Forbidden

10

PAIGE HUNG UP the phone in her office, her hand amazingly steady considering her insides were trembling with an abundance of nerves. Remaining behind her lesk, she glanced over at Josh and the high-tech recording equipment he’d set up to monitor every incoming md outgoing call on her business line since Monday. Wednesday had finally produced the results they’d been anticipating.

They’d been expecting the call from Carranza. Josh had briefed her on possible situations and answers, so she’d been prepared to handle whatever direction Victor chose to take the conversation. She’d been calm and poised during their verbal exchange, had even managed to interject light laughter at the appropriate times. The man had been charming and straightforward in his approach, stating a further interest in the Wild Rose, and the diamond-and-emerald necklace she had in her possession. He wanted to discuss both at the dinner party he’d invited her and her “companion” to.

His interest in her boutique was merely a smoke screen, she knew, and the idle comment he’d made about having his jeweler duplicate the emerald neckace if she wasn’t willing to part with hers was a nice, eassuring touch, she thought.

Josh pushed a button to stop the recording tape and slipped off the headset he wore. His gaze met hers warm and encouraging. “You did great, Paige.”

“Well, it sounds like we have ourselves a date for Saturday evening. A black-tie affair, no less. I guess this means I’ll be getting a new dress for the occasion.” A forced smile curved her lips, but did nothing to veil the edge of sarcasm in her voice. “And I thought it was quite generous of Carranza to offer us weekend access to his guest cottage, didn’t you?”

Josh stood and stretched, his gaze turning cautious “If everything goes as planned, we won’t be there beyond Saturday evening.”

She gathered the inventory sheets she’d been working on before Carranza had called and stuffed them into a file folder. Between her contact with Victor, and the earlier conversation she’d had with her Realtor with regard to a solid offer on the beach house-a discussion Josh had heard word for word, including the fact that she’d accepted the bid without hesitation-Paige’s concentration was shot. “If leaves a large margin for error Marchiano. What if the entire weekend is a complete bust and nothing happens? Then what?”

“Then, come Monday morning, we’ll be sending you back home to Connecticut.” His gaze searched her face as if committing every feature to memory. “No matter what happens this weekend, by Monday evening you’ll be back home with your family, where you want to be.’

The folder in her hand slipped to the desk, and a huge lump formed in her throat. “What?” she breathed unable to believe what she’d just heard.

“I’m not willing to risk your life any more than we already have, and I’ve told Reynolds as much.” He opened a black case and began putting the recording equipment away. “I don’t even want to put you through this weekend, but we all know if we backed out now it would look suspicious and we’d lose whatever ground we’ve gained. And we may never get another chance to get as close to Carranza as this weekend will allow.” He glanced up at her, a powerful combination of gentleness and determination darkening his eyes. “You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes.” She understood that he regretted the situation she’d been forced into because of Anthony. And, as a result, he’d been thrust into the danger, too. Together, they’d do whatever was necessary to put an end to Carranza’s exploits. They had no choice.

“And with luck, Carranza will attempt to seize the necklace while we’re there. If not, I’ve already talked to Reynolds about your leaving after this weekend, and he’s making all the necessary arrangements to make sure you get home safely and have the protection you need until Carranza is arrested.”

More than words could express, she appreciated the efforts he’d made to grant her wish to return home. They hadn’t spoken of their relationship since returning from his parents’, but his eyes reflected his emotions, and so did his actions.

He truly loved her, more than Anthony ever had. He was letting her go, giving her what she said she wanted… So why did she feel she was making the biggest mistake of her life?

Shaking off the question that had begun to haunt her, she left her desk and approached Josh, rerouting her thoughts back to the case. “If Carranza isn’t apprehended this weekend, what will happen with him and the necklace?”

“We have a fence who is currently working with the police, and we’ll have to filter the necklace through him and have Carranza believe that you’ve sold it.” Closing the lid on the black case, he secured the locks, then faced her. “It’ll be more difficult to apprehend Carranza, and will take longer than we’d anticipated, but I’m not willing to risk your safety beyond this weekend.” His jaw clenched fiercely.

