Beyond the Edge by Susan Kearney Page B

couldn’t forget his job. Fallon was sorely testing his strength of will. It took all his self-control to kneel by the switch and place the tool on the first screw without looking in her direction.
    “Don’t,” she said, her voice sharp.
    “Why not?”
    “Any attempt to tamper with the system sends a silent alarm to the police station.”
    “Really?”
    She drew in a deep breath, and her breasts thrust against the damp material. “Why would I lie?”
    “Why wouldn’t you?” Kane countered, peering at her through narrowed eyes. Perhaps she intended to accept his bargain and his hopes rose. Did she have any idea how attractive she looked with her face flushed, her curls framing her high cheekbones?
    “As fast as you move, you could get to me before the police did.” A suggestion of awareness flickered in her eyes and then she hid it behind a facade of studied calm.
    He raised his brow, wondering how hard she was fighting with herself. Lucky for him, the woman had absolutely no idea what he intended to do to her. As he imagined the courage it would take for her to give herself over to him, all the blood in his body headed below his waist.
    He had to stop thinking of her as anything beyond a sex object. Now. This was not his time to let emotions cloud his judgment. Getting closer to Fallon Hanover any way but physically could only lead to disaster.
    “And if the cops took you away, I’d get sick again. So exactly what is the protocol to tell one’s kidnapper to get the hell out of one’s bedroom?”
    He glanced with regret at the panic button, unwilling to trust her. But to tamper with the backup battery or disconnect the wiring could summon the police. The technology was well within the capabilities of the early twenty-first century. However, too much rode on the outcome of this mission to leave her alone where she could easily call for help. The last thing he needed was the authorities on his tail. Maintaining a low profile had to be his first priority.
    He kept his tone casual. “You don’t want me to go.”
    “Your mind-reading abilities are way off.”
    “You want me. You want to accept my offer. Just the idea of being at my complete mercy is arousing to you. It’s only a matter of time before you yield.”
    She shook her head, but she couldn’t seem to summon the words to disagree. Good. He pushed her further. “You’ll have to sleep downstairs with me.”
    As she tensed to speak, he watched the protest rise to her lips and die. Without saying another word she spun on her heel and removed some clothing from her bureau. After striding back into the bathroom, she slammed the door. A few minutes later she reappeared dressed in jeans and a well-worn T-shirt.
    He followed her out of the bedroom suddenly curious about her, about the men in her life. Her too-brief dossier only contained information pertaining to her worldwide financial empire with few clues to her past, except her CIA connection—which she had yet to admit to.
    One last glance over his shoulder into the bedroom didn’t reveal too many hints. The only photograph in the room—a younger Fallon with an older couple,most likely her parents, standing on the bow of a yacht—didn’t tell him anything about the adult woman. Those facts he’d have to discover for himself.
    It couldn’t hurt to find out more about her, especially if they had to spend the next several weeks together. He observed the cute way her hips sashayed as she walked in front of him. She stopped short in the hallway and removed a pillow, sheets and a blanket from a linen closet.
    Kane was all too aware of the sparks she kindled in him. He knew too well that while he could enjoy sex on the job, he enjoyed it so much more when the woman fascinated him. And Fallon was one fascinating lady. He couldn’t wait to explore her combination of courage and desire. He couldn’t risk becoming emotionally involved, yet he knew he was smarter than he once was. In his line of work, love