back
off and decide you really don’t have it,” Carla said.

“That's enough. This is their wedding not an interrogation room.”
Gramie directed her gaze to Allison. “Where are you going on your honeymoon?”

Allison’s cheeks warmed. She’d been honest from the beginning
about this being a business proposition. And still, a small tinge of
disappointment stung her heart. The last thing she wanted was for Brance to
feel as if he’d let her down.

“Brance has to work, and I have a class to attend. Besides, I’m
not in any shape to travel.”

“Perhaps later then,” Gramie said. She fumbled in her purse and
pulled out a sealed envelope. “This is a little something for you.”

Allison’s eyes met Brance’s. “You open it.”

“You’re the bride. Go for it.”

“All right.” She read the card before removing the check from the
inside pocket. “This is too much.”

“No, my dear, it’s a wedding present. And I reserved a room for
you at the Double Tree East.”

Brance and Allison thanked Gramie and hugged her.

The thought of spending a night in a hotel room with Brance had
Allison’s stomach fluttering with a bad case of nerves. She wasn’t ready. If
she had sex with him, it'd be like plunging into a ravine and not being able to
climb out.

It would only complicate things if she decided to divorce him.
Why stick around until he broke her heart and disappointed her?

She waited until they were in his jeep to say anything. “Brance,
I don’t think I’m ready for us to sleep together. I’d rather not go to the
hotel tonight.

***

Brance had expected Allison to react this way.

He started the engine and glanced in his rearview mirror. “It’s
just one night, Allison. We’ll simply be sharing a bed. It can be like a
sleepover. Order from room service and watch a movie. I don’t want to seem
ungrateful. What do you say?”

“I suppose so.”

Sharing a bed with Allison and not laying a hand on her would be
downright painful, but Brance would survive. He wouldn’t push her into having
sex until she was ready. But she’d never be ready if they slept in separate
rooms. His grandmother knew exactly what she was doing.

That evening, Brance entered the Double Tree Hotel, carrying
their two small bags. The modern lobby reflected elegance with huge abstract
paintings and statues. Two elevators enclosed in glass traveled up and down in
the center.

At the desk, Allison tugged on his sleeve like a child wanting
attention. “Ask about double beds.”

“Is there any way we could switch to a double?”

“I’m sorry, sir. We’re booked,” the clerk replied.

He refrained from smiling. “I tried, sweetheart.”

“Thanks for checking.” She scanned the interior of the lobby. The
tightness in her face indicated her pain had returned. No, this wouldn’t be a
night of hot sex. It’d be about building a relationship and trust.

***

Allison cringed when she saw the large bed. She felt trapped and
panicky. Would Brance expect sex?

Even if she were willing, she wasn’t sure she’d be physically
able. Her pain had returned making breathing difficult. He pulled back the down
comforter and fluffed up the pillows. Her spine tightened.

He offered her a smile. “Sit in the chair. I have a surprise. I
was gonna save it for after dinner, but you shouldn't take your pill on an
empty stomach." He pulled a small bakery box from his bag and set it on
the table. "Wedding cake, I thought we should have one."

"Oh, Brance." She stared at the tiny round cake. Little
pink roses bordered the white icing. "It's cute. Do you have any
forks?"

"No. We'll have to use our fingers." He pulled another
chair over and sat beside her. "Dig in, Mrs. Stone."

She broke off a piece of the cake and ate it, then licked the
icing off her fingers. "It's good."

"Glad you like it. It was either this one or a green frog
cake."

She giggled. "Good choice."

Brance ate a small section, then shoved the rest toward her.
"You polish it off."

She lifted the remaining chunk and tried to eat it in one bite,
but ended up with icing on the edge of her mouth.

Before she could stop him, Brance leaned forward and licked the
icing. He took her hand, brought it to his mouth, and licked the icing from
around her fingers.

His touch caused a ping of arousal to throb between her thighs.

Lord, help her. This man made her crazy.

She pulled her hand back. "Thank you for the cake."

"You're welcome." He cleaned the table and tossed the
cake box in the trash. "I’ll get your pain medicine and a bottle of
water.”

“It's in my purse." With Brance looking so hot, she didn't
trust herself on the narcotics. It could weaken her defenses.

“While you’re bathing, I’ll order dinner. Then you should climb
in bed and rest.”

Allison relaxed a little. Brance handed her the pill and water.
She hesitated a moment before swallowing it.

“There’s a menu on the table beside you. Decide what you want. I
don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.”

“You're always hungry.”

While Allison soaked in the huge tub, she thought back on
everything that had happened that day. Brance had been wonderful, but following
her heart's desire had always landed her in trouble. Not this time. She'd think
smart.

She rose slightly to pull herself from the steamy water when a
pain struck. She immediately leaned back against the tub. Staying in the water
until the medication kicked in wasn’t an option. She’d wither like a prune.

When she tried to sit up again, she gasped in agony.

“Are you all right?” Brance called out from the other side of the
bathroom door.

“No. I can’t get out. I should’ve taken a shower.”

The door opened, and she squealed. “How’d you unlock the door?”

“I’m a cop, remember? I know a lot of nifty tricks.”

“I’m naked. Would you mind leaving?”