They stood so close, she ached to reach out and touch him, but didn’t dare for fear of doing something incredibly stupid…like kissing him as she’d been longing to since their return trip from his parents’.

“I want him caught, Josh.” This horrible nightmare wouldn’t end for her just because she was safe in Connecticut, not when Josh’s life was still at stake. She’d worry endlessly about him as long as Carranza remained a free man. “I’d like to see him, and Bridget, behind bars this weekend.”

“That’s what we’re hoping for, too.” The first smile she’d seen in days kicked up the corner of his mouth, softening his expression. “We’ll be on Carranza’s turf, and our guess is that’s where he’ll most likely make his move to obtain the necklace, though we can’t predict how or when he’ll approach you, which is the difficult part.”

She drew a deep breath, resigned to what she had to do, despite her aversion to the situation. Both of their lives depended on her cooperation, and her ability to anticipate the grimmest of circumstances. “Then prepare me for the worst.”

Bracing his hands on his hips, he stared at her for a long moment, a spark of admiration entering his gaze. “All right. I want you to make arrangements to have Pam run the store so your days will be freed up.”

“She’s agreed to manage the boutique until it sells,” she said, having already discussed her plans to leave Miami with Pam. It had been a tearful, emotion-filled conversation, but ultimately Pam had understood her decision, and had already begun to take charge of the day-to-day business dealings. “I’m hoping the new owner, whoever it is, will keep her on.”

Josh nodded. “Over the next three days, we’ll practice self-defense maneuvers, and we’ll spend a few hours each day at the shooting range so you’ll feel comfortable with Liz’s derringer.”

The apprehension Paige thought she’d experience never materialized. It was as though her acceptance had bolstered her courage, made her stronger internally, and pushed aside all uncertainties. She could do this, she realized, as long as she kept her focus. “Okay.”

“I’m taking the tape that recorded your call with Carranza to Reynolds, and he can use it to brief our officers who’ll be working undercover this weekend. We’ve already discovered who is catering the party and assigned men to stand in as part of the crew. Same with the valet service. We’ve been able to post at least two dozen officers at Carranza’s estate for Saturday night.”

Paige’s mind spun with all the information he offered, and she struggled to absorb it all.

He went on. “You’ll also be sitting in on any briefings so you’ll know exactly what our strategy will be, how our men will be set up, and what will happen when Carranza makes his move for the necklace.” His eyes narrowed shrewdly. “The next three days will be intense. Are you up for that?”

“Yes,” she said, meaning it.

A satisfied light came into his gaze. “Then let’s get started.”

SATURDAY AFTERNOON, Paige and Josh headed across the Rickenbacker Causeway to Carranza’s private estate in Key Biscayne. Despite the unpredictability of what lay ahead, Paige felt surprisingly calm, and knew Josh was the reason for her stable frame of mind. For the past three days, he’d committed himself to preparing her both mentally and physically for any confrontation she might possibly face, at times pushing her to the edge of exhaustion and frustration. Still, she’d endured his vigorous demands, knowing the skills he taught her would keep them alive. She’d learned to decipher subtle cues from Josh, knew how to fire a derringer blindfolded, and mastered half a dozen ways to incapacitate a person.

She would wear the Ivanov necklace and knew exactly how to handle any encounter with Carranza or his supposed appraiser. The wireless microphone that had been sewn into the bodice of the gown she’d wear tonight-along with the one Josh would use-was a bit of security Reynolds had insisted upon, just in case she and Josh were separated. The undercover officers would be outfitted with receivers, enabling them to hear their conversations throughout the evening.

Between those lessons and the briefings with Reynolds and the officers assigned to the case, Josh had helped her pack up personal items from the beach house. She’d hired professional movers to secure the rest of her possessions and furniture, and ship them on to Connecticut. By Monday, the house would be empty and she would be gone.

