No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [48]
He sighed. “Cut to the quick. Now you have to say something nice about me to soothe the wound. Do you like my body?”
She studied him. “Yes, I like it.” He looked hard, totally masculine. He was without an ounce of fat and far more muscular than she’d dreamed. A patch of dark hair thatched his chest. “You have nice muscles too.”
“Touch me.”
She didn’t move.
“Touch me,” he repeated. “I’m going to touch you. Everywhere. Every place. Tonight. Tomorrow.” He took her hand and put it on his chest. “Every time I get the chance. Not around Barry, but whenever else the opportunity presents itself. I’m going to pet you and nuzzle you and enjoy the hell out of it.” He rubbed her palm up and down on his chest. “And hope that you’ll enjoy it too.”
“I’m not used to being fondled.”
“All the more reason. So you’ll have to bloody my nose to keep me from doing it.” He guided her hand down to the tight muscles of his stomach. “And even then I’d still be thinking about how it would be to do it, and you’d know exactly what was on my mind. Do you like the feel of me?”
Her hand was tingling as he rubbed it against him, and her breathing was becoming shallow. She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Yes,” he repeated softly as he moved her hand again. “How I love that word.…”
Galen waited until the screen door closed behind Elena before he went into the barn.
Judd was without a shirt, dousing his head under the water running from a pump. He scowled as he looked up. “No more favors.”
“How is she doing?”
“Too good.” He toweled off his hair. “Better than me. She could have downed me twice today but didn’t. Do you realize how humiliating that is?”
“You’ll survive. She’s sharp?”
Judd nodded. “She’s ready. I’ll give her one more session and cut her loose.” He paused. “But can she take Chavez?”
“That’s the question. I called Manero and had him do a little in-depth questioning of a few of the survivors of Chavez’s little games. There weren’t many, and they survived only because Chavez grew bored with them. He’s very, very good.”
“She’s waiting for him. You could go after him yourself.”
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Not too hard.” He grinned. “You’ve been a little busy for the last week.”
“Shut up.”
“Whatever you say.” He reached for his shirt. “Hey, I’m glad you got lucky.”
Galen ignored the comment. “Don’t cut her loose yet.”
“Why not?”
“I want you to keep her occupied for as long as possible. She’s thinking, planning, and I’d bet she’s trying to get a scenario together that would protect Barry and Dominic and still give her the result she needs.”
“Has she talked about it?”
“No.”
Judd’s eyes twinkled. “Not even in the wee, intimate hours of the night?”
“That’s not what we talk about.”
“Astronomy, great literature, cloning?”
“Don’t cut her loose, okay?”
“I’m taking some punishment.”
“Four more days.”
“She may decide herself to cut the sessions off.” He started buttoning his shirt. “Or maybe not. I’ve noticed she’s pretty distracted around you these days.”
Distracted. Funny that Judd had used that word. No, not funny at all. “She won’t cut short any preparation available to her. Not when it concerns Barry.”
“Then I’m in the driver’s seat.” He pretended to think. “Now, what prize can I ask in return …?”
“Judd.”
“Okay. Four more days.” Judd tucked his shirt into his jeans. “But I’m going to be far too exhausted to do any of the cleanup around here.”
“Thanks, Judd.” Galen left the barn and headed for the house. He had bought a little time, but he didn’t know how much. Elena was definitely not predictable.
Hell, and nothing about his relationship with her was predictable. He felt as if he were trying to walk on water and at any moment he could plunge in over his head.
But, God, it was worth it.
“We’re getting close,” Gomez said. “We’ve uncovered the paperwork on a house Galen owns in New Orleans. We checked it out and he wasn’t there, but we were able to pinpoint the man who buried the paperwork. Samuel Destin, an attorney. If he did the work on that property, then he may have done the same on another. If he didn’t,