“Allison, a minister married us today. You’re my wife.” He walked
over to the tub. “Wrap your arms around me, and I'll lift you out of the
water.”

“You’ll get wet.”

“I won’t melt.”

As he lifted her against him, she breathed in his warm virile
scent beneath the faint fragrance of his cologne and felt the strength in his
arms. He eased her to the floor and kept his arms loosely around her until she
was steady on her feet.

His eyes lingered on her breasts, then moved down the length of
her body before meeting her gaze. “You’re beautiful, Allison.”

She lowered her head, fearing the effect of the sexual heat in
his eyes would have on her. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my face is
bruised. So saying I’m beautiful might be stretching it a bit.”

He kissed the darkened area on her cheekbone. “I don’t know what
your first husband had you convinced of, but you are a work of art. You’re
perfect in every way.”

No one had ever looked at her with such affection. Not Rob or her
own father who’d reminded her often enough that she’d never be the beauty her
mother had been. A mother who’d left them both.

Brance blotted a towel over her. His hand brushed her skin,
sending a wave of unwanted desire through her. He frowned as he stared at the
yellowing bruises and incision scar just above her waist. Once he dropped the
towel, he took her in his arms and nuzzled his lips beside her ear. “I’d like
to kill the bastard who did this.”

She believed him.

He planted small kisses beside her ear while he held her. His
erection pressed against her, and Allison gasped when every sensual part of her
body surged. She fought the needy impulse.

He slowly touched his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly as
though she were made of fine porcelain. No doubt the man wanted her. Truth was
she wanted Brance. But making love to him would cloud her judgment.

***

Brance reminded himself that Allison had a lot of mental and
physical healing to do before she’d be ready to make love. He had to be patient
-
which meant a lot of cold showers.

After dinner, he helped Allison into bed and draped the sheet
over her shoulder. “Need another pillow?”

“No, this is fine. The Demerol has finally started working.” She
paused. “Brance, thank you.”

“What’s a husband for? Yell, if you need me. I'm going to
shower.”

She nodded.

While Brance showered and brushed his teeth, he decided not to
sleep in his boxers. He joined Allison and when he dropped his robe to the
floor and stood naked, he pretended not to notice her choked expression. He
slipped between the sheets, staying on his side of the bed.

“What are you watching?”

Besides my naked ass. Yep, she was checking me out.

“A movie," she replied. "I didn’t catch the title.”

“What have I missed?”

She explained the plot.

The movie ended, and Brance glanced at the clock. “I arranged to
go in late. That was the best I could do with the pharmacy cases still
unsolved. If you want to watch more TV, go right ahead. I can sleep through
anything.”

“No, I’m tired. You can turn off the TV and the light.”

He hated being so formal on his wedding night. So damn polite.
More like her butler than her husband.

What he wanted to do was make love to her. Kiss her soft skin and
taste her sweetness. Even if she were willing, her physical condition might
prevent any sexual contact.

Though he tried to sleep, images of her amazing body kept
invading his thoughts. She looked sexy as hell nude. Her body against his had
felt soft and had him overheating.

***

Having intense sex with Brance entered Allison's mind, causing a
stir of awareness to pulsate between her thighs. There’d be no way of avoiding
it if they shared a room in the new house. Once moved in, she’d insist on having
her own bedroom.

Shouldn’t he be entitled to sex?

How would she keep her emotions out of it? But if she didn't
eventually make love with him, wouldn't he turn to women like Tammy? A ping of
jealousy stung her.

Allison wanted more from this marriage than a business deal with
an ironclad contract. She wanted love. But if she wanted her son back, she
couldn’t allow frivolous notions to enter her mind. She would never have the
fairy tale ending.

The next morning, Allison awoke lying on her side with Brance
cuddled behind her, his arm resting upon her hip. His breath warmed the back of
her neck, causing her body to ache with need. Her nipples peaked into hard
pearls. Needing to be touched.

An intense erotic sensation engulfed her. She tried to block out
the memory of how Brance had looked naked the previous night, but that was
difficult to do with his partially hard sex resting against the crease of her
bottom.

She eased his hand from her hip up to her breast. His fingers
cupped around it and his thumb rubbed over the beaded peak. He moaned in a deep
timbre as he started coming out of sleep, and he pushed his growing erection
against her. Throbbing sexual urges shot through her feminine core, causing an
overwhelming rush of desire to consume her. His hand slipped away from her
breast and brushed across her stomach.

Heat spread across her skin like a wild fire, immediate and
threatening. She breathed in the scent of a very hot, turned-on male and
shattered into a thousand pieces.

He kissed her shoulders, then raised her hair and showered damp
kisses down the back of her neck. With his other hand, he traced the contour of
her body, resting it for a moment on her hip. All she had to do was raise her
leg slightly, and he’d be able to slide right in.
Damn it
. Her body was
so ready for him. How could she resist this?

He nipped her earlobe as he pulled her against him more, making a
tighter fit. She whimpered from the surge of arousal and excitement that
scorched through her.

Good, so good. So hot.

He nudged her thigh and pushed his hard shaft between her legs. She
found herself delirious with need and carnal craving.

I want this so much.

Stop this. Don't let it happen. It will change things.