For the past week, she and Josh had been living in a two-bedroom furnished apartment that rented by the week. By the time they arrived home in the evenings after a full day of training and review of strategies, she was so exhausted she fell into bed and slept soundly until dawn. Their hectic schedule left little time for idle conversation, and as a result they didn’t talk about her move back to Connecticut. Not that there was anything left to say. She was leaving and Josh was letting her go, giving her what she said she ultimately wanted.

With every day that passed, she ached at the thought of losing Josh, a man who’d given her friendship, had been her lover in the darkest hours of need, and still remained steadfast and true. Yet she feared what her heart was telling her-feared trusting her feelings, believing she and Josh could have a solid, secure future together. Past experience had taught her otherwise.

At the entrance to Carranza’s estate, Josh announced their arrival. After a brief moment, the elaborate wrought-iron gates slowly opened, allowing them access, and he guided the Volvo up the winding, private road. The scenery, left Paige breathless in awe. The estate, a paradisical hideaway, was surrounded by rolling green lawn and lush, vibrant landscaping. Beyond, she could see the tropical blue water of the Atlantic Ocean.

“Are you ready for this?” Josh asked, slowing the ve- hicle as the driveway circled around an elaborate mar ble fountain, then ended in front of a graceful, elegant mansion that seemed to go on forever.

Watching as a uniformed valet approached their idling car, Paige drew a deep breath and flashed Josh a smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good.” His voice was a low, husky murmur in the close confines of the car, his gaze just as sexy and intimate. He reached out and brushed his fingers along her cheek, tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear-all part of the pretense of being lovers, she assumed, yet that didn’t stop her pulse from leaping or her skin from heating.

He cast a surreptitious glance at the man striding toward her side of the car. “The guest cottage will most likely be bugged, so once we leave this car, there will be no more talk of the case, okay?”

She licked her suddenly dry lips and nodded. “All right.”

His fingers slipped to the base of her neck and an involuntary shiver rippled through her. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her, looked as if he wanted to say more, but there was no time.

The valet opened the passenger door, interrupting the moment. “Good afternoon, ma‘am,” he said pleasantly.

Josh let go of her, slowly sliding his hand away, and she turned her attention to the man waiting to help her from the vehicle. Placing her fingers in his white-gloved ones, she slipped from her seat and stood, wondering if this clean-cut young man was on their side or Carranza’s.

“Thank you,” she murmured, retrieving her hand from his as quickly as possible. At the moment, she didn’t trust anyone but Josh. So as not to appear anxious, she smoothed a hand down the chocolate-colored, knee-length silk dress she’d worn. The gown was one she’d taken from the boutique’s inventory, simple in design, yet sexy in a body-forming way. Perfect for a weekend tryst, Pam had told her, as she’d selected a pair of heeled sandals and some matching lingerie that Paige had been skeptical about wearing.

Standing a few feet away, she waited while the young man unloaded their one suitcase and garment bag and placed them on the imported tile veranda in front of the main door. He rang the doorbell, caught the keys Josh tossed his way, hopped into the Volvo and drove it around a bend in the drive Paige hadn’t noticed until then. She supposed with all the parties Carranza threw, he had a separate lot to park his guests’ cars.

By the time she and Josh made their way up the steps to the veranda, the front door had opened and a staidlooking butler greeted them. Another man dressed in black slacks, a crisp white shirt and black bow tie whisked their luggage away. Paige experienced a moment of panic, until she remembered that Josh had placed the velvet-lined bag holding the Ivanov necklace in her purse for just such a reason. Her hand tightened on the strap.

The older, gray-haired butler escorted them through a marbled foyer and into a large room decorated in rich furnishings. A small gathering of people milled about, talking and laughing, indulging in the wine and the light buffet spread out on a nearby mahogany sideboard. By the time Paige found Carranza and Bridget across the room, the other man had spotted her. Paige looped her arm through Josh’s, as much for silent support as to give the impression they were lovers.

Victor excused himself from the couple he was talking to and approached her and Josh. Bridget remained behind, casually sipping her glass of wine, but her cold, assessing gaze raked over Paige, then went on to scrutinize Josh. Josh merely smiled at the viperous woman, then turned his attention to Victor. He shook his hand as Paige made the introductions, using the false last name of Bennett that Josh had established as part of his cover.

Carranza smiled amicably, the expression in his dark eyes just as gracious, as he welcomed them to his home. Paige marveled at this man’s ability to appear so friendly and hospitable when she knew a ruthless criminal lurked beneath that pleasant facade. Victor spent the next half hour acquainting her and Josh with the other couples in the room, all of whom Paige found to be pretentious and snooty, then finally drew them toward the sideboard of appetizers and gestured for them to help themselves.

Paige was too nervous to eat and politely declined, but Josh had no qualms about sampling the delicacies.

Victor plucked a large shrimp from a tray and dipped it into the accompanying cocktail sauce. “You did bring the necklace, I hope?” Victor asked, his tone deceptively casual.

“Yes.” She smiled, miffed at Josh’s ability to eat when her stomach was in knots. He pretended disinterest in her conversation with Carranza, but she knew he was listening and alert. “I’ll be wearing it tonight.”

“Wonderful. My appraiser is looking forward to seeing it.” Victor glanced at the huge gilded grandfather dock that dominated a corner of the room, then back at them. “I’m expecting about a hundred guests for dinner this evening, and they’ll be arriving right up to six o’clock, when cocktails and appetizers will be served. You have three hours to play or relax, the choice is yours. You’re welcome to use the pool, or explore the grounds, or stay here and mingle.”

Three hours of polite talk wasn’t an option for Paige. “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to take a nap. I’ve had a headache that I can’t seem to shake.” She pressed her fingers to her temples for emphasis and offered a smile. “A few aspirins and a nap ought to take care of it.”

Josh strummed his fingers lightly down her spine and leaned close. “I’ll take care of that headache for you, sweetheart,” he murmured, his warm breath caressing the curve of her neck.

Carranza, having heard Josh’s remark, smirked. “You’ll find the guest cottage fully stocked, so please enjoy the amenities.”

Josh’s large, masculine hand skimmed boldly over her bottom in sexual implication. “Oh, I’m certain we will.”

Paige struggled to catch her breath. Josh might be acting, but his lusty performance sparked a very real desire within her.

Carranza gave the butler a discreet nod. “Have Henry take Mrs. Montgomery and her guest to the west guest cottage.”

“Yes, sir,” the butler replied formally, and after motioning to the same man who’d taken their baggage earlier, he relayed the directions Victor had just given him.

Ten minutes later, she and Josh were alone inside an elegantly furnished cottage. Their accommodations consisted of a stocked kitchen and dining area, a luxurious living room with a big-screen TV, a bedroom twice the size of her own and a decadent bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi bath and a large, tiled shower stall. The cottage was situated at least two hundred yards away from the main house and right on its own private beach.

Josh switched on the elaborate stereo system in the living room to help drown out any noise they made or conversations they had. Soft rock music filtered through the cottage, familiar and soothing. Paige wandered into the bedroom, set her purse on the dresser, then opened the sliding glass door to let fresh air circulate through the room. She gazed out at the ocean while Josh inspected closets, drawers and other places for possible hidden listening devices. He found none, but they both knew that meant nothing.

“When our host mentioned amenities, he wasn’t kidding,” Josh said as he returned to the bedroom, amusement lightening his tone. “There’s everything from adult videos, to a fully stocked bar, to a box of condoms in the nightstand.”

She glanced over her shoulder and lifted a brow. “The hospitality here is overwhelming.”

He grinned, his eyes dancing with humor as he approached. His hands came to rest on her shoulders, and he massaged the tense muscles there with skillful ease. Her head fell forward and she groaned, feeling the stress drain from her body with every deep stroke of his thumbs along her neck.

“Now, about that headache…”

She shivered at the husky timbre of his voice and turned around, intending to tell him it had been an excuse to escape three hours of awkward pleasantries, but the knowing look in his golden-brown eyes cut her off. He touched his fingertips to her mouth, a gentle caress, and a huge ache yawned inside her.

She knew the sexual advances he’d made in Carranza’s presence were meant to establish the illusion of being intimate. Even now, Josh’s words and actions were chosen for the benefit of any listening ears. Yet as their eyes met, a hungry awareness swirled between them. She experienced a desperate urge to make love with Josh, to give him everything welling inside her, and take just as much.

She had no idea what tonight would hold, or what tomorrow would bring. More than anything, she wanted this one last time with him to take with her and remember when she was alone and missing him. She wanted to feel loved and cherished. No promises. No regrets.

“Paige…” His voice vibrated with uncertainties, though his gaze was fever-bright with desire.

“I want this. I need this,” she whispered, then gathered her courage to admit her strongest weakness, her greatest fear. “I need you.”

Not giving him a chance to reject her, she cupped his jaw between her cool palms, brought his mouth to hers and kissed him, pouring every emotion she felt for him into that fusing of lips, that tangling of tongues. He didn’t deny her, but then she knew he would never refuse anything she asked, not if her request was within his power to grant.

His selflessness made her love him all the more.

Her hands skimmed down his neck and slipped into the collar of his sports jacket, tugging it over his shoulders, down his arms, and letting it fall to the floor. He wasn’t wearing his shoulder holster, but she knew he wasn’t without a weapon. She continued to kiss him, aggressively, endlessly, searing her senses and inflaming them both. The thought of the impending danger they faced made her need for him more vital. Her fingers fluttered to the buttons on his shirt, but he caught her hands before she could part the material.

He tore his mouth from hers, his breathing harsh. “Give me a minute,” he murmured, his voice rough with arousal.

Those sixty seconds felt like an eternity to Paige. She watched him toe off his loafers, then bend down, lift his right pant leg and hastily remove the holster he’d secured there. He withdrew a snub-nosed revolver, set it on the nightstand next to the bed, and returned to her, his eyes glowing with golden heat and promise. Plowing all ten fingers into her hair, he closed his mouth over hers, picking up where they’d left off with a long, greedy kiss she returned with equal fervor.

Within seconds, they were wild and on fire for each other. Paige knew this wouldn’t be a gentle loving; what she longed for was fierce and primitive, and Josh was well on his way to giving her the untamed joining her heart and body clamored for.

She nearly tore off his shirt in her haste to touch bare skin. He shrugged out of the garment, and she rubbed her palms over his chest, dizzied by the feel of heat and muscle. She skimmed lower, over his flat belly to the waistband of his pants, struggling to unbuckle his belt. An encouraging moan purred in her throat when he reached behind her, unzipped her dress, and trailed his fingers down the ever-widening path to the base of her spine. She lowered her arms, and the silky fabric slid down her body and pooled around her feet, leaving her scantily clad in wispy cocoa-colored panties and a matching sheer lace bra. His pants and briefs quickly followed.

He reached to pull her close, to rid her of her lingerie, but she had other ideas. She broke their kiss and looked her fill of him, savoring every inch of his naked body. And he let her, though she knew by the tense set of his jaw it took incredible restraint. He was a gorgeous man, his body honed and tightly muscled. She stroked the breadth of his shoulders, touched her fingertips to his chest, lightly circled his navel…and explored lower, her gaze inexorably drawn to the thick arousal jutting from the nest of dark hair between his thighs.

Before she reached her destination, however, he grasped her wrist and jerked her hand away. “Paige, I can’t take much more,” he said gruffly.

She licked her dry lips, moistening them with her tongue. Her heart pounded in her chest as she thought of all the things she wanted to do to him. With him. Erotic things to remember for a lifetime. “Let me touch you,” she whispered. “Please.”

His eyes darkened, and she knew he wouldn’t refuse her provocative request. But she never could have anticipated his next move. Holding her gaze with his, he lifted her hand to his lips and sucked each one of her fingers into his mouth, thoroughly wetting them, then slid his soft tongue over her palm. Her stomach clenched and she grew damp, liquid, ready.

Lowering her lubricated hand, he wrapped her fingers around his straining shaft. She stroked his rigid length with her slick palm and he grasped her face between his large hands and kissed her, slipping his tongue deep within her mouth, enticing her with his own brand of seduction. And with each silken glide of her fingers he grew impossibly harder, thicker…

He groaned helplessly and lifted his mouth from hers. “Too fast,” he muttered, stopping the motions of her hand.

She was breathing hard, her pulse racing. Yes, she did feel a little out of control, but she reveled in the uninhibited sensation. Her heart hammered, with excitement, anticipation and an urgency he instinctively understood.

With a dark oath, his mouth descended once again, crushing hers in a lush, rapacious kiss as he guided her back until her spine was flattened against the cool wall and his hot body pressed intimately into hers. He buried his face into the curve of her neck and she arched into him, gasping when his erection slid against the silk covering her mound. She moaned and tilted her hips, needing him inside her, half out of her mind for him to ease the building ache there.

“Josh, now,” she begged, moving shamelessly against him.

“Not yet,” he breathed hotly against her skin. Grasping the straps of her bra, he pulled them down her arms, just until her breasts sprang free from the lacy netting. His hands plumped the flesh, squeezing, caressing, then lifted her straining nipple to his mouth so he could suckle the tender nub of flesh.

A jolt of sexual longing swept through Paige, rendering her breathless.

Josh charted a path of wet kisses down her belly, bathed her navel with his tongue, while dragging her panties down her legs. He nudged her thighs apart, wasting no time in taking her deeply, carnally, with his mouth and tongue. She sucked in a breath and dug her fingers into his hair as her knees threatened to buckle. His tongue flicked, teased, stroked her slowly, sensually, drawing out the incredible pleasure until it became too intense to bear.

He pushed her over the edge and she soared, climaxing with a low, keening cry she couldn’t hold back. Tremors rippled through her body, and he carried her the entire way.

For the briefest moment he left her, opening the nightstand drawer and groping for something inside-a condom, she realized in a dazed fog as she watched him tear open the foil pack and roll the protection onto his erection.

He glanced at her, his chest rising and falling, his gaze dark with unquenched passion, yet tinged with hesitancy, too. He made no move to reach for her, leaving the next decision up to her.

Unhooking her bra, she let it fall to the floor, then stepped toward him. Her palms pressed against his chest, guided him back until his legs hit the edge of the mattress. She followed him down onto the bed, straddled his hips, accepted the fullness of him and rode him. His hands were everywhere, fondling her breasts, rubbing her thighs, clutching her hips so he could drive deeper…

With a low, masculine growl, he rolled, pinning her beneath him, so they were face-to-face. Heart to beating heart.

She touched his jaw, stared into his eyes. “I love you, Josh,” she whispered, the words slipping out of their own accord. She didn’t regret saying them, couldn’t, not when tonight held so many uncertainties, so many risks.

“I know,” was all he said, then lowered his head and kissed her sweetly, tenderly.

He made love to her with exquisite slowness, extending their time together for as long as possible. Eventually, his measured thrusts gained momentum. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she lifted her hips, urging him deeper, urging him to fill the darkest part of her soul. Languid strokes became harder, quicker, a succession of rhythmic lunges that made him groan and shudder and finally reach his own powerful orgasm.

Minutes later, when he finally recovered, he lifted up on his forearms to stare down at her, and brushed away tendrils of hair from her face with his fingers. A gentle smile curved his mouth, but an awesome sadness filled his eyes. “How’s that headache of yours?”

She laughed when all she wanted to do was cry. “Cured,” she said, wishing there was as simple a remedy for the consuming ache in her heart